COUNTDOWN TO THE WORLD CUP: The eventful preamble to the Irish World Cup campaign continued here in Izumo at the weekend. Having arrived in the rural town on Friday night, Mick McCarthy's side played a rather half-hearted friendly against K\J League contenders SanFrecce Hiroshima on Saturday and came away with a win, a couple of knocks, one troubling injury and a growing reputation for bad grace under pressure.

Perhaps best to start with the clattering which Jason McAteer took from former Cameroonian international Bilong. Towards the end of the first half on Saturday, the Sunderland midfielder hit the ground like a sack of sand when tackled while chasing a ball that had gone dead. McAteer was heard by photographers to say that his "knee was fucked".

The medium-term diagnosis was more expert and more optimistic, however. It seems he has serious bruising. Yesterday morning it was reported he was able to stand and stretch on the leg and a scan confirmed he was clear of ligament damage.

McCarthy predicted last night that the midfielder would resume training in the next few days.

In the aftermath of the game, with Bilong standing in some distress outside the Irish dressing-room waiting for a chance to apologise to McAteer, Irish manager Mick McCarthy condemned the tackle and advised that Bilong should go nowhere near the dressing-room.

"It was a bad tackle, there is no doubt about that and Jason has got a bruised knee," said McCarthy afterwards. "He got a hell of a bad kick and he has got a sore knee. We shall have to wait until it settles down, but we don't think there is any ligament damage. I don't think he can just waltz in there and apologise."

It was an initially worrying and somewhat sour end to a disappointing game. Robbie Keane scored a goal in each half for Ireland after Tatsuhiko Kubo had put Hiroshima ahead in the 39th minute.

Ireland's only other injury worry arising from Saturday's game was Kevin Kilbane. The winger suffered a knock which was described as "nothing serious" and he sat out yesterday morning's training session as a precautionary measure. Also watching from the sidelines were Steve Staunton, Damien Duff and Robbie Keane, all of whom needed a little recovery time from Saturday's exertions.

The team trained early yesterday morning outside the splendid Izumo Sports Dome.

With initial fears that McAteer would be doubtful for next Saturday's opening game, Steven Reid played an enhanced part in training, mixing with the forwards to work on striking and crossing.

The Irish squad are likely to know this afternoon if there is any possibility of calling up Celtic player Colin Healy as a replacement for Roy Keane, who departed the squad in very public circumstances last week.

FAI secretary Brendan Menton is seeking a definition from FIFA of the phrase "force majeur" or "extreme circumstance" which the rules describe as being the only conditions in which it is permitted to bring in another player.

Hitherto the rule has been interpreted as only allowing replacements for injuries, but the FAI will argue that sending home your only world-class player and replacing him with a Celtic reserve is as sure a sign of exceptional circumstances as any of us are likely to see.

Keane, meanwhile, was back home in Manchester with his wife, children and family dog. There is lingering talk of a reconciliation not so much being brokered as being forced on both sides, but the mood within the Irish camp seems to have hardened.

"He will be missed, but it would be too much disruption and tension to have Roy arriving back here in mid-week even if something could be done," said one senior player.

All the Irish party have adopted a policy of refusing to speak about Keane on the record.

Some tense press conferences are predicted down the road as more and more foreign media arrive with enquiries as to how the war is going.

With a view to the actual footballing part of the tournament, Mick McCarthy left Izumo immediately after training yesterday and flew via helicopter to Kobe to watch the friendly international between England and Cameroon. Ireland's World Cup campaign begins next Saturday in Niigata against the African champions, Cameroon.