Finnan set to be fit to face Israel

SOCCER: Liverpool defender Steve Finnan is now expected to be fit for next weekend's World Cup qualifier against Israel after a scan performed yesterday morning on the player suggested the thigh injury that troubled him in Istanbul on Wednesday night is less serious than originally suspected.

"Alan Byrne (the Republic of Ireland's team doctor) was talking to the Liverpool doctor this morning," said Republic of Ireland manager Brian Kerr yesterday, "and it (the scan) showed nothing serious. They've said he'll be reporting in next week, which is fine. I'd never expected him to be in before next Wednesday."

The bulk of the Ireland squad for Sunday's Jackie McNamara testimonial game in Glasgow, meanwhile, trained in Dublin yesterday morning with a number of late arrivals, including Damien Duff, who joined up just prior to the session.

A small number of others who have had extended club commitments will travel directly to Scotland and this group includes the Manchester United trio - Roy Keane, John O'Shea and Liam Miller - who have been allowed to rest this week after last Saturday's FA Cup final defeat by Arsenal.

"We're fairly well fixed for the game," said Kerr. "Aside from Steve, we have Alan Maybury coming in on Tuesday and Ian Harte will be in after the weekend too. But we'll have plenty of lads with us for Jackie's game and I intend using the majority of the players, maybe even them all, at some stage during the afternoon."

Kerr said the game had been agreed to on the basis it would provide a bridge between the end of the season in England and the World Cup qualifiers next Saturday and the following Wednesday in the Faroe Islands.

"Obviously we're happy to be a part of recognising the contribution that Jackie McNamara has made at Celtic but the priority is to get the players playing for a bit because it's been a bit of time since the Premiership, and particularly the Championship, ended."

Match preview: page 7