Ireland v Austria Tomorrow, 5pm, Group D

Roy Keane has warned Ireland’s players that if people are willing to die for their country, it is only fair to expect them to put their bodies on the line against Austria.

Ireland head into their World Cup qualifier in Dublin tomorrow sitting second in Group D, four points clear of Wales and Austria, but do so at the end of a typically gruelling domestic campaign.

Keane, though, has no time for talk of tiredness, and insisted the players will have to be prepared to play through the pain barrier to strengthen their chances of reaching their first World Cup since 2002.

With Serbia, who top the group on goal difference, playing thirdplaced Wales, this feels like a pivotal game for Ireland’s qualification chances, and Keane, in a slightly unusual method of inspiration, pointed to the sacrifice made by captain Seamus Coleman back in March, when he broke his leg in two places against Wales.

“I don’t think temperament has ever been an issue with our lads,” Keane said. “As usual we want players playing on the edge, lads putting their bodies on the line. They’ve done that before, players like Seamus Coleman, he broke his leg playing for his country.

“You go out on the pitch and you put your body on the line, you have to be able to accept that people have done a lot more for their country than break their legs. People have died for their country.”

Republic of Ireland (4-2-3-1) Westwood; Christie, Duffy, Keogh, Ward; Arter, Hendrick; Brady, Hoolahan, Mcclean, Walters.

Austria (3-2-3-2) Lindner; Prödl, Dragovic, Hinteregger; Baumgartlinger, Grillitsch; Lazaro, Junuzovic, Alaba; Harnik, Burgstaller.