Boost for Ireland as Dunne and Hunt passed fit

INJURIES to Shay Given, Paul McShane and Stephen Ireland may have robbed Steve Staunton of the chance to field something closer to his first choice 11 but the Irish team which will play Denmark in tonight’s friendly in Aarhus (kick off 7pm Irish time) will still represent a decent blend of experience and youth.

In the manager’s understandable absence at yesterday morning’s press conference — his father Tom’s funeral took place on Monday — Staunton’s assistant Kevin MacDonald was not in a position to name tonight’s starting 11 before the squad flew out of Dublin, instead confirming that Staunton, who has travelled to Denmark, will inform the players of his selection today.

But MacDonald was able to clarify that Richard Dunne, despite receiving stitches in a head wound in the Manchester derby, has been cleared to play for his country.