Duff, McShane and Andrews out for Armenia trip

The Republic of Ireland will begin their UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying campaign with a long trip into unknown territory as they take on Armenia for the first time in their history in their opening Group B fixture.

Team news
• Coach Vardan Minasyan has included Yuri Movsisyan of Randers FC, who has scored five goals in the UEFA Europa League qualifying rounds and could be set for his full international debut. Minasyan has also named a number of Under-21 players in his squad with an eye to the future.

• Armenia squad
Goalkepeers: Roman Berezovsky (FC Khimki), Gevorg Kasparov (FC Mika), Stepan Ghazaryan (FC Banants)
Defenders: Sargis Hovsepyan (FC Pyunik), Robert Arzumanyan (Randers
FC), Artak Edigaryan (FC Pyunik), Aghvan Mkrtchyan (FC Mika), Hrayr
Mkoyan (FC Mika), Ararat Arakelyan (FC Banants), Artur Yuspashyan (FC
Pyunik), Hovhannes Hambardzumyan (FC Banants), Levon Hayrapetyan
(without club)
Midfielders: Karlen Mkrtchyan (FC Pyunik), Masis Voskanyan (KSV
Roeselare), Davit Manoyan (FC Pyunik) Levon Pachajyan (Sanat Naft
FC), Artur Edigaryan (PAS Hamedan FC), Artak Grigoryan (Ulisses
FC), Edgar Malakyan (FC Pyunik), Artak Dashyan (FC Metalurh Donetsk),
Artak Aleksanyan (FC Ural Ekaterinburg)
Forwards: Yura Movsisyan (Randers FC), Edgar Manucharyan (FC Pyunik), Samvel Melkonyan (FC Banants), Gevorg Ghazaryan (FC Pyunik), Henrik Mkhitaryan (FC Metalurh Donetsk), Hovhannes Goharyan (FC Pyunik), Markos Pizzelli (FC Pyunik)

• The Republic of Ireland are resigned to being without Damien Duff, Paul McShane and Keith Andrews through injury for the game against Armenia, and with the latter pair to miss the game against Andorra too, PFC CSKA Sofia forward Cillian Sheridan has been brought in to swell the ranks. Coach Giovanni Trapattoni, 71, is absent after undergoing surgery for an abdominal complaint. Defender  has also withdrawn from the squad due to injury.

• Republic of Ireland squad
Goalkeepers: Shay Given (Manchester City FC), Kieren Westwood (Coventry City FC), Joe Murphy (Scunthorpe United FC).
Defenders: John O'Shea (Manchester United FC), Richard Dunne (Aston Villa FC), Sean St Ledger (Preston North End FC), Greg Cunningham (Manchester City FC), Kevin Foley (Wolverhampton Wanderers FC), Stephen Kelly (Fulham FC), Darren O'Dea (Ipswich Town FC), Kevin Kilbane (Hull City AFC)
Midfielders: Glenn Whelan (Stoke City FC), Darron Gibson (Manchester United FC), Paul Green (Derby County FC), Liam Lawrence (Stoke City FC), Aiden McGeady (FC Spartak Moskva), Keith Fahey (Birmingham City FC), Keith Treacy (Preston North End FC)
Forwards: Andy Keogh (Cardiff City FC), Robbie Keane (Tottenham Hotspur FC), Doyle (Wolverhampton Wanderers FC), Shane Long (Reading FC), Cillian Sheridan (PFC CSKA Sofia)

Match background
• National teams from the two nations have never met at any level, with the only indication of the relative class of the two sides coming in a pair of UEFA club competition fixtures.

• Cork Celtic FC met FC Ararat Yerevan in the second round of the 1974/75 European Champion Clubs' Cup, when Armenia was still part of the Soviet Union. The now defunct Irish outfit lost 2-1 at home and 5-0 in Yerevan.

• More recently, Derry City FC took on FC Pyunik in the first qualifying round of the 2007/08 UEFA Champions League, drawing 0-0 at home and going down 2-0 in the Armenian capital.

• Armenia's home record in 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying read W1 D1 L3, with Belgium losing 2-1 in Yerevan. Ireland were unbeaten away from home in the same campaign as their six overseas trips – including a 1-1 play-off draw in France – gave them the tally W2 D4 L0.