Ciaran Clark is a surprise omission after Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni cut his squad down to 25 players for next week’s friendly against Croatia at the Aviva Stadium.

Aston Villa defender Clark was one of the players who missed Ireland’s end of season games against Northern Ireland, Scotland, Macedonia and Italy.

He was named in the original squad for the first game of the new season, a curtain raiser for the crucial Euro qualifiers against Slovakia and Russia in September.

But Trapattoni has now ignored the defender despite the absence of the injured John O’Shea for next week’s game.

Also excused, due to club commitments in the Championship, are Kevin Kilbane, Paul McShane and Liam Lawrence while Spartak Moscow’s Aiden McGeady is injured.

Trapattoni said: “I intend to use the game against Croatia at Aviva Stadium next week to have the confirmation of a few options ahead of our September matches against Slovakia and Russia.

“Liam Lawrence and Kevin Kilbane have been excused for club commitments, while John O’Shea, Aiden McGeady, Paul Mc Shane and Kevin Foley have picked up injuries and will also be excused.”
Wolves defender Kevin Foley is also injured while Celtic’s Anthony Stokes has again been left out in the cold.

The revised Republic of Ireland squad to play Croatia at Aviva Stadium on 10 August is : Given (Aston Villa), Westwood (Sunderland), Forde (Millwall); Kelly (Fulham), Dunne (Aston Villa), St Ledger (Leicester), O’Dea (Celtic), Delaney (Ipswich); Ward (Wolves), Coleman (Everton), Gibson (Manchester United), Whelan (Stoke), Andrews (Blackburn), Fahey (Birmingham), Hunt (Wolves), McCarthy (Wigan), Treacy (Burnley), Wilson (Stoke), Duff (Fulham); Keogh (Wolves), Keane (Tottenham), Doyle (Wolves), Walters (Stoke), Long (Reading), Cox (West Brom).