TONY CASCARINO lost no time in re assuring Mick McCarthy about his fitness when the Republic of Ireland squad, minus Ray Houghton and Keith O'Neill, assembled in Dublin yesterday.

Houghton and O'Neill have been given permission to play for their clubs this afternoon and, providing they emerge unscathed, they will link up with the remainder of the squad tomorrow morning.

Before that, the serious work will have started this morning when McCarthy briefs his players on the match strategy for Wednesday's World Cup assignment in Macedonia, a game which he describes as important but not one which should unduly intimidate.

Remarkably, he hasn't lost one player from the original squad of 20 and the sense of relief showed when he greeted Cascarino on the his arrival from France after days, of high uncertainty.

The striker has played no more than 28 minutes senior football in recent weeks, scoring for Nancy when he came on as a replacement against his old club, Marseille, on Wednesday. That statistic doesn't bother the manager, however.

It depends how you wish to look at it but very often enforced rests can be beneficial," he said. "They train players very hard in France and I think it shows in Cascarino. He's lean and he's strong and I don't think I've ever seen him look fitter. I've no doubt that he is conditioned to do a big job for us in Macedonia if we need him."

Those last few words carried little conviction and with McCarthy committed to going with two specialist forwards, the certainty is that Cascarino will be in the starting line up.

In sharp contrast to the policy frequently favoured by his predecessor, Jack Charlton, he sees no point in sacrificing a forward to accommodate an extra midfielder on this occasion.

"We're looking to get three points out of the game and in that situation I believe it's wiser to start with two up front. Sometimes, it pays to go with the extra midfielder, but I personally am not a great believer in it.

"It doesn't mean that we will be throwing caution to the wind next Wednesday. But we will be seeking to put them on the back foot at every opportunity - it's the kind of tactic that Irish teams have used profitably over the years. I've never been involved, either ash player or manager, with an Ireland team which set out purely to defend." McCarthy, who has been to Skopje twice to watch the Medonians, says that it's not a particularly intimidating place for visiting teams. "With so many experienced internationals players in our squad, I wouldn't expect us to be too worried by anybody, but no, the stadium in Skopje is not a particularly hostile place."

Terry Phelan, the Everton defender, is one of those carrying a minor injury, but it's not considered serious enough to jeopardise his chances of selection when McCarthy commits himself to a definite formation on Tuesday.

By that stage, he hopes to have assessed Keith O'Neill's match fitness after the injury and subsequent surgery which kept him out for six weeks. O'Neill, one of those in line to partner Cascarino in the front line, will be watched on McCarthy's behalf today by the former Everton and Republic of Ireland defender Mike Walsh.

Walsh is now assistant manager at Swindon Town. His club meet Norwich City in a game of, some significance to both clubs at the County Ground.