ANDY TOWNSEND became the latest injury scare for Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy last night when a back injury ruled him out of Aston Villa's Premiership match at Newcastle.
Technically, Villa manager Brian Little could now withdraw the Irish captain from the squad for tomorrow week's World Cup qualifier at home to Macedonia.
"Like all these things, I'll just have to wait until I hear from Andy as to what the position is," said McCarthy last night.
Crossing his fingers, touching wood and watching out for a couple of magpies, McCarthy will await health reports on Townsend and the rest of his walking wounded during a full Nationwide League programme over the next 48 hours, while taking in games at Watford and maybe Marseilles.
Only then will he make any amendments to his squad following Roy Keane's anticipated withdrawal yesterday.
McCarthy had long since resigned himself to the probability of losing Keane once more. "I spoke to Alex Ferguson today and I don't think there's any chance he's going to play. Roy's got to rest in bed for a week. We never discussed it really. I just took it for granted that he's out of the squad."
Indeed, Keane is expected to miss Manchester United's next European Champions' League encounter away to Fenerbahce on October 16th. "I think it's quite a serious (knee) injury. I'm just pleased he's going to be alright," added McCarthy.
On a more positive note, Watford striker David Connolly returned to action as substitute at the weekend and is expected to start in his side's second division match at home to Preston. "I'm going to watch him and I'll see how he does. He could always be pulled into my squad yet from the under 21s."
McCarthy is not so sure about his plans to travel to Marseilles to watch Tony Cascarino, who has only played three games in an injury disrupted season. "I spoke to him today and he didn't play on Saturday. I'm not going if he's sub; it would be a wasted journey."
Jeff Kenna was also missing from Blackburn's 0-0 draw at Coventry on Saturday but is hopeful of being fit, besides which McCarthy presumes she's still in the squad because I haven't heard from him."
All in all, it will be an anxious few days for McCarthy before the squad assembles in Dublin at mid day on Friday. "I'm not going to rush anybody into the squad yet. I'm not that desperate anyway. I've still got 19 players. If I decide to name another one I'll wait until after the games. It's sod's law that I name one of them and he'll be injured."
Meanwhile, the English FA Executive are expected to discuss the issue of Wimbledon's proposed relocation to Dublin at a meeting in London tonight at the behest of the FAI, who wrote to their English counterparts about this matter recently.
On foot of that the newly installed chief executive of the FAI Bernard O'Byrne (who begins his new job today) is optimistic that the English FA will be sympathetic to the FAI's stance. "I'm expecting that the English FA will stand full square with the FAI, UEFA and FIFA," he said.
O'Byrne expects to meet his English FA counterpart Graham Kelly "at a mutually convenient date in the very near future. But they have a match coming up, as have we, so I would expect that it will be immediately after the Macedonia game."
Nevertheless, word from the Irish based consortium is that the takeover deal involving Wimbledon FC will go ahead shortly.
Furthermore, they maintain that 20 of the 22 National League clubs have agreed to support the relocation proposal, the exceptions being St Patrick's and Bohemians. However, spokespersons for UCD, Shelbourne and Shamrock Rovers have all categorically denied that any such deals have been made.
. Coventry team mates Lorcan Costello and Willie Boland have been withdrawn from the Republic of Ireland under 21 squad for the European under 21 championship qualifier at Dalymount Park on October 8th.
