ONE OF the key players in the Republic of Ireland squad taking part in the World Youth Championships in Malaysia will miss the crucial tic against China tomorrow.

John Burns, one of the midfield masters in the Republic's superb 2-1 win over the United States on Thursday, hobbled out of the game with an injured foot after 87 minutes.

He is now on crutches and has been ruled out of tomorrow's game.

Fellow midfielder Niall Inman has recovered from the illness which kept him out of Thursday's match and will be back in contention for a place in the starting line-up. But first-choice goalkeeper Derek O'Connor, who also missed the game against the US, is still unwell and may not be available for a recall to the team.

The Republic will know exactly what they have to do when they take the field against the Chinese. Ireland are second in the table on three points behind Ghana (four points), but the US, who are third in the table on goal difference, will play Ghana in the match preceding Ireland's. China are bottom of the table with just one point.

The best result in the first game, from the Republic's point of view, would be for Ghana to beat the United States. Ghana would thus win the group with seven points and the Americans would be on three points. Even a draw for the Irish would put them on four points and sure of second place and qualification for the next round.