It is difficult not to notice the attitude of uncompromising determination about this Irish camp here in Cyprus. The time for embarrassing slip-ups has come and gone for this squad and nothing other than a win this evening in Nicosia will be acceptable. I believe they will achieve that result.

I applaud Mick McCarthy's decision to re-instate Kenny Cunningham. There may have been a belief that to pick anyone other than a fit Cunningham to anchor the Irish defence would have been foolhardy but it can't have been that straightforward for the Irish manager.

For a start, he has always, where possible, shown loyalty to the player in possession of the shirt unless errors rendered demotion a necessity. Fact is, the Gary Breen/Richard Dunne alliance has been flawless for Ireland, despite myriad predictions that it was a comedy act in preparation.

Both players excelled in the torrid heat of Amsterdam and Lisbon, justifying McCarthy's faith in them. It must gnaw at the manager that they were continually highlighted as a weak point. Earlier in his reign, stubbornness might have prompted McCarthy to persevere with them. But Dunne has been walking a precarious tightrope with Joe Royle at Manchester City and is going through an uncertain time. Whether that influenced McCarthy is unclear.

However, I feel you simply cannot ignore a fit Cunningham. He is one of our blue chip players, like Roy Keane and big Niall Quinn. He has lived through pressure situations before and, crucially, his presence stabilises Gary Breen. Hopefully this decision will serve to rouse Dunne and he will react to it positively, because he is not enjoying the best spell of his career.

The return of Gary Kelly won't weaken us at all but Steve Carr's absence is unfortunate because the quiet man was playing the best football of his young career. But Kelly's form is in the ascendant again also. Shay Given is our natural number one, I feel, and his application in working his way back from injury has been tremendous to witness. Model professionalism.

Given is at an interesting intersection of his career in that he is experienced but is also full of potential. You see this so often with goalkeepers who have blindingly good early careers but never fully realise their promise. That has been Given's story, but his best form could well be down the line.

The key to this game will be how Ireland compensate for the loss of Quinn. Without a target man, we will have to be more oblique in terms of attack. It is essential that we use our possession to feed our more creative players and that they in turn provide the right type of ball for Robbie Keane and David Connolly to work with up front. The Cypriots won't fancy those two terriers if they are set loose properly. Low, angled, measured ball and intelligent passing through the defence is what we need.

We face a home team whose key players play in the Greek league, but most are locally based. They will be well aware of the Irish lads from television coverage of the Premiership and are probably tentative about the relentless aggression and pace with which the English game is played. That is the tempo we must set this evening. Early tackles from Keane and Mark Kinsella should be enough to set the tone.

Jason McAteer and Kevin Kilbane must be positive on either wing. We have the football players to win this convincingly - and an early goal would, I think, turn the match into a stroll - so it is imperative that we use them. It will require patience; this is a team that held Holland for 70 minutes, but we will break them down.

The fact that McCarthy has been preparing this team through difficult personal circumstances has been noted. I don't think the manager will make an issue of it. I have lost my father and it is something you never get over. McCarthy knows that he had his father's blessing to stay on in Cyprus and I don't think it will have any impact on his relationship with the team. But it could well provide an added impetus for the players. The more senior members might sit down and remind the squad about what he is going through.

Cyprus has changed as an international venue. Ronnie Whelan assures me the pitch is fine. Three points, no excuses, and then on to the next job.

In an interview with Keith Duggan