Keane bids to win back Irish favour

Roy Keane has backtracked on the fall-out with his former Republic of Ireland teammates. The Manchester United skipper, who faces two disrepute charges from the Football Association, has asked London solicitor Michael Kennedy to help restore his relationship with Niall Quinn, Steve Staunton and Alan Kelly.

Quinn's Stadium of Light handshake with Keane after his dismissal last Saturday was pre-planned and Keane is hopeful relations can improve. He savaged the trio after they supported Irish manager Mick McCarthy in the vicious Saipan feud that ended with his World Cup expulsion.

Keane repeatedly criticised Quinn, Staunton and Kelly and branded them cowards for standing by McCarthy after he sent his captain home following a row over training facilities and kit at the Republic's acclimatisation camp.

The midfielder repeated the claims against the three in his best-selling autobiography but he is now keen to build bridges. "Niall and Roy spoke before the Sunderland-United game last Saturday and an agreement was reached that they would shake hands at the end of the game," revealed a source within the Irish camp.

"It all went pear-shaped when Roy was sent off for the elbow on Jason McAteer. Niall went to shake Roy's hand as he went off, as agreed, but Alex Ferguson got involved and spoilt it when he attacked Niall."

Keane's ghostwriter, Eamon Dunphy, has forwarded tapes and notes to Kennedy in a bid to support Keane's fight against the FA's double disrepute charge over remarks in his book related to his infamous tackle on Alf-Inge Haaland. "I was a conduit for his thoughts but I have his exact comments on tape and have sent the tapes and the notes to Michael Kennedy," Dunphy said.