Euro 2012 qual. - Team news: Ireland unchanged

Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni has named an unchanged starting line-up for their Euro 2012 qualifier against Russia in Dublin on Friday.

Richard Dunne and Sean St Ledger will take their place at the heart of the home defence at the Aviva Stadium.

Dunne was able to train on Thursday after a scan showed no damage to a knee injury.

Robbie Keane starts alongside Kevin Doyledespite being restricted to four games withTottenham Hotspur this season.

Keane's Russian team-mate at Spurs Roman Pavlyuchenko is out of the match due to injury.

Trapattoni lost Damien Duff to a calf injury earlier this week, but was able to report good news with Dunne returning to training.

And the Italian duly named the centre-back in an unchanged starting line-up from the win over Andorra.

"Richard has trained and hopefully he will be okay, and that is good news for us," said Trapattoni.

Dunne's importance to the side was stressed by captain Robbie Keane, who said: "Richard is one of our key players and he's been instrumental in the 10 years he's been involved in the Irish side.

"He's grown and grown and become an absolutely vital player."

Ireland: Shay Given; John O'Shea, Sean St Ledger, Richard Dunne, Kevin Kilbane; Liam Lawrence, Glenn Whelan, Paul Green, Aiden McGeady; Kevin Doyle, Robbie Keane

PA Sport / Eurosport