Cunningham a doubt for Italy friendly

REPUBLIC of Ireland captain Kenny Cunningham is a doubt for the start of Birmingham City’s season - and Ireland’s friendly with Italy on August 17 - after he sustained a partially collapsed lung in a pre-season game.

At first, it was believed that the central defender might have broken a rib following a collision with a QPR player in last Saturday’s friendly. After the incident had occurred in the first-half Cunningham played on, but he was forced to withdraw with chest pain at half-time.

Blues boss Steve Bruce said: “There’s no fracture to Kenny’s rib cage but unfortunately he’s got a partially collapsed lung. It’s the top part of it and he will now see a specialist.”