World Cup team news: Giovanni Trapattoni's preparations for the World Cup double-header suffered a massive blow today with news that Damien Duff has been ruled out of Saturday's game against Bulgaria and next Wednesday's trip to Italy with a hamstring injury.

Duff picked up the problem in training yesterday and a scan this morning confirmed the medical team’s fears. The Newcastle winger has since returned to England for treatment and will be sidelined for up to two weeks.

However, assistant boss Liam Brady tonight revealed that the manager had taken the player aside before his departure to tell him to get himself fit and ready for the trip to Bulgaria on June 6th, which will bring an end to the first instalment of the qualifying campaign.

“He was very down,” Brady said at this evening’s pitch-side briefing. “He has had a season of disappointments as regards injuries this year and the lad was very down.

“But I was there when the manager spoke to him and the manager said this campaign is not yet halfway through and it’s going to be a long road and we are going to need him.

“We just want to get him back fit and have him ready for the next game against Bulgaria on June 6th.

“Damien went away knowing that Giovanni is really counting on him, so I think that picked him up a bit. But he was obviously very disappointed.”

Stephen Hunt took Duff’s place in both Mainz and Podgorica in previous qualifiers and Trapattoni will turn to the Reading midfielder once again for the double-header.

“I suppose the next question is who is going to play instead of Damien, and it’s going to be Stephen Hunt,” added Brady.

“He has already played a big part in the campaign so far. He played against Georgia, he played against Montenegro and he has come on in all the other games, so he is well ready and well able for it.

“Damien has been in great form for us, but that’s the nature of the game.

“Bulgaria have got their problems as well with players dropping out through injury. These things happen. But we are confident enough we are able to cope, and we have great faith in Stephen Hunt.”

Elsewhere there was better news with goalkeeper Shay Given and Celtic winger Aiden McGeady.

Given trained with the rest of the squad in Malahide this afternoon after shaking off a shoulder problem, and while McGeady did not join in with the group as he nursed a badly bruised foot, Brady was hopeful that he could make the Bulgaria game.

He said: “Shay did the full training session. Everything was okay, Shay is fine.

“Aiden has done some light training today. He has a very bruised foot and we kept him out of contact, such as tackling and kicking the ball.

“But he has done some light training and he is feeling good and he is feeling confident as well that he is going to be fit to play.

“But we will know much more tomorrow on that.”

Wolves’ midfielder Andy Keogh is on standby for McGeady.

Trapattoni must also address the right-back position where Sunderland’s Paul McShane is currently favourite to get the nod.