Steven Reid joined up with Mick McCarthy's World Cup squad in Dublin last night after being drafted in as a replacement for Mark Kennedy, who conceded in the early hours of yesterday morning that he would not be fit enough to travel to Saipan with the rest of the panel tomorrow.

McCarthy described the news as a blow, "for me, because he was one of my selections, and for Mark who is a great lad." But he went on to play the significance of the loss down slightly, observing: "Mark was going as cover for the wide players and Steven takes on that mantle now."

When McCarthy named his 23-man squad in Dublin last week, he said Kennedy would only travel to Japan if he managed to come through Tuesday night's benefit game in Sunderland without suffering a reaction to his groin injury.

And the midfielder, who was 26 yesterday, appeared to cope well enough over the course of the evening, scoring once early on and providing the cross, 10 minutes from time, which Kevin Kilbane headed in from close range for the Republic of Ireland's third goal of the game.

Shortly afterwards, though, he was replaced by McCarthy, who said he was already aware that the player had been struggling.

"I knew he wasn't right," said the manager. "I know he scored a goal and laid one on, but there were other times when he was clearly in trouble. When he came off I asked him to give it careful consideration and to his eternal credit he admitted he had a problem.

"I knew he wasn't 100 per cent, but I needed a decision from Mark. I really just said to him that he had to give me a guarantee that he could perform to 100 per cent in a game if I needed him and he couldn't give it."

That admission opened the door to Reid, who was within a couple of hours of flying out on holiday to Bardados with his girlfriend when he received a message to say he had been drafted in as Kennedy's replacement.

"My brother picked me up this morning to take us to Gatwick," said the delighted 21 year-old. "I was 15 minutes sitting in the car before I turned the phone on but when I did there was a message from Mick to ring him, and he said that I'm going to the World Cup."

While Reid was clearly thrilled by the news, the sudden collapse of the Caribbean holiday was clearly taking its toll on his partner Kathleen. "My missus is gutted," admitted the player, "but I've told her we'll go away later in the summer."

If the call-up is a disappointment for his partner, it is a potentially enormous boost for Reid, who has already been linked with a number of Premiership clubs.

"Already the big clubs in England have been showing interest, and I mean serious interest," said Millwall's chief scout Bob Pearson. "We're on our toes if you want to know the truth," he added, "because obviously we don't want to lose him. But if anything happens, then you can't stand in their way."