Long gets Ireland recall

06 November 2012 17:48

West Brom striker Shane Long has been included in the Republic of Ireland squad for next week's friendly against Greece after proving his fitness.

The 25-year-old was not selected by manager Giovanni Trapattoni when he announced his provisional squad last week as he recovered from a hamstring problem.

However, having played 71 minutes of his club's 2-0 Barclays Premier League victory over Southampton on Monday night, Long has been confirmed in the 23-man party for the game at the Aviva Stadium next Wednesday evening.

Skipper Robbie Keane has not been asked to make the long trip from Los Angeles for the friendly, which could see Norwich's Wes Hoolahan win just his second cap more than four years after his first.

Trapattoni has also placed four men - Andy Keogh, Conor Clifford, Shane Duffy and Damien Delaney - on stand-by as he assesses his options in the wake of last month's demoralising 6-1 World Cup qualifier defeat by Germany and the face-saving 4-1 win over the Faroe Islands four days later.

Squad: Keiren Westwood (Sunderland), David Forde (Millwall), Darren Randolph (Motherwell); Seamus Coleman (Everton), John O'Shea (Sunderland), Darren O'Dea (Toronto), Stephen Kelly (Fulham), Paul McShane (Hull), Stephen Ward (Wolves), Ciaran Clark (Aston Villa); Keith Andrews (Bolton), James McCarthy (Wigan), Keith Fahey (Birmingham), David Meyler (Sunderland), Glenn Whelan (Stoke), Aiden McGeady (Spartak Moscow), James McClean (Sunderland), Robbie Brady (Manchester United), Wes Hoolahan; (Norwich), Kevin Doyle (Wolves), Simon Cox (Nottingham Forest), Jon Walters (Stoke), Shane Long (West Brom).

Stand-by: Andy Keogh (Millwall), Conor Clifford (Chelsea), Shane Duffy (Everton), Damien Delaney (Crystal Palace).

Source: PA