Kelly urges Irish to avoid 'disaster'

With the handball by Thierry Henry that deprived the Republic of Ireland the chance to play at the last World Cup fresh in his mind, "it would be a disaster" to be consigned to another play-off lottery, says Stephen Kelly. "To go out the way we did, it left a sour taste," the full-back added. Ireland trail group leaders Russia by two points and know only defeat for Dick Advocaat's men in Slovakia, coupled with victories for them against the Andorrans and Armenia in Dublin next Tuesday will see them top the group.