Rowlands in but still no room for Reid

QPR’s Martin Rowlands has been called into the Irish squad as Giovanni Trapattoni continues to sweat on a number of players who are nursing injuries in the run-up to Saturday’s big game against Italy at Croke Park.

Rowlands hasn’t been capped for Ireland since 2004, with injury forcing him out of Trapattoni’s plans after the player had initially impressed the manager in last year’s inaugural training camp in Portugal.

While the news will come as a welcome boost to a player who was sent off in his side’s 2-0 defeat to Swansea on Saturday, the unexpected recall of the 30-year-old midfielder can’t be interpreted as anything other than a fresh rebuff for Andy Reid whose hugely impressive performances this season for Sunderland have clearly not been enough to prompt a change of heart about his selection on Trapattoni’s part.