Folan welcomed into Irish fold

Wigan Athletic FC striker Caleb Folan is the surprise inclusion in the Republic of Ireland squad for their UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifiers at home to Wales and Slovakia.

O'Dea promoted
Folan has impressed coach Steve Staunton with his performances for Wigan since joining from lower league Chesterfield FC in January - including two goals in his five Premiership appearances. Staunton has also rewarded Celtic FC defender Darren O'Dea with his first call-up, promoting the 20-year-old from the Under-21s after some superb displays in the UEFA Champions League.

'Big, strong, quick player'
"Caleb will offer us something different in attack," Staunton said of the 24-year-old Folan, who was born in Leeds but "qualifies through his grandparents". The coach continued: "He's a big, strong, quick player who is awkward to mark for defenders." Staunton, who has left out forwards Clinton Morrison, David Connolly and Stephen Ward, added that his players were "itching" to play for the first time at Croke Park, the 75,000-capacity Dublin ground which is home to Ireland's domestic sports of Gaelic football and hurling.

Third in group
"The players are itching to get on with these games in Croke Park," said Staunton. "It's history in the making and we knew from the start that we'd have to win our home games to have a chance of qualifying." The Irish – who face Wales on 24 March and Slovakia four days later - lie third in Group D with seven points from five matches, three behind Germany and the Czech Republic.

Republic of Ireland squad
Goalkeepers: Shay Given (Newcastle United FC), Nick Colgan (Barnsley FC), Wayne Henderson (Preston North End FC).

Defenders: Paul McShane (West Bromwich Albion FC), Richard Dunne (Manchester City FC), Steve Finnan (Liverpool FC), Ian Harte (Levante UD), Stephen Kelly (Birmingham City FC), Darren O'Dea (Celtic FC), John O'Shea (Manchester United FC).

Midfielders: Kevin Kilbane (Wigan Athletic FC), Stephen Ireland (Manchester City FC), Lee Carsley (Everton FC), Jonathan Douglas (Leeds United AFC), Aiden McGeady (Celtic FC), Stephen Hunt (Reading FC), Alan Quinn (Sheffield United FC), Damien Duff (Newcastle United FC), Darron Gibson (Royal Antwerp FC).

Forwards: Robbie Keane (Tottenham Hotspur FC), Anthony Stokes (Sunderland AFC), Kevin Doyle (Reading FC), Shane Long (Reading FC), Caleb Folan (Wigan Athletic FC).