St Ledger makes case for the defence

IF anyone needed a measure of just how highly Richard Dunne is regarded within the Irish camp, then Marco Tardelli and Seán St Ledger were quick to provide the answer in Malahide yesterday.

A second day of training without the input of the Aston Villa defender had left observers wondering if his knee was proving more troublesome than first thought. That worry hardened when it was confirmed he’d been sent for a scan, although Tardelli insisted that this was a matter of mere protocol to ensure that his club in Birmingham would feel reassured that everything was being done correctly in Dublin.

Later in the day came the encouraging news that the scan had shown up no significant injury problem, with the result that Dunne is now expected to train today.