Source: Team_Talk
McGeady in race to face Bulgaria
The 22-year-old did only light training on Thursday as he continues his recovery from a badly bruised right foot, and will need to prove his fitness to Giovanni Trapattoni before he names the team for Saturday's game at Croke Park.
Trapattoni will be keeping his fingers crossed after being forced to send another winger, Damien Duff, home with a hamstring injury on Thursday.
Assistant boss Liam Brady is hopeful McGeady will be able to play.
He said: "I think it's more likely that he will play but we won't know until he comes through the training session on Friday.
"We have kept him out of contact, his foot is still badly bruised. But with bruising, the longer it goes on, the better it gets.
"The manager will want to see some kind of contact today and comfort when he is kicking the ball.
"We have got to have fit players out there. We believe he will make Saturday but it's the type of injury that if he doesn't make Saturday, he will make Wednesday."
A scan on Duff had earlier revealed a bleed high in his hamstring.
He was swiftly ruled out of the Bulgaria game and the trip to Italy four days later and has returned to club Newcastle for treatment.
Reading's Stephen Hunt has already been named as his replacement in the team, but the Ireland camp are giving McGeady every chance to prove his fitness.
Duff's loss came as a major blow, although in Hunt, Trapattoni is confident he has an able deputy.
Brady said: "Damien is one of those players who never stops running. He is on the go all the time and he has been a big, big player for us in the games we have played so far.
"We have 10 points on the board and Damien has been very influential in achieving those points.
"It is a big blow, but Bulgaria have their problems as well. It's the nature of the business we are in.
"Stephen Hunt comes in and we have total confidence in him. He has played a big part so far, he played against Georgia and Montenegro and was very, very good.
"We have total confidence that he is going to do the business for us when he plays on Saturday."
Goalkeeper Shay Given trained without any problem after recovering from the shoulder injury which delayed his arrival in Dublin.
