Robbie Keane seems to have dispelled the doubts regarding his fitness for Saturday's World Cup qualifier in Lansdowne Road by playing an active part in yesterday's training game between the senior and under-21 sides at Baldonnel.

He has been carrying an ankle injury for the past few weeks and caused some concern when he was forced to miss some of the more rigorous training sessions earlier this week.

But yesterday Keane is reported to have looked comfortable for the 40 minutes or so he played of the 60-minute training match. With both Mick McCarthy and Don Givens keen on giving all of their players a run out, there were multiple changes during the second period and Keane's withdrawal seems to have had little to do with his injury.

Kenny Cunningham, meanwhile, did not play any part in the game which ended in a 1-1 draw. David Connolly scored for the seniors while Clinton Morrison was on target for the under-21s for whom he will make his international debut tomorrow.

"It was a nice goal," said Givens, "he played a neat little one-two with Stephen Reid and then finished well from inside the box. It was very pleasing to see him settle in like that."

Givens will name his team today but the 22-year-old Morrison is certain to start, a fact not solely due to the Irish management team's desire to resolve once and for all his international future.

"He's a good player, somebody who is good on the ball, happy with his back to goal, holding it up and bringing other people into the game but quick too when he gets the chance to run at goal," said Givens. "He's certainly a very useful looking addition for us and I suppose the question of how quickly he makes the jump up to the senior squad depends to a great extent on how he performs for us in the next few games."