Kelly out of squad

Reading’s Stephen Kelly has withdrawn from the Ireland squad to face Sweden this Friday for family reasons.

Kelly’s wife Helga has gone into labour with the couple’s first child and Giovanni Trapattoni has given the player permission to stay at home though he could rejoin the squad ahead of the game against Austria in Vienna next Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Sweden’s right-back Mikael Lustig is a doubt for the Dublin game, injured in Celtic’s 1-0 win away to Dundee United at the weekend. The Irish squad will train for the first time in Malahide this morning as they begin a week of preparations for the Croup C clash with the Swedes at the Aviva.