McCarthy
has selected a 25-man squad - minus retired trio Steve
Staunton, Alan Kelly and Niall Quinn - for the friendly
in Helsinki on Wednesday 21 August.
But there is still no place for Manchester United
star Keane, who was sent home from the World Cup finals
after a furious bust-up with the Republic boss.
Keane insists he would like to continue his international
career, but only under a new boss - and his absence
has opened the door for the likes of Millwall's Steven
Reid and Celtic's Colin Healy to cement their place
in McCarthy's future plans.
Keeper Kelly's absence has been filled by Hibernian
stopper Nick Colgan, while Spurs duo Stephen Carr
and Gary Doherty, Healy, Southampton ace Rory Delap,
Leeds midfielder Stephen McPhail and Millwall striker
Richard Sadlier are the other players who missed out
on a trip to Japan and South Korea but have been called
up.
McCarthy, preparing his troops for the European Championship
tie with Russia on 7 September, said: "With Niall
Quinn, Alan Kelly and Steve Staunton all having retired
from international football after the World Cup finals,
this is an opportunity for some of the younger players
to show that they are ready to stake their claims
for international recognition."
Squad:
Given (Newcastle), Kiely (Charlton), Colgan (Hibernian);
Carr (Tottenham), Finnan (Fulham), Cunningham (Birmingham),
Kelly (Leeds), O'Brien (Newcastle), Breen (West Ham),
Dunne (Manchester City), Harte (Leeds); McAteer (Sunderland),
Holland (Ipswich), Kilbane (Sunderland), Reid (Millwall),
Healy (Celtic), Kinsella (Charlton), Carsley (Everton),
Delap (Southampton), Robbie Keane (Leeds), Morrison
(Birmingham), Duff (Blackburn), McPhail (Leeds), Sadlier
(Millwall), Doherty (Tottenham).
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