By Ade O`Connor
April 27 2003

Gary Kelly, Andy O`Brien and Gary Doherty have withdrawn from the Irish squad to compete against Norway on Wednesday night. The trio follow Dean Kiely out of the squad, following his shock retirement from international football earlier this week. Kerr has chosen not to make replacements. More withdrawals are expected to follow ahead of the international football friendly at Lansdowne Road, as Robbie Keane, Steven Carr and John O`Shea are but a few involved in today’s game at White Hart Lane.

Sir Alex Ferguson may be keen to rest John O`Shea, as the versatile youngsters continues to excel at any level he is thrown into. The Corkman surprised everyone with a nutmeg on Luis Figo of Real Madrid at Old Trafford.

His potential centre defensive partner at the international fold, Andy O`Brien, has been ruled out due to a broken nose which he suffered playing for Newcastle United. Gary Kelly has a shin splints injury, despite competing for Leeds during the week.

This fixture will be the first time that Brian Kerr has had the opportunity to manage Ireland in front of the partisan Lansdowne Road crowd. Kerr began his international career in Greece, before having to endure tough fixtures away in Georgia and Albania.

The Republic supermo will have to survive without regular substitute goalkeeper Dean Kiely however, who elected to hang up his green gloves, citing a need to concentrate on club football as his reasoning. The Charlton shot stopper felt there was too much travelling without the opportunity to play.

In the wake of his decision, West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Joe Murphy, who has played under Kerr at a number of youth levels in the Irish set-up. Murphy’s honours include winning the under-16 European Championships in Scotland in 1998.

Murphy can expect to be sitting on the substitutes bench come the game on Wednesday, as Brian Kerr opts for the irrepressible Shay Given in between the posts.


Republic of Ireland squad to play Norway, at Lansdowne Road on Wednesday 30th of April 2003:

Goalkeepers:

Colgan (Hibernian)
Given (Newcastle United)
Murphy (West Bromwich Albion)

Defenders:

Carr (Tottenham Hotspur)
Finnan (Fulham)
Harte (Leeds United)
O'Shea (Manchester United)
Breen (West Ham United)
Cunningham (Birmingham City)

Midfielders:

Carsley (Everton)
Holland (Ipswich Town)
Kinsella (Aston Villa)
Quinn (Sheffield Wednesday)
McPhail (Leeds United)
Healy (Celtic)
Kilbane (Sunderland)
Duff (Blackburn Rovers)

Strikers:

Lee (Rotherham)
Connolly (Wimbledon)
Crowe (Bohemians)
Keane (Tottenham Hotspur)