GROUP C REPUBLIC OF IRELAND v CROATIA:THE IRISH team will train in Gdynia this morning for the last time before their journey south for Sunday's opening group game against Croatia. Shay Given's participation in the session remains in doubt but his place in the Poznan starting line-up is not, with the 36-year-old firmly on course to start his 123rd international game.

The Aston Villa player’s fitness has been by far the biggest concern for Giovanni Trapattoni over the past week or so and yesterday Given again took a restricted part in the training, working away by himself while all 22 other members of the squad played a bit of Gaelic football and then their usual end-of-session game.

Afterwards Marco Tardelli again made it clear that Given will be ready on Sunday evening. “Shay is fit,” he said. “He decides to rest or not because he knows his body; he knows his mind. But I’m sure he will be fit 100 per cent. Against Hungary he showed he is fit. And today he did different training but there are no worries.”

With Trapattoni expected to stick to the team he named on Sunday, there was a very settled air in the camp yesterday with little of the apprehension that can sometimes be evident among members of a squad who are waiting to hear if they will make the starting line-up.

“It makes it easier in terms of tension, knowing who is playing and who is on the bench,” said Stephen Hunt, who is set to miss out himself. “It makes everything more relaxed around the place.”

The Wolves midfielder is hoping to get a chance to start one of the later group games and believes he will get to make his case again this weekend, with Trapattoni apparently suggesting that he will be involved over the course of the evening.

“He said I would come on at some stage and hopefully he will think I can make an impact,” said the 30-year-old. “I don’t know. He has his own opinions.

“I feel happy and 100 per cent fit, though,” he continued. “Today was the first day that I’ve really had the feeling of being at the tournament. The focus is there and I’m really tuned in now and ready to go. The last three or four months has been a battle to get fit but now I am here, over the injuries and anxious for the tournament to start. I’m just hoping to play now and make an impact.”

For most of the players tournament football on this scale is a very new experience and several have admitted there will be some butterflies during the build-up to the game.

“It’s a massive occasion and of course nerves will play a part,” said Stephen Ward. “But you can’t get too overawed about it either. You need to keep calm heads. Everyone is excited about it but we have a game of football to play and we need to be ready to do that as best we can.”

Between now and then the players will be briefed on the specifics of what they can expect from their opponents but, Keith Andrews insists, they already have a pretty good idea of what they will be up against.

“We know all about ,” he said. “We played them last year, and we watched the game they played against Norway when we were in Montecatini last week.

“We’ve been watching them, seen clips of them, gone over information on them so we’re fully aware of their strengths. They’re a fine side and we’re under no illusions – it’s going to be a tough game.”

Luka Modric is probably the team’s biggest star and Andrews has first-hand knowledge of the threat the Spurs player can pose.

“He’s one of their main players,” he acknowledged, “their playmaker, if you like, and we’ll have to have a good look at him because he’s a fantastic player.

“I faced him before as a right-back, actually, when he was left wing for Spurs. He’s a fantastic player and, if you give him time and space on the ball, he can hurt you. Right-back isn’t my favourite position and I have to be honest, I didn’t enjoy that afternoon.”

He hopes to be reflecting on a rather more rewarding encounter after Sunday evening, as Ireland’s prospects of making a serious impression at this tournament rest to a significant degree on the outcome of this opening game.

“For both teams, it’s a massive game,” he said. “Spain are red-hot favourites to win the group and ourselves, Italy and Croatia are probably vying for second spot.”

Many in Italy and Croatia might feel it’s more of a two-horse race for that second spot. It won’t be long now before we get the first real indication of whether Ireland are capable of upsetting the odds and gate-crashing the business end of these championships.