Soccer – team news:Republic of Ireland captain Robbie Keane will start tomorrow night's Euro 2012 qualifier against Macedonia after coming through a full training session in Skopje this evening.

The striker was a “slight concern” since yesterday morning after injuring his groin in training at Malahide before the squad departed, but the FAI has confirmed he will be a starter tomorrow, as Ireland will go in search of a second win over their Group B opponents

“Robbie Keane completed a full training session this evening and unless there are complications overnight (unlikely), he will start tomorrow,” an FAI spokesman said this evening.

Earlier, Keane, who needs one goal to reach 50 for his country, dismissed the prospect of missing the game.

“I haven’t been 100 per cent since I was 17,” joked the Dubliner. “I’ve played through injury before and a bit of a groin strain isn’t going to stop me playing in a game like this.”

Less than two weeks after making his senior debut in the Carling Nations Cup, the previously unheralded Simon Cox will play alongside Keane, meaning Shane Long must settle for a place on the bench.

Elsewhere, there were few surprises in Trapattoni’s selection with all the big calls clearly signposted earlier in the week. John O’Shea and Darren O’Dea come into the centre of the Irish defence in place of Richard Dunne (suspended) and Sean St Ledger (injured).

With O’Shea moving to a more central role, the vacant berth on the right side of the Irish defence will be filled by Stephen Kelly.

The manager reverts to his favoured midfield partnership of Glenn Whelan and Keith Andrews while Stephen Hunt is preferred to Liam Lawrence out wide.

Rep of Ireland (v Macedonia):Given; Kelly, O'Dea, O'Shea, Kilbane; McGeady, Whelan, Andrews, Hunt; Cox, Keane.