Football: Irwin, Keane return

THE MANCHESTER United pair, Denis Irwin and Roy Keane, return to the Republic of Ireland squad for the controversial Euro 2000 qualifiers against Yugoslavia and Macedonia next month.

The Republic manager, Mick McCarthy, has named a 23-man squad for the Group Eight qualifying games in Dublin, as well as the friendly against Northern Ireland on 29 May.

The matches, against Yugoslavia on 5 June and Macedonia four days later, are still on after the ruling by Uefa, European football's governing body, that Yugoslavia will be allowed to compete in the Euro 2000 qualifiers in spite of the Kosovo crisis.

Also back in the squad are Ian Harte, Keith O'Neill and Lee Carsley after they missed out in last month's 2-0 friendly victory over Sweden because of injuries.

The Stoke City midfielder Graham Kavanagh, who scored one of the goals against the Swedes, is omitted as he is getting married on 4 June.