Football: Keane welcomed back

ROY KEANE returned to the international fold yesterday after an absence of nearly 12 months when Mick McCarthy named his 22-man squad for the European Championship qualifier against Croatia on 5 September.

The Manchester United midfielder has been included in the party for the Group Eight match at Lansdowne Road, Dublin, after recovering from the cruciate ligament injury which saw him miss most of United's campaign last season. McCarthy said: "I don't know how much I can stress that it is very important to have Roy Keane back in the panel." He has also recalled Keith O'Neill, the Norwich forward, and the veterans Ray Houghton and Tony Cascarino.

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND SQUAD (European Championship qualifier v Croatia, Dublin, 5 Sept): Given (Newcastle), Kiely (Bury), Irwin (Manchester Utd), Kenna (Blackburn), Staunton (Liverpool), Harte (Leeds), Cunningham (Wimbledon), Breen (Coventry), Babb (Liverpool), Fleming (Middlesbrough), Roy Keane (Manchester Utd), McAteer (Liverpool), Carsley (Derby), Kinsella (Charlton), McLoughlin (Portsmouth), Houghton (Reading), Duff (Blackburn), Quinn (Sunderland), Robbie Keane (Wolves), O'Neill (Norwich), Cascarino (Nancy), Kennedy (Wimbledon).