Dunne is determined to shape up

Republic of Ireland defender Richard Dunne is hoping a strong performance in Manchester City's League Cup win over QPR earlier this week will boost his campaign to re-establish himself in Kevin Keegan's first team.

The City boss singled out the Dubliner for praise after the game, noting the excellent attitude displayed of late by a player who has, more than once in the past, tested the patience of his managers at club level.

"I think Dunney is doing everything he can to show us and really show himself that he has got a future here," said Keegan.

"His weight is terrific now and his fitness levels are as good as they have been probably in years. He has now got to wait for that chance. He isn't going to walk back into the side but he is very close," added the former England and Newcastle United boss.

"Of all the players - taking the midfield out of the way because you could literally juggle them every week - he is the one who can count himself most unlucky on his attitude and his training not to be in the side."

The start was only Dunne's third of the season and the 24-year-old admitted afterwards he had been tired by the end of the 90 minutes. He said, however, he was happy with the overall performance and hoped he could win Keegan over during the weeks ahead.

"It is a matter of getting my head down and waiting for my chance to stake a claim which is likely to come in the cup competitions," he said. "I thought I did okay but now it's a matter of waiting and seeing."

Dunne's lack of first-team action at City, added to his fitness problems, has made him a peripheral figure at international level during Brian Kerr's first year in charge of the Irish senior team.

Kerr, though, has repeatedly spoken highly of the big central defender, who seems likely to be recalled to the Republic's squad for next month's friendly against Canada.

Ireland under-20 manager Gerry Smith, meanwhile, will this afternoon name his 20-strong squad for the World Youth Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

Smith, who said he would consult with both Kerr and his own assistant John McDonnell, has used 27 players in the team's last two warm-up games, the latest of which was an impressive 2-0 victory over Italy on Wednesday evening at Belfield.

And he admitted it would be difficult to leave behind some of those who have done well for him.

"There's little to choose between everybody," he said, "it's very difficult but I'm going to have to leave players out. The players who will be left behind will be as good as the players we'll take."

RTÉ has announced it has secured the rights to screen live Premiership games on Saturday afternoons from next season.

The station will broadcast around 15 games each season as part of a joint deal with satellite broadcasters Setanta, who will carry a similar number of matches on a pay-per-view basis on the season's remaining Saturday afternoons.

The deal will run for three years from the start of next season, with the games being broadcast on Network 2.

Montrose have also secured a three-year extension to their highlights deal, which guarantees the future of their The Premiership programme until the end of the 2006/'07 season.

The games will be available in the Republic of Ireland only, as the Network 2 signal on the Sky platform will be scrambled in Britain.