Brian Kerr will be without four of the players that started Saturday's draw with Russia when the Irish team takes to the field again at Lansdowne Road for tomorrow's friendly international against Turkey.

Kenny Cunningham (groin), John O'Shea (knee), Shay Given (knee and neck) and Lee Carsley (knee) have already returned to their clubs in England to start receiving treatment on their injuries.

"Kenny had an old groin injury which felt a bit sore, but we were going to rest him anyway as he is suspended for our final qualifier in Switzerland next month, and Lee has gone back too. I am happy enough with the strength of the squad we have at the moment," Kerr said.

Richard Dunne and Andy O'Brien are now the two main candidates to partner Gary Breen in Basel with Kerr's observations on the pair yesterday suggesting that it is the Manchester City defender who is currently seen as the preferred choice.

With Given gone, Nicky Colgan will start against the Turks but Kerr said yesterday that he intends to give Joe Murphy, capped 14 times at under-21 level, his senior debut at some stage over the course of the night.

"I'm glad to have this game," said Kerr yesterday, "it gives me a chance to give a few of the other players a run. What I have to do, though, is find a balance between improving the way the players who played against Russia performed and giving some of the other players an opportunity."

With the Swiss game looming so large on the horizon Kerr has decided against calling up any of the under-21 panel and said he would stick with those senior players left after the weekend unless a problem cropped up. Rotherham striker Alan Lee took a knock on his knee during training yesterday and will be assessed this morning.

The team's Euro 2004 fate, he conceded, now depends largely on the outcome of Switzerland's game in Moscow on wednesday night, which Kerr will fly to by private jet, at an estimated cost of in excess of €20,000. "There are various permutations," he said, "but if we beat the Swiss then we will be guaranteed the play-off place and there are still other combinations of results that could mean that we win the group. It's a tough task but we've faced challenges before since I came in."