BLACKBURN ROVERS midfielder Keith Andrews will miss the opening two games of the Republic of Ireland’s Euro 2012 qualifying campaign, against Armenia and Andorra, the FAI confirming yesterday that the player would remain at his club for treatment on the groin strain that kept him out of Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Arsenal.
There are also doubts about the fitness of Paul McShane and Keith Treacy, the former ruled out of his club’s Championship meeting with Doncaster on Saturday due to the calf injury he picked up in the League Cup last week.
Treacy, meanwhile, limped out of Preston’s 1-0 defeat at Sheffield United, the midfielder’s injury due to be assessed by the Irish medical team today.
Liam Lawrence, who returned to training with Stoke City last week after suffering a groin injury, was one of 10 members of the squad not to see any first team action at the weekend.
The winger missed out on the trip to Chelsea in what might have been his final appearance for the club – he could be on his way to Portsmouth this week as part of a deal that would see fellow Irish international Marc Wilson move to Stoke.
Concerns over Kevin Doyle’s fitness had prompted Giovanni Trapattoni to add Cillian Sheridan into his squad on Friday, but the Wolves striker lasted 72 minutes against Newcastle on Saturday, while Sheridan got one of CSKA Sofia’s goals yesterday in their 3-1 victory over Sliven in the Bulgarian league.
Robbie Keane and Shay Given were, once again, unused substitutes for Tottenham and Manchester City at the weekend, with both players again linked with moves before tomorrow’s transfer deadline.
Keane, as he has been for much of the summer, is reported to be a target of Aston Villa, with Newcastle also said to be interested in signing the Irish captain. A move to the north-east would see the player reunited with former Republic of Ireland assistant manager Chris Hughton.
Fulham manager Mark Hughes, meanwhile, has hinted at a loan move for Given, who he brought to Manchester City last year from Newcastle, as a replacement for Mark Schwarzer, seemingly Arsenal-bound. “Mark has made it clear that he would like to go to Arsenal so we are trying to look at other options,” he said.
“I’m always interested in quality players and Shay is a quality player. Make of that what you will. But I have said that if we can’t get anyone else in, Schwarzer will have to stay.”
Also sitting out the action at the weekend was Aidan McGeady who is still waiting to make his Spartak Moscow debut following his €12 million transfer from Celtic. McGeady had been expected to feature in yesterday’s game with Terek Grozny but was omitted from the travelling party.
IRELAND’S EURO 2012 QUALIFIERS: Sept 3rd: Armenia (a); Sept 7th: Andorra (h); Oct 8th: Russia (h); Oct 12th: Slovakia (a); Mar 26th 2011: Macedonia (h); Jun 4th: Macedonia (a); Sept 2nd: Slovakia (h); Sept 6th: Russia (a); Oct 7th: Andorra (a); Oct 11th: Armenia (h).
