Hoolahan handed rare start

Wes Hoolahan was handed a rare start as Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni ran the rule over his squad players in evening’s friendly clash with Georgia.

The 31-year-old Norwich playmaker won just his fifth senior cap in a side which featured nine changes to the one which started against England in midweek with Keiren Westwood, Paul McShane, Richard Keogh, Damien Delaney, Marc Wilson, Andy Keogh, James McClean and Simon Cox also getting the nod.

Georgia manager Temuri Ketsbaia named seven of the men who started the last game, a 3-1 World Cup qualifier defeat in France, and that meant a start for former Rangers and Blackburn defender Zurab Khizanishvili.

TEAMS:

Rep of Ireland: Westwood, Delaney, McShane, Richard Keogh, Wilson, Andy Keogh, McCarthy, Hoolahan, McClean, Cox, Long. Subs: Randolph, Coleman, Whelan, McGeady, Keane, Kelly, Quinn, Meyler, Sammon, Hendrick, Dunne.

Georgia: Loria, Lobjanidze, Khubutia, Khizanishvili, Dato Kvirkvelia, Kashia, Daushvili, Kankava, Ananidze, Kobakhidze, Gelashvili. Subs: Migineishvili, Tomashvili, Saba Kvirkvelia, Kobakhidze, Maisuradze, Dzaria, Gigauri, Devdariani, Targamadze, Gorgiashvili, Popkhadze.

Referee: Serbastain Coltescu (Romania)