International news:Having warned the press on Thursday that the player was an "awkward bugger", Steve Staunton can't have been entirely surprised to lose Wigan striker Caleb Folan over the weekend to an ankle injury that resulted from nothing more than a difficult landing following an aerial challenge.
The 24-year-old was stretchered out of Saturday's Premiership game against Fulham after what had generally been a strong start to his first game since receiving last week's international call up.
His place in the squad for Ireland's forthcoming European Championship qualifiers against Wales and Slovakia goes to Andy Keogh whose inclusion, just hours after he had scored a late equaliser for Wolves, will no doubt further irk Sunderland manager Roy Keane who had already criticised the Ireland manager's decision to overlook David Connolly.
The only other concern to emerge for Staunton over the weekend was the far less serious ankle injury sustained by West Brom centre half Paul McShane during yesterday's 1-1 draw with local rivals Birmingham City.
The young defender had a memorable afternoon, scoring his side's goal after 64 minutes and playing a key part - he was tripped - in the sending off a couple of minutes later of Birmingham's Julian Gray.
McShane, like Birmingham's Stephen Kelly, played all 90 minutes, but the centre back picked up a slight knock for which he reportedly received treatment afterwards. It is not, however, expected to prevent him joining up with the Ireland squad tomorrow.
In yesterday's other games Shay Given and Damien Duff both came through Newcastle's 2-0 defeat at Charlton without any apparent difficulties although the Dubliner found himself deployed at left back after Thursday night's Uefa Cup exit in the Netherlands. Steve Finnan also survived Liverpool's goalless draw at Villa Park without picking up a knock while Lee Carsley turned in a strong performance for Everton as they beat Arsenal with a late Andrew Johnson strike at Goodison Park.
In Scotland, Aiden McGeady featured for the last half hour of Celtic's surprise 1-0 defeat by Falkirk but 20-year-old Darren O'Dea, the only first timer in Staunton's squad after Folan's withdrawal, once again had to watch from the bench as Gordon Strachan stuck with Steven Pressley and Stephen McManus as his central defensive partnership.
Staunton's worries aren't quite over yet for both John O'Shea and Robbie Keane are likely to be involved in this evening's FA Cup replays as Manchester United and Tottenham take on Middlesbrough and Chelsea respectively.
