Mark Kennedy is fighting an uphill battle to be fit for the first leg of the Republic of Ireland's World Cup play-off against Iran in Dublin next Saturday. Kennedy has a hamstring strain and Wolves manager Dave Jones feels he has a better chance of being fit for the second leg of the play-off on November 15 in Tehran.
Kennedy is undergoing treatment after suffering a recurrence of a hamstring problem against Burnley last weekend. "We tried Mark in training on Thursday, but it was no good. I will be speaking to the Irish manager, Mick McCarthy, and we will be getting the injury scanned," Jones said. "If he is not fit for the first game for Ireland hopefully Mark will be available for the second leg."
Meanwhile, Brazilian referee Antonio Da Silva Pereira will take charge of the first leg tie of the Republic of Ireland's play-off with Iran at Lansdowne Road on November 10. The match is already a 35,000 sell-out with Iran taking up their full quota of 3,500 tickets.
Filed by Sinéad Kissane
