Trapattoni excuses McGeady and O'Shea from Ireland team to face Serbia

13 April 2012

Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni has named his first team to face Serbia at Croke Park.

And Manchester United defender John O'Shea has been excused a start along with Celtic winger Aiden McGeady after celebrating their teams' respective triumphs this week.

The boss men: Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni with Robbie Keane

O'Shea is in Dublin after flying in from Moscow and Manchester with Serbia centre-half Nemanja Vidic, who is also expected to miss the first meeting between the two teams.

Trapattoni said: "It is very difficult. I know what happened after they won. It is like a festival when the night becomes the morning."

But with Wigan's Kevin Kilbane out of the game and Darren Potter and Martin Rowlands injured during the training camp in Portugal, Trapattoni will hand debuts to QPR full-back Damien Delaney and Stoke midfielder Glenn Whelan.

The former Italy, AC Milan and Juventus coach said: "Victory is important for 60,000 spectators but for me it is important what the team does. With the famous players we are very strong . Normally the result is important but I look at the moment and what the team does."

IRELAND: Dean Kiely; Stephen Kelly, Richard Dunne, Paul McShane, Damien Delaney; Damien Duff, Liam Miller, Glenn Whelan, Stephen Hunt; Kevin Doyle, Robbie Keane.

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