Kelly buoyed by Ireland's confidence

Republic of Ireland defender Stephen Kelly is confident a growing belief within the camp can help them achieve their World Cup dreams.

Giovanni Trapattoni’s side would go level on points with Group Eight leaders Italy if they beat Georgia at Croke Park tonight in their game in hand on the world champions.

With a double header against Bulgaria and then the Italians to come at the turn of next month, that would give them real hope of clinching a place at next year’s finals in South Africa.

Neither Kelly nor any of his team-mates will be taking the three points for granted as Hector Cuper’s men seek revenge for their 2-1 defeat on neutral soil in Germany in September, but they know exactly what is at stake.

The 25-year-old said: “It’s a massive game. Three points would be fantastic and could put us in a great position, joint top with Italy.

“That would be great – but no-one is expecting to go there and for it to be a walkover because it is going to be a tough game.

“We saw what they were like when we played them in Germany. They are a very tough, organised side and a very good footballing team.

“But we are prepared for them now, we have worked hard and everybody is confident.

“As this tournament has gone on, we have grown in stature as a team so hopefully we can build on that and get the right result.”

Kelly, who joined Barclays Premier League Stoke on loan from Coca-Cola Championship Birmingham at the end of the January transfer window, could find himself in the starting line-up for his country for the first time since May last year.

Sunderland’s Paul McShane remains a doubt with the hamstring injury that has kept him out of his club’s last three games, and the Dubliner is standing by to replace him.

Kelly said: “I am just delighted to be back involved with the team. If the chance comes to play, I would be delighted to take it and hopefully perform well.

“I have been out for a little while and to be named straight back in the squad is fantastic.”

It has proved a good week or so for Kelly, who admitted he jumped at the chance to return to the Premier League a little earlier than he had expected when promotion-chasing Birmingham agreed to let him go.

He said: “It’s a very different focus. Even though there is pressure in both, it’s a very different pressure.

“In football, things happen so quickly and things change so quickly that you have to be able to adjust and adapt, and I feel I can do that.”