NEWS ROUND-UP: ROBIN VAN PERSIE was relieved to hear last night that the ankle ligament he damaged on international duty with Holland was only partially ruptured, although the Arsenal striker still faces a lay-off of between five and seven weeks.

The in-form 26-year-old, who has scored eight goals in his past 11 matches for his club, was substituted after 15 minutes of the bad-tempered 0-0 friendly draw with Italy in Pescara on Saturday.

He flew back with the Holland squad to Amsterdam, where he remained under the supervision of the Dutch football federation’s medical department, which has liaised closely with its counterparts at Arsenal.

It was initially feared that while there were no fractured bones, the ligament in Van Persie’s right ankle had been severed and he might have faced around three months on the sidelines.

But further scans showed only a partial tear, although the news remains a disappointment to him and Arsene Wenger, the Arsenal manager, who hopes to lead his team to a first trophy since 2005.

Meanwhile, Argentina coach Diego Maradona has been given a two-month ban and fined €16,000 by Fifa following his globally-broadcast foul-mouthed outburst at the end of last month’s decisive World Cup qualifier in Uruguay.

Maradona rounded on his critics after Argentina beat arch-rivals Uruguay 1-0 in Montevideo in October to secure their World Cup berth in the last game of the an 18-match qualifying campaign.

Shamrock Rovers striker Gary Twigg was last night named as the PFAI Player of the Year at a function in Dublin. The Scot, who was signed by Michael O’Neill at the start of the season, had a tremendous season, getting 24 league goals to finish up as the top flight’s top scorer and helping his club to second place in the table.

Bohemians left back, Conor Powell, won the Young Player award while the First Division prize went to 21-year-old UCD midfielder Rona Finn.

Don Givens’ Republic of Ireland’s under-21 side were held to a 1-1 draw by Georgia in Tbilisi in a Uefa Championships qualifier on Saturday. Celtic’s Graham Carey put the Irish ahead early in the second half, but Georgia levelled in the 85th minute through substitute Vakhtang Kvaratskelia.

Bohemians striker Paddy Madden was called into the Irish squad over the weekend in place of Owen Garvan who is suspended for tomorrow’s game in Armenia.