Squad News - Harte and McCarthy in, Breen out

Ian Harte, who has endured a tough time with injuries since joining La Liga side Levante last summer, is included in a Brian Kerr squad for the matches against Celtic, Israel and the Faroe Islands.

The former Leeds man and Drogheda born Harte last played for his country in the awful 0-0 stalemate away to Poland in April of 2004. He now has the chance to regain his left back spot with John O'Shea short of games at Manchester United and Alan Maybury plying his trade in the Championship with Leicester City.

Another Leicester City man though, is Paddy McCarthy, who last January was a Manchester City reserve player and now has earned a call from Brian Kerr ahead of Ireland's important qualifiers next month.

The central defender said: "I’ll take it all as a good experience and if I get the chance to play even a minute on Sunday, I’d be thrilled. Every Irish kid dreams of playing for the senior international team and I’m no different.”

Paddy is unlikely to start any of the games with the experience of O'Brien, Cuningham and O'Shea ahead of him in the pecking order.

The unlucky one whom Paddy has replaced is Sunderland veteran Gary Breen. The star of Ireland's World Cup campaign in 2002, has been struggling with a knee injury that he picked up on the last day of the Championship season.

Irish boss Brian Kerr is now without two of his more experienced centre back as Richard Dunne is out long term. He stated, "I am disappointed to lose a defender of Gary’s experience, but I am hopeful he will be fit to return for the autumn internationals."

Meanwhile, Irish under 21 captain and Spurs first choice right back Steven Kelly has dropped out of Don Given's squad for the Israel clash next week after sustaining a groin injury.