Alan Kelly has put Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Keiren Westwood on red alert ahead of tomorrow night’s World Cup qualifier against the Faroe Islands.

PREMIER LEAGUE: Sunderland v Arsenal

David Forde is hoping his lucky break will earn him a World Cup adventure with the Republic of Ireland.

Scarcely could David Forde have realised at the start of the season he’d be heading into the critical stage of Ireland’s World Cup qualification campaign as first-choice goalkeeper.

Keiren Westwood has suffered a fresh setback in his bid to become the new Republic of Ireland number one.

Keeper Keiren Westwood has been ruled out of Ireland’s friendly against Greece tonight through injury.

With Shay Given gone and uncertainty still surrounding the international futures of Robbie Keane, Damien Duff and Richard Dunne, tonight’s friendly against Serbia at Red Star Belgrade’s Marakana Stadium might offer a glimpse of a different future for Ireland.

John O’Shea has backed Sunderland team-mate Keiren Westwood to emerge as a worthy successor to Shay Given as Republic of Ireland goalkeeper when the veteran Aston Villa man calls time on his international career.

Sunderland boss Martin O’Neill has backed James McClean to make Giovanni Trapattoni’s squad for the Euro 2012 finals.

MARTIN O’NEILL confessed he’d ran through dozens of scenarios in his mind as to how his first game as Sunderland manager would pan out.

IT’S down to the English FA to make the final decision on any prospective pre-Euro 2012 friendly with Ireland, according to Giovanni Trapattoni.

NIALL QUINN has accused the Professional Footballers’ Association of getting their priorities all wrong, and admitted football has a big problem with its attitude to mental health in the wake of Gary Speed’s death.

WHILE Shay Given remains an automatic choice for the Republic of Ireland, a genuine challenger to the goalkeeper is finally emerging in the shape of Sunderland’s Keiren Westwood.

BIRMINGHAM CITY goalkeeper Colin Doyle admits he needs regular football if he is to re-ignite his international career.

ROBBIE KEANE is weighing up offers to join either Blackburn Rovers or West Brom and is likely to make a decision in the coming days.

HAVING acquired one Republic of Ireland international already this summer, Niall Quinn says he would love to persuade John O’Shea to join Sunderland as well.

CHAMPIONSHIP side Leeds United yesterday confirmed they have signed Republic of Ireland youth international goalkeeper Eric Grimes from Cork club Ringmahon Rangers.

Coventry have confirmed Keiren Westwood will not be signing a new contract at the Ricoh Arena, with the goalkeeper understood to be set to complete a move to Sunderland.

Marco Tardelli has said that he would like to take the reins of the Republic of Ireland team after Giovanni Trapattoni.

MICHAEL QUIRKE wants to start a Coventry City goalkeeping double for Ireland this evening when he debuts for the U21s in a friendly against Portugal in Águeda (5.15pm kick-off).

ROBBIE KEANE’S Tottenham career was yesterday handed a lifeline after Jermain Defoe was ruled out for six weeks with an ankle injury.

LIVERPOOL have signed Portugal midfielder Raul Meireles on a four-year deal from Porto.

Coventry manager Aidy Boothroyd has revealed Celtic have not made an improved offer for Republic of Ireland international goalkeeper Keiren Westwood since the npower Championship club flatly rejected what the Sky Blues manager called a “derisory” bid three weeks ago.

SHAY GIVEN is not prepared to stand idly by at Eastlands this year.

GREEN by name, green by national allegiance but, at 27 years of age, hardly green in the rookie sense, Derby County’s Paul Green has taken the long route to donning the Irish shirt.

RAYMOND DOMENECH names his France squad for next week’s World Cup qualifying play-off against Ireland this afternoon with doubts over his two most senior players.

IT will not exactly rank with his namesake’s crossing of the Delaware, but if George Washington pulls off a victory in tomorrow night’s Breeders’ Cup Classic it will certainly be a revolutionary moment for Aidan O’Brien.