Trap door about to shut

With the announcement in Waterford yesterday of a 24-man panel for the friendly against the Czech Republic later this month, Giovanni Trapattoni showed his hand and effectively named his squad for the European Championship finals.

Understandably, the absence of James McClean dominated the immediate headlines but the real significance of the squad is that, barring injury, 23 of those named are sure to be on the plane to Poland next summer.

Further, from everything the manager said, it seems reasonable to assume the player likely to lose out between now and then will be James McCarthy or Seamus Coleman. And the Wigan man appears closer to making the cut, with Trapattoni revealing he intends to look at him in a midfield role against the Czechs on February 29.