Dunne ruled out of double-header
Republic of Ireland Squad Training - Sunday 17th June...17 June 2012; Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni with Richard Dunne during squad training ahead of their UEFA EURO 2012, Group C, game against Italy on Monday. Republic of Ireland EURO2012 Squad Training, Municipal Stadium Poznan, Poznan, Poland. Picture credit: Pat Murphy / SPORTSFILE...ABC
GIOVANNI TRAPATTONI has confirmed that Richard Dunne will not be available for Ireland's crunch World Cup qualifiers against Sweden and Austria this month.
The Italian ruled Aston Villa defender Dunne out of action as he recovers from a groin injury.
"Unfortunately, Richard is still injured and won't be involved in the games," said Trapattoni.
"I don't know if if he will be okay for the rest of the campaign."
With Ireland set to travel to Stockholm to face Sweden in two weeks' time, Trapattoni had better news on Marc Wilson who returns to the squad after suffering a broken leg, with Seamus Coleman also set to return.
Trap, however, is still sweating over the fitness of West Brom's Shane Long (ankle) and Keith Andrews (thigh) ahead of the games.
Ireland, meanwhile, will warm up for the June World Cup qualifier against the Faroe Islands by taking on Georgia in a friendly in Dublin, the FAI have confirmed.
The Georgians will take on Ireland on Sunday June 2nd (5.30), a game that's sandwiched in between the glamour friendly against England in Wembley (May 29th) and the June 7th clash with the Faroes.
With a long lead-in between the end of the club season in England and that World Cup game in June, Giovanni Trapattoni was keen to have another game to occupy his players after the trip to Wembley.
Ireland have a 100pc record against Georgia, with four wins from four since the first meeting of the nations in 2003.
But the last match between the two sides was a tempestuous one as Georgia took an early lead at Lansdowne Road. Ireland equalised through a controversial Robbie Keane penalty on 71 minutes and the LA Galaxy man then netted the winner four minutes from time.