Euro 2012 Betting: Injury problems mounting for Ireland

Shay Given, Sean St Ledger, Richard Dunne and John O'Shea are all carrying knocks and not expected to be risked in Saturday's friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Giovanni Trapattoni insists any absences will be purely precautionary but his decision to call up Hull defender Paul McShane illustrates the extent to which the squad has been ravaged.

Given, who sustained a knee injury in training on Monday, has since undergone scans and today travelled to London to see a specialist. Keiren Westwood and David Forde are waiting in the wings, should they be required to deputise on Saturday, but the FIA maintain the 36-year-old will be fine for the Euros.

As for O'Shea, Sunderland's utility man was forced to sit out training due to an ankle knock but has assured Trapattoni he's not far from full fitness.

Even if all four are ready and willing come their first group match on June 10, this is hardly ideal preparation for the country's first major tournament since 2002. Trapattoni traditionally resists the temptation to shuffle his pack, but it now seems highly likely that the team which starts on Saturday will bear little relation to that which takes to the field in Poznan.

It will ultimately mean that, at best, Trapattoni has one final opportunity to see his first choice XI prior to the big kick-off. Ireland take on Hungary on June 4, just six days before they meet Croatia in their first Euro 2012 group match.

And Trapattoni, who admitted that no fewer than nine of his players have an injury complaint of some description, has every reason to be concerned about his understudies. After making just two first-team appearances for Hull, McShane was loaned out to Crystal Palace, for whom he only made 12 appearances, including just nine starts.

As far as this weekend is concerned, Ireland are currently 2.447/5 to defy their defensive troubles and keep a clean sheet at the Aviva Stadium. Elsewhere, Trapattoni's side can be backed at a seemingly generous 4.03/1 to kick off their Euro 2012 campaign with victory against Croatia.