SOCCER:Steve Staunton will name his first squad of the new year today in Dublin, when most attention is likely to focus on whether he believes Reading's Kevin Doyle has a chance of being fit to travel to San Marino next week.
The striker has refused to admit defeat in his race to return from a hamstring problem, but Reading manager Steve Coppell has suggested the Irishman is still a couple of weeks away from being match fit. The 23-year-old is definitely ruled out of this evening's Premiership game against Wigan, and he would certainly miss next week's qualifying game unless he features in some way against Manchester City over the weekend. Staunton, though, may already have assumed the worst.
The Ireland manager is also without Shay Given (groin) and Steven Reid (cruciate ligament), while Paddy Kenny is temporarily unavailable for personal reasons. Shane Supple of Ipswich Town looks the most likely to take the third goalkeeper's place in the panel, while Stephen Hunt, Anthony Stokes and Stephen Quinn are all in with a shout of a first senior call-up.
Stokes has played just once since moving to Sunderland, but Roy Keane predicted on Friday the player would have recovered enough to play against Crystal Palace this evening. In an interview posted on the FAI website yesterday, Staunton merely observed that, "Anthony's done well in recent months (and) we'll continue to monitor his progress as he comes back into the squad at Sunderland."
Asked for his thoughts on his first year in charge of the Irish team, Staunton remarked, "I'm disappointed not to have more points on the board but delighted to have seen the young players who got a chance come in and do well for us."
Reading, meanwhile, expect to complete the signing of Alan Bennett this afternoon after the player had a medical at the club yesterday. A fee of £250,000 with add-ons that include a further £50,000 when the defender has made 10 first-team appearances has been agreed, despite some acrimony between the two parties.
"People have been happy enough to insult me and my club," said Cork City chairman Brian Lennox of the talks. "My last meeting with Reading was far from cordial, but so be it."
Shelbourne officials hope to meet representatives of the players' union soon to discuss the club's financial difficulties, while a formal approach for Longford boss Alan Matthews may be made as early as this morning.
The club's owner and chief executive, Ollie Byrne, had brain surgery yesterday afternoon.
•Waterford United will take on Cork City at the RSC on Friday, March 2nd, in a fund-raiser for the Dunmore East Fishing Disaster Appeal.
