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Preview: Armenia v Republic of Ireland

by Setanta staff , 02 September 2010

Robbie Keane and Richard Dunne have been passed fit to play for the Republic of Ireland in Friday's Euro 2012 qualifier in Armenia.


The star duo have had slight knocks this week, with Keane having worn a knee brace in training and Dunne having missed a session with a back injury.
But captain Keane and defender Dunne will play in Yerevan as Ireland get their campaign underway in very hot Armenian conditions.

Elsewhere, Ireland are without Damien Duff and Keith Andrews in midfield, so Liam Lawrence and Aiden McGeady will man the flanks, while Paul Green has edged out Darron Gibson to partner Glenn Whelan in the centre of midfield.

Defender Darren O'Dea should be on the bench after a knee scare.
Armenia are an unknown quantity for the Irish but a win over Belgium a year ago showed that they have it in them to upset more established nations, and they were not beaten by any of the top four seeded sides on their own patch in the Euro 2008 qualification campaign.

Coach Vardan Minasyan has brought forward Yuri Movsisyan into his squad and he could make his debut against Trapattoni's charges, while several inexperienced players have also been called up by the home side.

The game mark's Ireland's first comprettive outing since their controversial defeat to France in the World Cup playoffs last November, a ghost they are keen to exorcise in this campaign, with a win in Yerevan the start the coach demands.

Republic of Ireland: Given; O'Shea, Dunne, St Ledger, Kilbane, Lawrence, Whelan, Green, McGeady, Keane, Doyle.

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