A long road may finally turn for Shay Given tomorrow when the Republic of Ireland complete their US Cup programme with a novel game against South Africa in the Giants Stadium in New Jersey.

Twenty-four hours before naming the team, Mick McCarthy confirmed that Given will wear the goalkeeper's jersey and that Tranmere's Alan Mahon will make his tour debut at some stage on the left side of midfield.

For Given, in particular, this final warm-up game for the World Cup represents a great opportunity to remind the manager that he still retains the qualities which once made him an established member of the team.

Twelve difficult months have passed since a knee injury forced the Newcastle United goalkeeper out of an Euro 2000 game against Macedonia at Lansdowne Road and opened the way for a spectacular comeback by Alan Kelly.

Even more ominously for Given, Dean Kiely has emerged as a viable alternative to Kelly, a point powerfully illustrated in his performance in last Sunday's 2-2 draw with Mexico.

The upshot is that the Donegal man is now in urgent need of rehabilitation if he is to claim a place among the 20 players McCarthy will take to Holland for the start of the World Cup qualifying programme in September.

For much of his time in charge of the national team McCarthy has stressed that there are no guarantees of selection for anybody. And the point is unlikely to be lost on Given, whose only international experience this season amounts to just 45 minutes in the game against Greece in April.

"I've three goalkeepers any manager would be happy to select - I just wish I had had as much depth in the 10 outfield positions," said McCarthy. "Alan and Dean have both done great for the team this season - now it's up to Shay to go and prove that he's lost none of his old skills."

Niall Quinn will again wear the captain's armband, leaving the choice of his frontline partner as a big talking point. McCarthy is almost certainly still looking to Quinn and Robbie Keane to spearhead the search for goals in the World Cup campaign, but tomorrow's game may be a different story.

The physical legacies of an eventful season at Coventry have taken their toll on Keane and there are also doubts about his recovery from an injury sustained in the Republic's game against Mexico.

The bigger consideration for McCarthy, however, may well be the impressive form of Dominic Foley, whose transition from bit player to a key member of the cast has been the great revelation of the tour so far.

Foley can't wait for the chance of endorsing that form. In that mood, he may well represent the better bet for McCarthy in the challenge to exploit the perceived weaknesses in the South African defence.

Matt Holland, another who has made a telling impression on the manager, is likely start his third game in midfield. Depending on the outcome of a fitness test this morning, Stephen McPhail may partner him in the pivotal roles.

To win the tournament, Ireland must depend on the US and Mexico drawing in the opening game of a double-decker bill and then themselves beat the South Africans by no less than four goals.

That amounts to a tall order, but given that South Africa have conceded eight goals in their two games, McCarthy believes that its not an impossible permutation.

"Judged on what we've seen to date, there'll not be a lot in it at the end of the US-Mexico game and South Africa looked far from secure at the back in the videos I saw of their earlier matches," he said.