O'Neill's partner outstanding issue

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Blackburn tomorrow indicates his preference for the youngster, even though Kelly is playing regular first-team football and winning rave reviews for his performances.

Along with Given, Ray Houghton and Andy Townsend will also link up tomorrow pending further treatment on their groin and back injuries, as will Aldridge, Liam O'Brien and Alan McLoughlin following last night's First Division match between Tranmere and Portsmouth.

As can be seen from the goal-keeping conundrum and Paul McGrath's exclusion, reputations come second to current Irish form in McCarthy's scheme of things. In that light Gary Kelly's continuing omission from a squad which is already well endowed with right wing backs in Jason McAteer and Jeff Kenna is becoming something of an issue.

David O'Leary, Leeds United's assistant manager, has criticised the Irish manager for excluding Kelly.

O'Leary said: "I just can't understand it. Gary is fit again, he is playing for Leeds United and I was shocked to find he was not in the squad. It's ridiculous really."

McCarthy, not unexpectedly, refused to react to these comments. Perhaps peeved by it all, legitimate queries about Kelly's omission were rejected by McCarthy. "It seems to me that somebody's trying to create a contentious situation that I don't think is there.

"I've got two lads in there who've done well," he said eventually. "That's what happens sometimes when you're not in because of injury." How does one get back in? "What do you do to get back into a team," he asked rhetorically. Play well? There endeth the lesson.

McAteer was, perhaps, the only loser in Liechtenstein, having been forced to watch the game from his hotel after withdrawing from the game with a stomach virus.

Though frustrated by his failure to score this season so far, and what he calls "double marking" of him by more aware opponents, McAteer is warming to his right-sided role with Liverpool and Ireland.

"I'm a lot more comfortable in the position. I know what my job is. A lot of my bad habits have been coached out of me at Liverpool. I pass the ball a lot more now instead of running with it and I feel a lot more experienced as well."

It's conceivable that Roy Keane's absence and injury concerns to other midfielders, Houghton in particular, could mean McAteer reverting to his favoured central midfield role. "It's still my preference at the end of the day."

McAteer also speaks glowingly of Phil Babb's improved form this season at Liverpool. "He's found his form. Even before the Liechtenstein game he had a good beginning to the season. He worked really hard in pre-season. I don't think it would be bad of me to say Phil had a bad season last year. He had just moved to Liverpool, couldn't find a home, had a couple of bad games and had the crowd on his back.

"But now everybody is saying how well he's been playing. He's playing out of his skin." Good news indeed, though Babb will have to dislodge one of the three incumbents to regain his place.

Remarkably, Babb has even outscored McAteer this season, the former's goal at Coventry from a McAteer free obliging the midfielder to reach double figures - in order to cancel out a bet of £1,000. "And who set him up, muggins here?" sighed McAteer.

. Tranmere recorded their first win in seven matches last night when a 90th-minute goal by Italian lvano Bonetti gave them a 4-3 win over Portsmouth, for whom Alan McLoughlin scored from the penalty spot.

Portsmouth had staged a tremendous fightback from a 3-1 deficit to level in the 86th minute and seemed certain to gain a point.

However, Portsmouth were rocked after only 30 seconds when Graham Branch put Tranmere ahead from a Bonetti cross and Branch made it 2-0 with a solo effort in the 31st minute.

Portsmouth should have pulled a goal back two minutes later when McLoughlin miskicked only four yards out. But two minutes before the break Lee Bradbury took full advantage to make it 2-1 after a dreadful mix-up between Andy Thorn and goalkeeper Danny Coyne.

Thorn, who had earlier been booked, was replaced immediately after half-time by Gary Jones and it was the substitute who made it 3-1 after 61 minutes when converting a pass by Shaun Teale.

But Jones turned villain in the 77th minute when he needlessly handled a cross by Paul Hall and Alan McLoughin fired home from the penalty spot. In the 86th minute, Russell Perrett turned in a cross by substitute John Durnin for the Portsmouth equaliser.

A draw seemed certain but in the 90th minute Portsmouth goalkeeper Aaron Flahaven failed to hold a ball from Teale as John Aldridge challenged and Bonetti gratefully accepted the offering.