Duff boosts Irish

Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni is without three key players for next week's World Cup qualifier against Cyprus but has welcomed back Damien Duff.

The Newcastle winger was recalled to Trapattoni's 21-man party after missing last month's victory over Georgia and the draw with Montenegro with a knee problem.

However, the Irish must do without injured trio Steve Finnan, Steven Reid and Stephen Kelly.

Finnan suffered a calf strain in his debut for Espanyol a couple of weeks ago, Reid has injured his knee and Kelly has a thigh problem

Scunthorpe keeper Joe Murphy returns to the squad as back-up to Shay Given and Dean Kiely.

The Republic head into the game, at Croke Park a week today, with bitter memories of their clashes with the Cypriots during qualifying for Euro 2008.

The side, managed by Steve Staunton, lost 5-2 in Nicosia and needed Finnan's injury-time strike to scrape a 1-1 draw in the return.