GARETH FARRELLY, the young Aston Villa midfield player, is set to return to the Republic of Ireland team for their final game in the US Cup against Bolivia in New Jersey tomorrow. Farrelly is likely to be accommodated in the reshuffle occasioned by a one match suspension for David Connolly after being booked for a second time in the Mexican game.
With Niall Quinn also ruled out, Mick McCarthy will push Alan Moore forward to join Keith O'Neill in the front line, enabling Farrelly to return for another appearance in midfield. Moore, a midfield player by inclination as much as training, won his first cap as a forward against the Czech Republic in March and did sufficiently well to convince McCarthy that he is capable of adapting to the new role. Despite Packie Bonner's heroics against Mexico, Shay Given will return to goal, with Alan Kernaghan taking over from the suspended Liam Daish in the middle of the back three.
Alan McLoughlin, the outstanding player of the tour so far, took another knock late in the Mexican game, but the expectation is that he will have recovered by the time McCarthy names his team later today.
Mick McCarthy will let former Welsh international Ian Evans take over in the dug out in Ireland's final American tour game against Bolivia on Saturday. The three match tour comes to a close at the Giants Stadium in New Jersey when McCarthy will probably watch the game from a corporate hospitality box while assistant Evans issues the instruct ions from the bench.
There is no way I am going to keep in contact with Ian during the game with two way radio or anything like that," said McCarthy. "Ian will be able to cope with any situation that arises. Anyhow, I will get a different perspective of my team by watching the game from the stand." With Blackburn's Jeff Kenna an absentee because of an hamstring injury, McCarthy is reduced to a 14 man squad.
"That won't bother us as it will be just like an English league match. These young players just want to get on with the game and finish the tour on a high note," said McCarthy, who added. "Even when we were down to 10 men they played with passion." After the mayhem of the Giants Stadium, McCarthy's squad spent a relaxing day yesterday taking in the sights of New York. But the chaotic scenes from Wednesday have not been forgotten.
Any decision over future participation in the US Cup is likely to be deferred until after FAI officials return to Dublin on Sunday.
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