Bircham sorry for Kavanagh tackle

QPR midfielder Mark Bircham whose reckless tackle cut short Graham Kavanagh’s first start for Ireland has apologised to the Cardiff City skipper for the injury which saw a distressed Kavanagh leave Lansdowne Road only eight minutes into Tuesday’s friendly.

Bircham, whose colourful haircut and no-holds-barred tackling livened up proceedings on Tuesday night, sent a message to Kavanagh immediately after the game. “I tried to speak to Kav straight after the game, but I couldn’t get him,” said the Canadian hardman. “But I did send a message to him, just to say sorry and I didn’t mean anything by the tackle.

“We were both going in for the ball, it was there to be won,” said Bircham, who remembered Kavanagh from many midfield battles they had in the Nationwide second division. “Yeah, myself and Kav had some right old battles against each other in the second division. I know what type of player he is, and how good he is. I just feel disappointed for him that after waiting so long to get back in the Irish team, he had to come off so early. I hope his injury isn’t too bad.”

Kavanagh accepted Bircham’s apology yesterday and said the unfortunate incident has made him more determined than ever to win a regular place in Brian Kerr’s team. “I am gutted, I was feeling so good and so confident going into the game. To come off after ten minutes was a disaster for me.

“Hopefully Brian will give me another chance. I didn’t even get to speak to him after the match because I had to go for an x-ray. By the time the next friendly comes around, I am going to be 30 but hopefully Brian still thinks I have something to offer.”

Although Kavanagh accepted Bircham’s apology, the Bluebirds skipper felt Bircham knew what he was doing. “I think he did. I had tackled him a few seconds earlier and he was looking for retribution. I was in agony from the moment he caught me, but I was so desperate to play in my first start, I tried to play on.”

Kavanagh, who battled Bircham in the Division two play-off final last year, says there has been no fracture. “I don’t know what the problem is yet, but I know there is nothing broken which I am thankful. I will know later in the week if there is ligament damage.”

Meanwhile, Richard Dunne refused to be drawn on his future after playing the entire 90 minutes Dunne has been a peripheral figure in the Keegan revolution on the blue side of Manchester this season, watching most games from the bench.

“It was good to get 90 minutes with Ireland, it is something that I will have think about in the next few weeks. I don’t know what is going to happen in the future.”