Kevin Kilbane of West Bromwich Albion, is the new name on parade as Mick McCarthy prepares for the Republic of Ireland's potentially decisive World Cup games in Iceland and Lithuania next month.

Just months after moving from Preston to West Bromwich for a club record fee of £1.25 million, Kilbane has been named for the first time in a squad of 25.

He could make his debut in the senior team next Tuesday when an Ireland X1 plays the National League in a testimonial game for Eoin Hand at Tolka Park.

"I was first impressed by the lad when I watched him play for the under-21 team last season," said McCarthy. "He is a good early crosser of the ball who will give us additional options out wide and I'm delighted to have him. We cannot have enough quality players."

For Kilbane the summons to arms was almost too good to be true. "Frankly, it's come a lot earlier than I dared hope. I was happy with my performances for the under-21 team but with so much competition for places in the senior squad, I reckoned I would have to wait much longer for my chance.

"One way or another, its been an exciting few months for me. First there was the move to West Brom and now this. I'm more than half way towards my great ambition of playing senior international football and I feel excited."

For an hour or so yesterday there was some astonishment at McCarthy's failure to find a place for Gary Kelly of Leeds United.

In the end, it turned out, happily to be no more than a clerical error. McCarthy's telephoned instructions to delete the name of Gary Kelly from the squad was mis-interpreted as meaning the Leeds player rather than the Oldham goalkeeper of the same name.

Gary Kelly, the goalkeeper, is replaced by his younger brother, Alan who makes his seasonal debut for Sheffield United this week.

Also back in the squad and almost certainly assured of a place in the starting line up is Liverpool's Jason McAteer. Once a three-match ban imposed for his sending off in the game in Macedonia last April had expired, it was always in prospect that McAteer would be recalled.

"I regard it as very important that Jason is available again and coming with us for these two games," he said. "Not only does he fill an important role on the pitch but he is a character who contributes significantly to squad morale.

We've missed that these last few games and it's also good to have Gary Kelly back. He had a superb game in Romania and was most unfortunate to be shown a second yellow game in the home game against Liechtenstein."

One way or another, it's an important occasion for players coming back into the squad. Among them is Keith O'Neill, the ebullient Norwich City forward who made such a tremendous impact in his early appearances in the side. But because of injuries he hasn't played for Ireland since the game in Macedonia - and even that was restricted to a 25 minutes.

Alan Moore, the skilful Middlesbrough player whose injury record this year is possibly even more disappointing than O'Neill's, is also back in the squad. Among the games he missed was the FA Cup final against Chelsea at Wembley but for all the player's misfortune, McCarthy's faith in him has never waned.

A Kelly (Sheff Utd), Given (Newcastle Utd), Kenna (Blackburn), Irwin (Man Utd), Staunton (Aston Villa), Cunningham (Wimbledon), Harte (Leeds Utd), Breen (Coventry City), Fleming (Middlesbrough), Houghton (Reading), Keane (Man Utd), Townsend (Aston Villa), McAteer (Liverpool), McLoughlin (Portsmouth), G Kelly (Leeds), Kennedy (Liverpool), Moore (Middlesbrough), Connolly (Feyenoord), O'Neill (Norwich), Cascarino (Nancy), Quinn (Sunderland), D Kelly (Tranmere), Babb (Liverpool), Phelan (Everton), Kilbane (West Bromwich).