SOCCER: IT'S HARD to imagine that as Giovanni Trapattoni watched yesterday's cup final at the Aviva Stadium his mind wasn't elsewhere.

For unless he decides Ciarán Kelly is worth drafting into his squad on the off-chance that the games against Estonia might go all the way to penalties, the reality is that he is unlikely to have seen many that figured here as having the potential to play a meaningful role for him any time soon. Several of his regulars, on the other hand, were in action in England.

With the Italian already short handed up front, he must have been concerned in particular about the potential for further setbacks in the lead up to Friday’s first play-off game in Tallinn, but as of last evening the news seemed to be generally good.

Liam Lawrence came in to have an ankle ligament injury assessed and has flown back to his club Portsmouth for treatment but the only other injury of note was the groin strain sustained by Leon Best in Newcastle’s win over Everton.

The Ireland manager will hope for confirmation today that neither Damien Duff nor Glenn Whelan, both of whom were replaced roughly midway through their respective team’s defeats, picked up knocks of any kind.

But the Italian is expecting all of his players to report for duty over the next 24 hours or so, with Best set to travel and, most likely, undergo a scan before a decision is made on whether he is fit enough to train and/or travel out with the squad on Thursday.

The striker limped out of the Everton game and it had seemed distinctly possible that he would withdraw from the squad. FAI officials were confident last night, though, that the 25 year-old will be in, while they have still not given up hope entirely that John O’Shea will make the flight. The player himself is said to be anxious to be involved. It remains more likely that he will have to settle for linking up with the squad upon its return from Estonia next Saturday.

With Shane Long definitely out of the trip to Tallinn at this stage, the loss of Best would be something of a blow to Trapattoni, whose options up front remain quite limited.

Robbie Keane’s availability is of more central importance to the team’s fortunes, however, and assuming there are no setbacks as a result of the Dubliner’s involvement in last night’s play-off game for LA Galaxy against Real Salt Lake, the Irish skipper is due into Dublin on a flight from the United States tomorrow.

Darren O’Dea’s involvement this week is also a doubt after he again failed to make the Leeds United squad for their game against Leicester City yesterday.

Trapattoni, though, will wait for news of the centre half and there was no suggestion last night that he was about to call up Damien Delaney, who is currently on standby to join up with the squad.

There was, meanwhile, some good news for the Italian with several of his players turning in strong performances for their clubs yesterday.

Stephen Ward played a key role in Wolves’ vital win over Wigan at Molineux, scoring his side’s third goal, while Kevin Doyle, who is suspended for Friday’s game, set up the home side’s first for Jamie O’Hara.

In Moscow, Aiden McGeady also scored for Spartak Moscow as they came from behind to draw with cross-city rivals Dinamo. The result means that the midfielder’s side finishes fifth at the end of the regular league season and now moves forward as one of the top eight sides to the title play-offs.