Republic of Ireland boss Martin O’Neill has confirmed that Town striker Daryl Murphy will start Tuesday’s final pre-European Championships friendly against Belarus at Cork City’s Turner’s Cross, while David McGoldrick is likely to be among the subs (Premier Sports, from 7pm).
Murphy, who is over the calf injury which saw him miss the end of the Blues’ season, looks certain to make Martin O’Neill’s 23-man squad for France, where Ireland will face Belgium, Italy and Sweden in the group stages, despite not having opened his international goals account in his 20 previous games.
O’Neill hopes that the 33-year-old can finally break his duck against the Belarusians, who Northern Ireland defeated 3-0 in a friendly on Friday.
"I think that would be a big boost for him, if all being well he starts on Tuesday, and there’s no reason why he shouldn’t do,” O’Neill said.
"It would be nice for him to get off the mark. The longer you go without scoring a goal, if you’re playing international football, obviously the more concerning it is for him.”
McGoldrick’s place in the 23 remains more of a question, despite having impressed during the first 76 minutes of Friday’s 1-1 draw with Holland in Dublin.
The 28-year-old, who has now won three caps, also without scoring, appears to be in competition for the fifth striker’s berth with Kevin Doyle, who plays for the Colorado Rapids and has flown in ahead of Tuesday’s game, if O’Neill names five frontmen in his squad, with Shane Long, ex-Blues skipper Jon Walters, Murphy and Robbie Keane all expected to get the nod. Both are likely to play some part against Belarus.
"I like him as a player. I've a few decisions to make,” O’Neill admitted. "He's got a bit of nice ability. He’s a strong lad and he comes off the back four for Ipswich.
"He drifts into positions where it's difficult for centre-backs to pick him up. That's when he's fully fit and ready to go.
"He has had a tough time. He's been around with us now for 18 months but just when you think he's getting there at club level, the next thing you know he's out for a couple of months.
"When he's fit - and I've seen him play in the Championship - he's definitely a handful. And he can cause you that problem, he can see that pass and he can convert, believe it or not.
"We haven't seen that in these games here for one reason or another, mainly because of fitness. Even on Friday, I thought he was fine but I thought he got a little bit tired towards the end of the first half a wee bit. He got a second wind in the second half."
O’Neill, whose assistant is former Town manager Roy Keane, says he has a good idea of his final travelling party, which he will confirm after Tuesday’s match.
"I'm pretty well close on things,” he added. "I've a fairly decent idea about the players I have. I would like the game on Tuesday for the possibility of everything.
"Somebody coming up and doing well, somebody I felt would be in the 23 might pick up an injury. You might pick up a hamstring injury which would be the worst because you know it will take three or four weeks to clear."
Meanwhile, Blues youngster Monty Patterson and New Zealand will be in action against Vanuatu on Tuesday morning in their second group game at the Oceania Nations Cup in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
Patterson, 19, won his first full cap as they beat Fiji 3-1 in their opening match on Saturday.