But manager Mick McCarthy wants his striking combination of Niall Quinn and Robbie Keane for the World Cup qualifier against Holland in two weeks' time.

McCarthy warned: "Injuries permitting, I already know the 11 players who will start against the Dutch.

"We'll just have to wait and see how certain players progress over the next two weeks."

McCarthy admitted that he's resigned to being without Mark Kinsella for the September 1 clash. The Charlton midfielder is still recovering from a recent hernia operation.

And the Republic boss conceded as well that Tottenham full-back Stephen Carr is a major doubt after being told by Spurs that his ankle injury could take up to a month to clear.

But McCarthy made no mention of mighty Sunderland veteran Quinn, who missed out against Croatia with an ankle problem rather than the back trouble which has blighted the twilight zone of his considerable career.

And he will carefully monitor the opening fortnight of the Premiership campaign for signs that the 34-year-old still has something left to give for his country - perhaps one last hurrah in a game that means so much to their qualifying bid for the 2002 finals in Japan and South Korea.

Morrison, self-styled long-term successor to Quinn in the Irish attack, became an instant hit with the Lansdowne Road crowd after making his senior debut as a sub, crowning a memorable display with what seemed to be a match-clinching 78th-minute goal, albeit an open-goal tap-in.

But even the 22-year-old Londoner, who finally committed himself to the Irish cause towards the end of last season despite also being eligible to represent England, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, seems to accept that his time is not quite at hand yet.

He said: "I wanted to make a quick impact and I think I did that. But Holland is a big game and I just want to be part of the squad for it. I would be very happy with that."

Morrison, with only two Under-21 international appearances under his belt, revealed: "I was a bit nervous about my senior debut but when Mick put me on for Robbie Keane he just told me to go out there and enjoy it.

"I did - and the goal was a marvellous moment. But the goal? Well, I couldn't miss from there. Jason McAteer did all the hard work."