Steve Finnan's hopes of using the American tour to enhance his prospects of a regular place in the Republic of Ireland squad evaporated yesterday when he was forced to withdraw because of injury.

Just hours before the party set off for the first of their three US Cup fixtures against Mexico at Chicago on Sunday, Finnan was withdrawn because of damaged knee ligaments.

The effect will be to deprive Mick McCarthy of a valuable utility player whose ability to slot into a number of positions represented a valuable asset in the wake of so many withdrawals.

"It's always important to have a player like Steve with you when you go on tour and with Rory Delap, another who fits that description also out, it's a significant loss," said McCarthy.

"I feel sorry for the lad for he did quite well in his previous games for us and could have benefited a lot from the tour. But the important thing is that he gets himself right before reporting back for pre-season training at Fulham."

By the manager's calculations - and given the spate of withdrawals over the last few weeks, he had to count to make sure - he now has three goalkeepers and 17 outfield players in his travelling party.

One of the goalkeepers, Shay Given, has a problem with his arm, but after an examination by the team doctor Martin Walsh, he was cleared to stay with the squad.

All three goalkeepers - Given, Alan Kelly and Dean Kiely - are likely to play at different stages of the tour, but the manager was quick to emphasise that Kelly will start the game on Sunday.

"Alan is my number one just now and if the opening World Cup game against Holland was being played this week, he'd be in my team," McCarthy said. " But a lot can happen between now and September and it's reassuring to have Shay and Dean as back up."

McCarthy also had words of encouragement for Terry Phelan, whose arrival as a substitute in the game against Scotland, marked the end of a 30-month absence from international football.

"I was delighted with the reception Terry got when he ran on to the pitch on Tuesday. It said a lot about the player and the impact he made on the fans when he was Ireland's first-choice left back.

"At the moment Ian Harte is my first choice in that position with Steve Staunton running a close second. But I know that, in Terry, I have a player who is capable of doing a big job for me and, with the other two out, he'll definitely get a start here in America.

"Of course I'd love to have all our experienced players with us but the upside is that the young lads taking their places will now have a chance to enhance their careers.

"That was the situation when we last played in the US Cup four years ago and, while nobody should understate the challenges which lie ahead of us, I am optimistic enough to believe that we can cope."

It has been a difficult few days for the players who, more than most, realised that they didn't perform to their potential in losing to Scotland at Lansdowne Road.

After a day off on Wednesday, they were out for an early morning training session at Clonshaugh yesterday before reporting at Dublin airport for the six-hour flight to Chicago.

They will have a further workout here this afternoon and tomorrow they are due at the match venue, the famous Soldiers Field arena, for the traditional pre-game familiarisation exercise.

It will be the first occasion for the national team to play in Chicago and, in spite of the weakened state of the squad, a big Irish presence is expected to mark the occasion.