Duff rejoins Irish platoon
Friday, March 14, 2003
Article summary
Manager Brian Kerr has named his squad for the Republic of Ireland's forthcoming UEFA EURO 2004™ qualifiers.
Article body
New beginning
Blackburn Rovers FC winger Duff, recently voted into the uefa.com users' Team of the Year for 2002, has been sidelined for six weeks with a hamstring injury, but as he returns to action in the English Premiership this weekend, Kerr has moved to secure his services for the vital Group 10 qualifiers.
Irish stalwarts
Kerr also welcomes back striker Robbie Keane of Tottenham Hotspur FC and Sunderland AFC midfield player Jason McAteer, both of whom missed the new coach's first match in charge - a 2-0 friendly win against Scotland last month - through injury.
Poor start
Ireland face Georgia in Tbilisi on Saturday 29 March before making the trip to play Albania in Tirana four days later. After two games in Group 10, the side Kerr inherited from Mick McCarthy has yet to win a point having been beaten by Russia and Switzerland.
Republic of Ireland squad
Given, Kiely, Colgan, Carr, Finnan, Kelly, Breen, O'Brien, Cunningham, O'Shea, Harte, Carsley, Healy, McAteer, Kinsella, Holland, Reid, Duff, Kilbane, Morrison, Doherty, Connolly, Keane.
