Owen Garvan and Alex Bruce are off to the Algarve today with the senior Irish squad for a training camp. The travelling party assembled in Malahide, Dublin on Wednesday where they held their first training sessions with new coach Giovanni Trapattoni.

The squad will spend five days in the Algarve before returning for friendly matches with Serbia on Saturday 24th May at Croke Park and Colombia on Thursday 29th May at Craven Cottage.

Bruce has one full cap, while Garvan is yet to play at full international level. The midfielder is currently mulling over Town's offer of a new contract, extending his stay by two years until 2011, while the Blues have denied reports earlier in the week claiming that Middlesbrough had made an enquiry regarding the 20-year-old. Town say they have not received any interest in any of their players since the season ended.

Meanwhile, Billy Clarke looks set to win his ninth Irish U21 cap on Saturday when his side take on Nigeria in their second game at the Intercontinental Cup in Malaysia. Ireland, who beat the hosts 3-1 in their opening match, face Iraq in their final game next Tuesday.

Republic of Ireland full squad: Colin Doyle - Birmingham City, Dean Kiely - West Bromwich Albion, Joe Murphy - Scunthorpe United, Alex Bruce - Ipswich Town, Damien Delaney - Queens Park Rangers, Richard Dunne Manchester City, Kevin Foley - Wolverhampton Wanderers, Stephen Kelly - Birmingham City, Paul McShane - Sunderland, Darren O ‘Dea - Celtic, John O ‘Shea - Manchester United, Damien Duff - Newcastle United, Owen Garvan - Ipswich Town, Wesley Hoolahan - Blackpool, Stephen Hunt - Reading, Aiden McGeady - Celtic, Stephen McPhail - Cardiff City, Liam Miller - Sunderland, Darren Potter - Wolverhampton Wanderers, Martin Rowlands - Queens Park Rangers, Sean Scannell - Crystal Palace, Glenn Whelan - Stoke City , Kevin Doyle - Reading, Robbie Keane - Tottenham Hotspur, Andy Keogh - Wolverhampton Wanderers, Shane Long - Reading, Daryl Murphy – Sunderland.

Photo: Action Images

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