David Connolly will make his first Republic of Ireland start in nearly a year in tomorrow night’s World Cup qualifier against Cyprus.
The diminutive striker will replace injured Niall Quinn thanks to impressive form with Dutch giants Feyenoord .
And Shay Given's recall to the qualifying campaign in place of out-of-favour Blackburn goalkeeper Alan Kelly has also been confirmed.
But manager Mick McCarthy's has delayed naming the rest of his line-up until after a final training session in the GSP Stadium in Nicosia tonight indicating a possible disappointment for centre-back Richard Dunne.
McCarthy's official line is that he wants to see how all his players perform in a final training session before he names his team but it appears he is still unsure as to who will start in the centre of defence. Dunne finds his place under threat with the return to fitness of Wimbledon's Kenny Cunningham and Leeds defender Gary Kelly.
McCarthy said: "I haven't told the lads who is playing yet and so it would not be right to tell anybody else first.
But he admitted: "The centre-half position is the one I'm finding the most difficult to resolve."
It will be a happy return for striker Connolly as replacement for injured Sunderland veteran Niall Quinn.
"It won't be easy for me to step into his big shoes - and not just because mine are a fair bit smaller," said Connolly.
At just 5ft 7ins Connolly, 23, will have to offer the Republic a far different attacking option to the one usually provided by 6ft 4ins target-man Quinn.
Connolly, who earned his own dream move to Feyenoord from Watford after scoring seven goals in his first 11 games for Ireland two years ago, was subsequently farmed out to nursery club Excelsior when a new manager took over in Rotterdam.
But yet another change of boss has brought him back into the senior fold.
"It is going well for me again in Holland," said Connolly. "I scored last Saturday and I'm feeling sharp. It is a big lift to be playing well again in front of 50,000 home crowds at such a really big club, knowing that the fans are behind you.
"Now I've got this opportunity for Ireland again and although I've only played with Robbie a couple of times when I had a short spell on loan at Wolves when he was there, I'm confident we can make it work."
Meanwhile, Bernard O'Byrne has confirmed that the FAI have signed a new extension to their contract for live television coverage of all home international matches through SKY TV which will now last until 2006.