NIALL QUINN, the Republic of Ireland and Sunderland forward, is to undergo surgery next week to repair a torn cruciate ligament in his knee and will miss the rest of the season.

It is an identical injury to that which kept him out for six months of the 1993/94 season and caused him to miss the World Cup finals in the US.

The injury is one of the most serious in football but Peter Reid the Sunderland manager, said that Quinn possessed the character to take him through the second big crisis of his career.

"Niall is entitled to feel aggrieved that he is again headed for an operation - this time on his "good" leg - but having been through the ordeal once, he knows exactly what is involved and what he must do to get back into the game.

"The surgery involved is not complicated and the surgeon assures us that it will be a success. But so much depends on the attitude of the patient and in this instance, I know Niall will cope.

"Still, it is a big disappointment for the player and a major setback to the club. He's done well since joining us from Manchester City and with three goals from seven games, was obviously capable of making a major contribution to our season.

The news that surgery will be required to mend the damage sustained in Sunderland's game against Coventry City on September 21st, came as a surprise. Within a fortnight of the setback, he had resumed training and at one point, he considered that he had a chance of playing in Sunday's World Cup game against Iceland.

"I missed out on that but was still, looking forward to playing against Tottenham on November 16th until my knee began to act up in training last Monday.

"A scan revealed nothing but my leg was so painful that I knew something was wrong. Sure enough, when they opened it up, they found that the cruciate had snapped.

"I've been here before, of course, and I know only too well what's involved. First there is the operation, then the rehabilitation and finally, the mind game.

"It's going to be another tough slog, well into the New Year but already I am setting myself targets. And one of them is to be ready for the second half of Ireland's World Cup programme."

No less than Peter Reid, Mick McCarthy received the news with disappointment tinged by sadness. "I'm sorry to lose a good player for the season and after all he's been through, even sorrier for Niall himself."

It means that McCarthy is now down to one target player, Tony Cascarino, until next season, and that is not a particularly inviting scenario with a tough double programme in Macedonia and Romania next April.

Coincidentally, John Aldridge, who has partnered Quinn on so many occasions at the front of the Ireland team over the last six years, was also in the wars yesterday as the build up to Sunday's game continued at Oriel Park.

Aldridge, who left himself out of Tranmere's starting line up for their last two games, reported problems with his groin after training but expects to be available for selection.

The effect will be to focus renewed attention on the claims of David Kelly who, in Quinn's absence from Sunderland's team, has been enjoying the rarity, for him, of a protracted run in the FA Premiership.

Like Alan McLoughlin, Kelly has served his time on the bench and given McLoughlin's remarkable renaissance since earning promotion to regular first team status, McCarthy may be tempted by the adage that a long apprenticeship makes for a good craftsman.

Quite the most revealing part of yesterday's session was the fact that Roy Keane was deployed in a defensive role for much of the practice game, a development which merely hardened speculation that he is being prepared to take over Steven Staunton's role in the back three on Sunday.

McCarthy, guarded as ever, was not prepared to offer any hints about the make up of his team, stressing that he just wished to see how Keane would adjust to his new game plan.

"I seen him play often enough in midfield - I just thought that it would be interesting for a change to see how he would make out at the back," he said. "And to be fair, he looked perfectly comfortable.

"It's an option I have to consider, particularly at a time when we have so much going for us in midfield. But I'm not about to go telling you the team, at least not just yet."