Mick McCarthy is facing the prospect of undertaking his end-of-season programme with only the shell of his World Cup squad following more disappointing tidings yesterday.

Kenny Cunningham's withdrawal, widely predicted after he struggled through the closing weeks of the season with a groin problem, was confirmed after the Wimbledon player had travelled to Dublin on Saturday.

That was no more than a forlorn gesture by a player whose commitment to the team sets the standard for others. He is likely to have an operation this week.

More surprising by far was the disclosure that Mark Kinsella is also out of tomorrow's meeting with Scotland and the American tour games which follow after failing to prove his recovery from a knee injury.

It is a recurrence of the problem which troubled him at frequent intervals during the season and while he also reported to the team's headquarters on Saturday, it quickly became apparent that he would not be available for selection.

In the absence of Roy Keane, Kinsella had been expected to assume responsibility for dictating the tactics and the tempo in midfield and last night McCarthy was making no attempt to hide his apprehension after the latest assessment of his dwindling resources.

"It's a huge blow, particularly in a situation in which we had already lost a lot of experience," he said. "Together with Roy, Mark's name is usually one of the first down on paper when I set about selecting a team. In the last couple of years, he has matured into an outstanding international player and we're certainly going to miss him now."

Nor is that the end of McCarthy's worries, for all the indications are that Derby County's Rory Delap will be added to the list of withdrawals this morning. Significantly, Delap did not travel as scheduled on Saturday, preferring to stay at his club for further treatment on a damaged ankle, but the prognosis is not encouraging.

In anticipation of grim news from Derby, McCarthy has put the Bolton player Gareth Farrelly on standby. Coincidentally, Farrelly was a member of the last squad to play in the United States in 1996, but he hasn't figured in the national squad since the scoreless draw with Mexico two years ago.

Stephen McPhail did not train yesterday after complaining of a neck strain, but the problem is not serious and the Leeds midfielder is expected to win his first cap against the Scots.

Because of his involvement in Ipswich's play-off against Barnsley today, Matt Holland will miss the Scotland game, but the hope is that he will join the squad in time for Thursday's departure.

Just now that looks an unlikely target for Steve Staunton. The Liverpool defender is deferring his departure until after the birth of his second child, expected this week.

McCarthy still has the option of calling in Barry Quinn and Gary Doherty, both currently involved in the under-21 tournament at Toulon, but with Brian Kerr's team still in with a chance of progressing to the play-off stages, it's not one that is likely to be exploited.

Managers are not unfamiliar with the problem of having to improvise for non-competitive games at the end of the season, but the scale of McCarthy's problems is exceptional.

"What worries me is the fact that we must play two games in America in the space of 48 hours and the way things are shaping up it may well be that we will have to play a number of players out of position in those matches," he said.