Walters’ physicality a winner as Doyle to be held in reserve

Jon Walters is set to get the nod ahead of Kevin Doyle as a strike partner for Robbie Keane when Ireland take on Kazakhstan in their opening World Cup qualifier in Astana on Friday.

Although Giovanni Trapattoni will not confirm his team until tomorrow, all his remarks to the media after training in Malahide yesterday pointed to a 12th cap in the offing for the Stoke City man, with Doyle the one likely to lose out.

And Nottingham Forest’s Simon Cox looks like he will come in as a replacement for Damien Duff, with James McClean — who cut short training yesterday as he recovered from a cold — obliged to bide his time before he gets a chance to make the wide position his own.