Kerr looks to youth with one eye on Tbilisi

BRIAN KERR’S attention will be concentrated on the form of a number of Ireland’s emerging young internationals against Norway at Lansdowne Road tomorrow (7.30 pm) but his mind will be in Tbilisi, Georgia.

The match between Georgia and Russia before a restricted audience of just 11,000 fans is certain to have a huge bearing on the qualification process for next year's European Championship finals in Portugal. Kerr will be rooting for Georgia as any loss of points for Russia can only be to Ireland's benefit.

The Irish team manager is on record as regretting the fact Georgia cannot fill their stadium with the same number of fanatical fans as helped create a hostile environment when Ireland visited in March. It must be admitted that UEFA have been lenient in permitting 11,000 spectators attend after the excesses of their fans, and particularly the one who threw a pen-knife, at the Ireland match.