Five leave Ireland squad ahead of Italy

Soccer: Giovanni Trapattoni has let a handful of his squad depart for a variety of reasons ahead of the friendly against Italy in Liege on Tuesday.

Captain Robbie Keane has been rewarded with an early holiday after bringing his international goals tally to 51 with a brace against Macedonia in the Euro 2012 qualifiers in Skopje last night.

An knee injury means Keith Fahey will play no more part, while John O’Shea’s wife is expecting a baby and Kevin Kilbane and Shay Given will be permitted to attend a coaching course, having signed up prior to the organisation of the match in Belgium.

Aiden McGeady and Stephen Hunt were given the option of leaving early but both refused. It’s a mark of the commitment of the former, considering his club Spartak Moscow are in action at the weekend.

It all means the manager will have a bit of reshuffling to do for the game against his homeland, but he would only confirm today that Shane Long will start up front with Andy Keogh against the Azzurri.

Simon Cox, who started alongside Keane in Skopje, is likely to see some action in the second half.

Trapattoni also ruled out calling in additional players, hinting some may have some work to do if they are to be welcomed back.

“We have 26 or 27 in the squad originally,” he said, “now we will give priority to those who came and played. I don’t forget about (Darron) Gibson or (Marc) Wilson or any of the others but obviously they have to deserve their place back.”

Reflecting on last night, the Italian insisted: “The team played the way we wanted it to. The important think now is to maintain that, because if we can do that we can play against anyone.”

With his side level on points with Russia and Slovakia with four games to go, he insisted it was too close to call in Group B.

“It may be possible to the answer the question after the two games in September but in my opinion it may come down to the last game.”

Ireland host Slovakia on September 2nd before a trip to Moscow to face Russia. An away game in Andorra follows on October 7th, before a home tie with Armenia four days later.