Republic’s defensive crisis mounts for Givens

CARETAKER manager Don Givens is having to cope with a defensive crisis ahead of Saturday’s Euro 2008 qualifier against Wales.

After the Irish squad trained at the Cwmbran Stadium close to their Celtic Manor base yesterday, Givens confirmed that Richard Dunne, Stephen Kelly and Andy O’Brien have all had to withdraw through injury.

While Dunne (calf) and Kelly (knee) had been rated doubtful since the weekend, the news of Andy O’Brien’s withdrawal came as a surprise. After a year ininternational exile, the veteran defender couldn’t make the games against Germany and Cyprus because of a kidney problem, and now he misses the chance to return against Wales after Bolton revealed that he will undergo surgery on his nose today to help correct a breathing problem.