SOCCER/Israel v Rep of Ireland: Clinton Morrison has emerged as a serious injury worry for Brian Kerr after the Birmingham City striker picked up a knock in training at the Blumfield Stadium here and was forced to sit out the closing stages of yesterday's session with an ice pack on his ankle.

Gary Breen was also sidelined after suffering a knee injury, but there was better news on the goalkeeping front with Shay Given getting through some work during the early part of the training without any obvious problems, which suggested the Newcastle United player was on course to start tomorrow evening's World Cup qualifier.

But Morrison looked a doubtful starter as he limped back to the team coach, although his absence would not be the blow to Irish hopes of securing at least a draw as would the goalkeeper's.

If the striker is forced to miss out, then Andy Reid or Damien Duff could play up front, although Kerr also has the option of switching Kevin Kilbane from his most likely starting position, the centre of midfield, to one of the wings.

Whatever happens, the Everton midfielder looks certain to start his 61st international game, mostly likely alongside Roy Keane in the thick of things in midfield where Kerr will be hoping the pair can work as effectively together as they did in Paris in October.

Kilbane's performance that night helped him to the Republic of Ireland's International Player of the Year award, something he says he is very proud of even if he would, he admits, swap it tomorrow for a place at the next World Cup finals.

"It was a great honour but I think we'd all love to be there," he says, "and with the players that we have now there's a real belief within the squad that we can make it. It's a tough group, but I think this is a better Irish team than the one that went to Japan and Korea.

"I'm not going to count any chickens, but when you have the likes of Robbie (Keane), Damien (Duff) and Andy Reid in the side you can win games.

"It'll be tough," he continues, "Israel have always had some wonderful players, flair players, but they probably look more solid as a team now.

"We'll definitely go there to win, though. We have enough ability in the squad now to go anywhere in the world and get a result, and while we'll give them the respect that they deserve we believe we can get the right one there."

Kilbane's own increasingly central role in the team's fortunes after many had expected him to lose out as the team's young wingers came of age is a measure of the way he has developed his game over the past couple of years.

After enduring some difficult times at Sunderland and many erratic performances for the Republic, he has been playing the best football of his career during the past season and a half.

This season he has been one of just two players to start every game for the Goodison Park club, who remain well placed to qualify for the Champions League if only they can recover some of their early-season momentum.

For Kilbane, however, that means there is additional pressure both at club and international level, although he doesn't seem to mind.

"Of course it's hard sometimes because the games are all important now whether they're internationals or in the Premiership," he says. "There is certainly pressure when you have so many big games, but, let's face it, that's why you grow up wanting to play at this level, because the games are all important.

"This is a huge game, but in this campaign we've probably played better away so far. Our best games have been in France and Switzerland."

A performance to equal either one of those, one suspects, and tomorrow will be another good night for the Irish.