Ireland back youth in World Cup qualifier

Giovanni Trapattoni hopes his youthful Republic of Ireland team can continue to beat the odds when Austria visit Dublin today.

Trapattoni selected 10 outfield players with an average age of 24 in the scoreless draw against Sweden in Stockholm last Friday, a tally that included veteran skipper Robbie Keane, 32. But the LA Galaxy forward has been ruled out of today game with a calf strain, leaving the team 123 caps lighter.

The Ireland squad has changed since last year's European championship, most notably illustrated by the fact that only two of the team that began the last Euro 2012 group game against Italy in Poznan started in the qualifier in Sweden.

With Keane now ruled out, it could be an almost totally different line-up that starts against Austria in what Trapattoni has declared a "must win" group C clash.

Shay Given, Richard Dunne, Damien Duff, Aiden McGeady and Keith Andrews are some of the experienced players unavailable, but in their place a group of youngsters have begun to leave their mark.

Seamus Coleman of Everton, Wigan's James McCarthy and West Bromwich Albion's Shane Long are three of the key talents hoping to cement their places in the starting line-up for years to come. All three are Premier League regulars.