Fringe players aim to impress Trap
Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni handed some of his fringe players the chance to play themselves into World Cup contention in tonight’s friendly clash with South Africa.
Only skipper-for-the-night Kevin Doyle, Keith Andrews and Sean St Ledger were retained from the side which beat Cyprus in the Group Eight qualifier in Nicosia on Saturday evening for the game at Limerick’s Thomond Park.
That meant starts for Keiren Westwood, Stephen Kelly, Paul McShane, Eddie Nolan, Liam Lawrence, Darron Gibson, Andy Keogh and Caleb Folan.
South Africa’s Brazilian coach named Portsmouth’s Aaron Mokoena and Everton’s Steven Pienaar in his starting line-up as the World Cup hosts attempted to bounce back from a 2-0 friendly defeat in Germany at the weekend.
Rep of Ireland: Westwood, Kelly, McShane, St. Ledger, Nolan, Keogh, Gibson, Andrews, Lawrence, Folan, Doyle.
Subs: Murphy, Duff, Miller, Best, McCarthy, Long, Whelan, O’Dea.
South Africa: Fernandez, Gaxa, Mokoena, Gould, Masilela, Van Heerden, Mhlongo, Dikgacoi, Pienaar, Mphela, Parker.
Subs: Baloyi, Ngobeni, Davids, Tshabalala, Mashego, Fransman, Thwala, Nkosi, Henyekane, Khumalo, Ngcongca, Khenyeza.
