STAND-IN captain Steve Staunton is one of four Republic of Ireland players battling for fitness ahead of the “must win” European Championship qualifier against Malta tomorrow night.
Centre-backs Kenny Cunningham (hip), Gary Breen (groin) and midfielder Mark Kinsella (knee) are manager Mick McCarthy’s other casualties after two tough qualifiers in four days against Yugoslavia and Croatia.
“It is no coincidence that all four players took part in both games,” said McCarthy.
“None of them have been able to train since we arrived in Malta and have got to be classed as reasonable doubts for the game. But even if they don’t train tomorrow it’s not that important and I’m hopeful they will all be ready.”
Liverpool defender Staunton has vowed to recover in time for the clash at the Ta’Qali Stadium where Malta are looking for their first points in the competition – in their eighth and final game
ERRIGAL Ciaran won their first ever title at minor level when they came from behind to defeat Dromore on a 1-7 to 0-8 scoreline in last night’s league final at Clogher.
Dromore had just taken the lead for the first time with an Austin Donaghy free when Errigal had midfielder Enda McRory sent off.
But they responded in positive fashion, and almost immediately substitute Stephen Quinn grabbed the only goal of the game.
Despite some well taken scores from Ryan Cunningham and Donaghy, Errigal’s excellent defence held firm, and they clinched the title with a late Emmet O’Hanlon point.
Errigal will bid to complete the double when they meet Cookstown in the championship final on Sunday week.
Errigal Ciaran scorers: S Quinn (1-0), E O’Hanlon (0-2), P Quinn, R Canavan, B Mullin, D Tierney, D Harte (0-1 each).
Dromore scorers: A Donaghy, R Cunningham (0-4 each).
DONEGAL welterweight Ger Gallagher will spearhead Ireland’s search for gold at the Gavle multi-nations tournament in Sweden later this month.
The talented Dunfanaghy teenager is included in a six-strong squad for the September 23-27 event.
Monkstown coach Paul Johnston will accompany the team with squad training beginning this weekend in Dublin. The rest of the Irish team is: light fly Pat Hyland (Golden Cobra), fly Michael Ryan (St Ibar’s), bantam Roy Sheahan (St Michael’s Athy), light Austin O’Malley (Eagle) and light welter Dermot Barrett (Olympic).
JAMES McIlroy will not be involved in tonight’s final Golden League meeting of the season in Berlin.
Instead, the Larne man is planning to run the 800m at tomorrow’s British Milers Club meeting in Watford where 1.43.65 man Laban Rotich, the Commonwealth 1500m champion, is expected to help ensure a fast race.
A spokesman for McIlroy’s new manager Kim McDonald admitted the decision to put the northerner in last Friday night’s ultra-competitive Brussels meeting had been “in retrospect a mistake”.
However, McIlroy ran an impressive 2.15.57 over 1000m in Rieti on Sunday which left him fourth behind another McDonald runner Noah Ngeny who set a new world record (2.11.96) when winning the race.
