Soccer: McCarthy faces yellow card headache

Wimbledon defender Kenny Cunningham will have no complaints if Mick McCarthy leaves him out of the starting line-up for Saturday’s final Group Two World Cup qualifier against Cyprus at Lansdowne Road.

Like Leeds United striker Robbie Keane and midfielders Mark Kinsella (Charlton) and Jason McAteer (Blackburn), 30-year-old Cunningham picked up a yellow card in previous qualifying games.

Now boss McCarthy must decide whether to keep the quartet in cotton wool for the home and away play-off games against an as yet unknown Asian nation on November 10 and 15, with the first match in Dublin.

Win, lose or draw Ireland are already guaranteed a play-off place as only a miracle result by Estonia in Portugal on Saturday would be the key to automatic qualification for McCarthy’s team.

‘‘I am fully aware of the yellow card situation. But I want competition for team places in the build up to this game against Cyprus,’’ said McCarthy.

‘‘It would be very unfair on players to arrive in Dublin and learning immediately that they would be on the bench.

‘‘The lads will be the first to know my final decision on the yellow card issue and that could be Friday or Saturday.’’

Cunningham, who won the last of his 33 caps in a 3-0 victory over Andorra in Barcelona last March, said: ‘‘Should he decide to leave me out I would fully respect that decision and I’m sure that applies to the other lads with yellow cards. The manager has the final say and we understand his position.’’

The Wimbledon defender played his first game of the season in that storming 4-0 victory over Manchester City at Maine Road on Saturday after almost a six-month absence with a torn stomach muscle.

‘‘I knew I had to be careful. The only cure was rest and I had to be patient.

‘‘Maybe I was a little rusty early on, but the more the game went on I felt much better.

‘‘Naturally I’m delighted to receive a late call up but have every sympathy for Manchester City’s Richard Dunne, who had to be substituted in that Maine Road game with a calf injury at half-time. We’ll see a lot more of big Richard in an Ireland shirt.

‘‘Four years ago I was in the Ireland team that went so close to reaching the World Cup finals in France only to be beaten by Belgium 3-2 in the two-legged play-off.

‘‘Inexperience is no longer a factor. Most of the young Irish lads have won over 20 caps since then and we will be ready for the play-offs irrespective of the opposition.’’

Cunningham is just delighted to be back from the international wilderness after that frustrating run of injuries.

‘‘It would be the perfect boost if we get the right result against Cyprus at the weekend.’’

The Wimbledon man believes that his Irish team-mate David Connolly can come good with the Dons after a frustrating spell in Dutch football with Feyenoord and Excelsior.

‘‘David is a real poacher of important goals in the penalty area and is always hungry to add to his tally. Already he has scored six for us this season,’’ he added.

‘‘And it might have even been better only for him hitting the woodwork quite a few times. David is very fit, very explosive and can score a lot more goals for Wimbledon this season. Both of us are looking forward to this match against Cyprus.’’