Kerr keeping up appearances as Morrison joins casualty list

THE Republic of Ireland squad held most of their training session behind closed doors in Tel Aviv yesterday, and by the time the media were granted access to the Blumfield Stadium, first impressions were decidedly mixed.

Up above there were clear blue skies and blazing sunshine, with enough of a cooling sea breeze to take the edge off the heat, but down on the pitch the eye was immediately drawn to the less pleasing sight of the walking wounded.

Or, in the case of Shay Given, the lying down wounded, as Ireland's Number One reclined on the turf and watched his colleagues going through their paces.