SOCCER INTERNATIONAL NEWS:WITH TWO of his most experienced players set to miss next week's World Cup qualifier against Cyprus at Croke Park, Giovanni Trapattoni will name his squad of 22 for the game this afternoon when members of what is effectively his B squad gather in Dublin for Thursday's challenge match with Nottingham Forest.
Steve Finnan is out of the game with a calf strain picked up a couple of weeks ago on his debut for the Spanish side Espanyol.
And Steven Reid looks almost certain to miss the game after being sidelined for Blackburn's last three Premier League fixtures with a knee injury.
Reid's absence, though not yet officially confirmed by his club, will be a particular blow to Trapattoni, who had handed the 27- year-old a pivotal role in the opening two qualification games.
The midfielder has only returned after a long absence from the international scene stretching back to the opening game of the last campaign, against Germany in Stuttgart.
His injury appears unrelated to - and not nearly as serious as - his previous problems. But his ability to regain full fitness and play consistently for his club over the coming months will be a major concern for the Ireland boss.
It is far from clear who Trapattoni will turn to in Reid's absence, particularly as Liam Miller is also a major doubt for next week's game with a groin strain.
A recall for Lee Carsley remains a possibility, though he would be an unlikely partner for Glenn Whelan, and there has been nothing so far in the coach's reign to suggest he sees the Birmingham City midfielder as having a contribution to make.
At the back, Paul McShane is the player most likely to benefit from the absence of Finnan. With Stephen Kelly laid up for a month with a thigh strain, the Hull City defender and Joey O'Brien are the two most obvious replacements, and Trapattoni's repeatedly positive assessments of the former suggest he heads the queue.
If McShane plays, Trapattoni must decide whether to start him at centre half while moving John O'Shea to right back or keep what has thus far looked a solid central-defensive partnership.
That Richard Dunne, who was sent off in the 5-2 defeat by Cyprus two years ago and suspended for the 1-1 draw with them 12 months later, seems to have come through Manchester City's defeat by Liverpool on Sunday without aggravating a minor hamstring problem, is a major plus for the Ireland boss.
Kevin Foley, who is in line to feature against Nottingham Forest at Dalymount Park, looks well placed to earn a promotion to the senior squad, which is scheduled to train together on Saturday afternoon.
The Reading striker Noel Hunt looks to be out of the Forest game after suffering a concussion in Saturday's win over Burnley.
The 25-year-old, who has made a major impact at the club since signing from Dundee United, joins Liam Lawrence on the injured list, the Stoke City midfielder having hurt an ankle when he tripped over his dog on the stairs at home last week.
Pat Fenlon, meanwhile, handed first under-23 call-ups to midfielders Gary Deegan of Bohemians and Jay O'Shea of Galway United yesterday, when he named his squad for the International Challenge Trophy game against Belgium at Dalymount Park on October 21st.
The Irish have won both of their games in the competition so far - against Slovakia and Northern Ireland - and need just one point to be sure of a place in the event's inaugural final, where either Italy or England would provide the opposition.
"We'll approach the match as we have every other and go out to win it," said Fenlon at yesterday's announcement of the 22-man panel.
"I'm happy with squad. There are a lot of attacking options. Dave Mooney going is a bit of a blow but I've still got some good strikers."
The Derry City winger Niall McGinn, who has been in outstanding form for his club of late, will be playing for Northern Ireland in the competition's last round of group games, but Ruaidhri Higgins is included along with players from all but one - Finn Harps - of the League of Ireland's top-flight sides.
Fenlon's own Bohemians side has five players in the squad, while St Patrick's Athletic, who the league leaders play in the cup three days after the Belgium game, have just one.
Pádraig Amond of Shamrock Rovers and Huddersfield Town's James Berrett have been called into the squad for next week's friendly under-21 international against Lithuania.
The pair replace Celtic's Cillian Sheridan and Alan Judge of Blackburn Rovers.
REPUBLIC OF IRELANDUnder-23 squad (v Belgium): Darren Quigley (Derry City), Barry Murphy (Shamrock Rovers), Séamus Coleman, Gavin Peers (both Sligo Rovers), Ger O'Brien (Shamrock Rovers), Conor Kenna (UCD), Shane Guthrie (Cobh Ramblers), Conor Powell (Bohemians), Darren Murphy (Cork City), Paul Keegan (Drogheda United), Killian Brennan (Bohemians), Stephen Rice (Shamrock Rovers), Stephen O'Donnell, John Paul Kelly (both Bohemians), Ruaidhri Higgins (Derry City), Gary Deegan (Bohemians), Mark Quigley (St Patrick's Athletic), Denis Behan (Cork City), Ger Rowe (Bray Wanderers), Jay O'Shea (Galway United).
