SOCCER/San Marino v Republic of Ireland:   Less than 24 hours after picking up his award for being the under-21 player of the year, Kevin Foley found himself on a senior squad's flight to Rimini yesterday afternoon with the young Luton-born full-back unexpectedly benefiting from Steve Carr's last-minute injury and withdrawal to become the eighth uncapped player in the panel.

Carr suffered a thigh strain in the squad's final training session before departure from Dublin while Leeds United midfielder Jonathan Douglas was also allowed to return to his club after the FAI medical team decided he was unlikely to make it through any sort of rigorous run-out without aggravating a hamstring problem.

Foley's arrival brought the number of players available to the Ireland manager back up to 23, but there was no replacement called in for Douglas ahead of the squad's departure.

"Carr, unfortunately, has pulled a thigh muscle so he's gone back," sighed Staunton moments after the 30-year-old had been driven back to the team hotel, "so it seems the curse is with us again".

For the most part, though, his panel of players came through both the weekend's programme of games in England and yesterday's workout without any great mishap.

Both Richard Dunne and Paul McShane - almost certainly his central defensive partnership come kick-off time - picked up knocks in their respective league games, but neither is considered a doubt for the game.

With Staunton having clearly hinted last week that Wayne Henderson is his preferred replacement for the injured Shay Given, the main vacancies with the side appear to lie alongside Lee Carsley in central midfield, assuming O'Shea starts at full-back, and partnering Robbie Keane in attack.

To judge solely by the persistent attention he receives, Anthony Stokes might seem the most likely second striker, but Staunton deflected questions on the matter, insisting that Shane Long and Andy Keogh also remained under consideration, while he also made a point of reminding the assembled press pack that Damien Duff had played up front more than once over the last few seasons.

The manager certainly has options in most departments and, given the weakness of the opposition, it is hard to imagine him being punished for taking a gamble on one or two of his younger squad members - although when he suggested that John O'Shea's success on Sunday in probably the only role he had never played for Manchester United before - goalkeeper - might prompt another punt on his part, he was clearly just joking.

"I'm sure his manager (Alex Ferguson) will be happy with the tackle, whatever about the goalkeeping," he laughed. "Anyway, it's nice to know he can do it, you never know, I might get to put another outfield player on the bench now."

Given their superior individual ability, the Irish should run out easy winners at the Serravalle, but Staunton made it clear as he left their north Dublin training ground that their superior fitness should also prove a key factor as they look to secure another comprehensive win over San Marino tomorrow night.

"We want the three points," he said, "and any Irish team has to go into a game looking to set a high tempo. We have to be patient with our passing as well, but if we keep the high tempo up for as long as possible then our greater fitness should see us through.

"On that basis," he concluded, "we should have enough to win the game and that's all I'm concerned about".

Amongst Staunton's options to drive his team forward from midfield at pace are two of Sheffield United's three Quinn brothers, Alan and Stephen.

The pair are rooming together on this trip. Stephen tour of duty with the senior squad and the younger player's form at club level may just kill off Alan's hopes of winning his eight cap tomorrow night.

"He's taken my place at United already," said Alan good naturedly yesterday, "but I have no complaints, he's done brilliantly. The manager (Neil Warnock) reckoned he was one of our best players the other night, but then he's been like that in loads of the games. He's got a great left foot and everything he seems to do for us now is just brilliant. He keeps the ball very well and works very hard for the team which is what they look for there because it's not a side with loads of stars."

Stephen's emergence as one of the season's brightest young stars comes against a backdrop of family tragedy. The players' mother died before Christmas while Damien Dowdall, the boyfriend of their sister Debbie, was recently murdered in front of her.

"It's been tough," says Alan, "but it's brought us even closer together and hopefully it will make Keith (the third brother at Sheffield United) and Stephen better players somewhere down the line."

That two of the three made this squad has, says Alan, "given the family a bit of a lift. It's a small thing in the circumstances, but it's helped I think. Everybody's very pleased about it".

For the moment, though, there is still no place for the club's Irish defender Derek Geary, who made no secret of his annoyance last week at being overlooked.

"Yeah, I think he was a bit disappointed all right. He's been terrific this season, but then I've known him a long time between Sheffield Wednesday and United and I don't think I've ever seen any player get the better of him. He's frustrated now but I don't think there's any doubt that his day will come."

u The Irish squad were delayed for two and a half hours in their departure for San Marino last night. Their Czech Airlines flight, scheduled to leave Dublin at 5pm, took off at 5.30, but landed back in Dublin at 6.30 following problems with raising the undercarriage of the aircraft. Following checks on the ground and after refuelling they eventually took off around 7.30 for their destination of Rimini in Italy.