Determined Kilbane misses training to get his game face on

KEVIN KILBANE, still on course to play against Georgia on Saturday less than a week after having surgery on a fractured cheekbone, had to skip Irish squad training yesterday morning in order to have a protective mask fitted.

His colleagues were suitably impressed by his determination, even if Reading’s Shane Long couldn’t resist the inevitable light-hearted dig.

“He got a nasty one but had an operation on Sunday just to get here,” said the striker. “Now he’s going to have a mask on, so it might improve his looks at least. But, seriously, that’s why he is the player he is today. He’s been a Premiership player all his life and it doesn’t just come easy. He put the work and the elbow grease into it and is getting his rewards now.”