Keane travels but injury rules Keogh out

The Republic of Ireland squad landed in the Faroe Islands yesterday, with Robbie Keane on board but without his fellow striker Andy Keogh.

Following training in Gannon Park yesterday, Keane was ruled fit to travel to Torshavn, raising hopes the Irish captain will also be available for selection for the game itself.

Keane was reduced to the role of shocked onlooker for Friday night’s horror show against Germany, a training ground challenge involving David Meyler having aggravated an Achilles problem.

Keogh did make the German game, managing to score Ireland’s consolation goal but, on Saturday, he suffered a knock to the head in training. He was observed overnight by the FAI medical team and then ruled unfit to travel to the Faroes due to mild concussion. Having struggled on a plastic pitch in Astana, the Irish will have to contend with another in Torshavn, the artificial surface at the Torsvollur Stadium having only been used for the first time in the home side’s unlucky 1-2 defeat to Sweden on Friday night.

Former manager Brian Kerr — who, as part of the media, is paying a return visit to the islands he knows well for tomorrow’ nights game — thinks the decision to replace the grass pitch is misguided.

“The all-weather surface lessens the home advantage that they have,” he said at the weekend. “The pitch will be level and flat and take away the frustration level that some big team had arriving at a pitch that wasn’t pristine.”

Giovanni Trapattoni will be expected to name his starting 11 at a press conference today and has hinted at two or three changes from the game he fielded against Germany, with Marc Wilson and Robbie Brady among those who could come into contention.