Another setback for unlucky Elliott

Sunderland striker Stephen Elliott is set to miss the Republic of Ireland's three remaining European championship qualifiers this year, it was revealed yesterday, after sustaining a serious ankle ligament injury in Wednesday's 3-0 win over Sunderland.

Elliott had come on for David Connolly in the game and wrapped up Sunderland's win with the third goal but the 22-year-old was injured while scoring and had to be replaced after just 17 minutes on the pitch.

"He's done the ligaments and jarred it but there is no break," Roy Keane told the club's website. "He's had a sore one. We saw it on the camera after the game and it is quite nasty. It is disappointing for us and for him after scoring a great goal."

The injury comes at a time when Elliott would have been hoping to make a major impression on Sunderland's new manager and it follows the succession of problems he suffered last season when he was repeatedly sidelined.

The news will also come as a blow to Steve Staunton who will certainly be without the player for the games against Cyprus and the Czech Republic and will probably have to omit him from the squad for the game against San Marino as well.

Staunton is already waiting for news from Charlton on whether Andy Reid will recover from a hamstring injury for the trip to Cyprus. The Dubliner was injured last weekend and the club initially suggested that he will be sidelined for three weeks.