Giovanni Trapattoni saw enough from left-back Damien Delaney and midfielder Glen Whelan in Portugal to award the duo their first senior caps against Serbia tomorrow evening.

Stoke City's Whelan will partner Liam Miller in the centre of midfield with Stephen Hunt on the left wing and Damien Duff operating on the right flank.

Captain Robbie Keane will play up front with Kevin Doyle but is likely to occupy the space between the striker and the midfield.

Dean Kiely ends a five-year absence from the senior side to win his ninth cap in goal behind Delaney, the returning Richard Dunne, Paul McShane and right full-back Stephen Kelly.  Like Whelan, the West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper has just earned promotion to the Premiership with his club.

Delaney's inclusion comes after his maiden call-up to the squad at the age of 26. The QPR defender has played with Cork City, Leicester and Hull.

His clubmate Martin Rowlands has withdrawn from the squad after suffering an ankle injury in training yesterday.

Since his arrival Trapattoni has consistently praised Celtic winger Aiden McGeady but he will have to wait a while longer to see him in a green jersey after an injury sustained in last night's Scottish Premier League winning victory over Dundee United ruled him out of tomorrow's game and next week's meeting with Colombia at Craven Cottage.

His Celtic teammate Darren O'Dea is still scheduled to join up with the squad.

Spirits appear upbeat in the camp but the manager today warned that this is just the blissful 'honeymoon period'.

"The first moment as a coach or a player is like when you are just married, it is always happy," Trapattoni said. "After one month or six months...That's life. It is like a family.

"I am lucky. I was in Portugal and the Portuguese were happy with me; I was in Germany and there are some Germans in our hotel playing golf and they are happy; also in Austria or Florence or Turin or Milan.

"I am lucky at the moment that it is again like that. Now everybody seems to be happy - but we will see a couple of months down the line."

Keane's insisted today that his 10 day break was sanctioned by both club and country and moved to quell rumours that he had been in Las Vegas enjoying his 'stag party'.

"I spoke with the manager and Liam Brady and the club wanted me to have 10 days' break," said the Spurs captain. "The club was supposed to go to South Korea and I didn't have to go on that, but then it was cancelled at the last minute, so they wanted me to rest because I have played so many games this season.

"I was lucky that I didn't get any injuries and miss one or two games, so I spoke to the manager and we agreed that I would have 10 days' rest, which if I am being honest, I certainly needed because it has been a long season for me.

"I had 10 days' break and no matter what I do in that 10 days, that's all personal stuff to me.

"I will clarify something: I wasn't in Las Vegas at any point. The last time I saw a slot machine was in Bray."

Ireland kick-off Trapattoni's reign in Croke Park at 7.45pm tomorrow.

Republic of Ireland: Dean Kiely, Stephen Kelly, Richard Dunne, Paul McShane, Damien Delaney, Damien Duff, Liam Miller, Glen Whelan Stephen Hunt, Robbie Keane, Kevin Doyle