Mick McCarthy's problems eased somewhat yesterday when David Connolly was made available for Saturday's World Cup play-off against Belgium in Brussels. After being ruled out of Feyenoord's European Champions' League game against Manchester United last Wednesday, because of a hamstring problem, Connolly proved his recovery as a second-half replacement for his club on Sunday.

Later, he reported that he had suffered no reaction to the old injury and providing he confirms his fitness in training this week, he will be in contention for a place in the starting line up, when the team is chosen on Saturday afternoon.

With McCarthy not ready to spell out the preferred strategy for the game, it is premature to say that the Feyenoord player, who was replaced in closing stages of the first Belgian game, will again be stationed in the cockpit of the Irish attack.

What is certain, however, is that the manager will ponder his claims long and hard after noting the impressive job Connolly did, when deployed as the only specialist forward in the game against Romania at Bucharest last April.

McCarthy believes that the priorities of the Brussels assignment, may not be wholly dissimilar from those which awaited his team in Bucharest and to that extent, will be suitably reassured by the news that his Dutch-based striker is, in fact, available for selection.

"We are not exactly coming down with attacking options and to that extent it's good news", he said. "David played for his club at the weekend without any problems and hopefully, they're not going to recur before Saturday."

Although David Kelly's unexpectedly quick recovery from what was perceived initially, as a serious ankle injury, is a bonus, McCarthy is still bemoaning the on going loss of another of last season's exciting newcomers, Keith O'Neill.

O'Neill, in tandem with Connolly, extracted rave notices during the American tour, but because of injuries, affecting first Connolly and then the Norwich player, they haven't teamed up since. Nearing the end of a World Cup qualifying programme which has held as much disappointment as joy, that remains one of McCarthy's biggest regrets.

One option he will not be availing himself of on Saturday, is the recall of Niall Quinn. Although Quinn played for the final six minutes of Sunderland's game against Nottingham Forest at the weekend, neither manager nor player considers that to be adequate preparation for an international game of this importance.

As anticipated, Stephen Carr of Tottenham has been called into the squad following the loss of Denis Irwin and Curtis Fleming. It is the second time Carr has been summoned for emergency action in the senior squad and if his chances of starting the game remain slim, it is still a significant promotion for him.

Unlike the build up to the first Belgian game when Michael Evans was forced to make a premature return to base in Birmingham after fracturing his cheekbone in a collision with Jason McAteer, it is hoped that the first of the planned training sessions at Clonshaugh this morning, will be devoid of serious incident.

Despite the inherent risks, McCarthy has no intention of deviating from stated policy which guarantees a competitive edge to all training sessions. He insists that it will be business as usual between now and match time, a line of action which is apparently, backed by the players.

The squad will train twice daily for the next two days before departing for Brussels on Thursday morning. There they will work out in a suburban park on Thursday afternoon and again on Friday morning before going to familiarise themselves with the match venue later in the day.

It was announced yesterday that extended hours of business, will be introduced at the Irish Embassy in Brussels, to cater for an influx of some 9,000 supporters for this, the most important game that Ireland has played in almost two years.

The Embassy, which is situated at 89/93 Rue Froissart, 1040, Brussels, will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, from noon to midnight on match day and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

One man the Irish news corps need not expect to see too much of during their stay in Brussels is the Belgium manager, Georges Leekens. In an astonishing interview at the weekend, Leekens said that he was outraged by some of the references made about him in the Irish media.

Stating that he was quoted out of context when attempting to bring a note of light relief to the occasion, he threatens to be a lot more economical with his words in any interviews he may deign to give in the coming days.

Not all of the arrows aimed at the beleaguered Belgian manager are coming from the Irish. Initial reaction in sections of the Belgian press, to the announcement of his squad, was to question his decision to go without the PSV Eindhoven striker, Gilles De Bilde.

With Luis Oliveira returning from suspension, Leekens found himself with a forward too many and solved the problem by retaining Michael Goossens, who played so well in Dublin, to the exclusion of De Bilde.