Crowe's hopes are dashed

Glen Crowe's hopes for a debut in a senior Republic of Ireland shirt has been shattered after Mick McCarthy omitted the Bohemians…

Glen Crowe's hopes for a debut in a senior Republic of Ireland shirt has been shattered after Mick McCarthy omitted the Bohemians striker, along with 15 others, in reducing his panel to 24 for next Wednesday's friendly with Croatia at Lansdowne Road.

Crowe (23), who was called up to the senior panel for the World Cup qualifiers with Portugal and Estonia at the end of last season after initially being invited to train with the squad, was named in McCarthy's 39-man preliminary list last week. Joining Crystal Palace striker Clinton Morrison in the retained list are fellow under-21 players, Manchester United central defender, John O'Shea and Millwall midfielder Stephen Reid. Also holding his place is Newcastle United defender Andy O'Brien.

Left out of the squad due to injuries are Tottenham right back Stephen Carr, Charlton midfielder, Mark Kinsella, and defenders Kenny Cunningham (Wimbledon) and Coventry City's Gary Breen.

IRELAND (Squad v Croatia, August 15th): A Kelly (Blackburn Rovers), S Given (Newcastle United), D Kiely (Charlton Athletic); G Kelly (Leeds United), S Staunton (Aston Villa), I Harte (Leeds United), R Dunne (Manchester City), G Doherty (Tottenham Hotspur), A O'Brien (Newcastle United), J O'Shea (Manchester United); R Keane (Manchester United), L Carsley (Coventry City), J McAteer (Blackburn Rovers), M Holland (Ipswich Town), K Kilbane (Sunderland), S Finnan (Fulham), M Kennedy (Wolverhampton Wanderers), S Reid (Millwall), S McPhail (Leeds United); D Duff (Blackburn Rovers), N Quinn (Sunderland), R Keane (Leeds United), D Connolly (Wimbledon), C Morrison (Crystal Palace)