ARTER CLOSE TO FINDING FITNESS
HARRY ARTER is fit to face Uruguay on Sunday – and the crunch World Cup qualifier with Austria a week later. The Bournemouth midfielder, who will deputise for James Mccarthy, is not in New York for the friendly against Mexico on Friday morning. Martin O’neill afforded Arter (above) time off to fully recover from ankle and Achilles problems as well as a dead leg. But Reading’s Liam Kelly will have to wait for a first cap after O’neill confirmed he won’t be involved in any of the three games, despite being named in the original 37-man squad. “Arter was always going to miss the last game of the season, I think he was getting over some things,” said the Irish boss at New York Red Bulls’ training complex in Whippany. “He’ll be in when we get back and Glenn Whelan is coming a wee bit later.” It is believed that Stoke midfielder Whelan will only be available for the Austria game at Aviva Stadium on June 11. And O’neill suggested that Darron Gibson and Marc Wilson will only feature if injuries are picked up against Mexico. “Once we finish this game, we’ll see how people come through,” said O’neill. “Obviously Wilson, great as a person, but he hasn’t played that much. That’s the point. “We do have some boys who have played more games at this minute and that might become very important in the middle of June when you haven’t played in a long time. Darron is the same. I wouldn’t dismiss people from my thoughts but it’s just the number of minutes.” Cyrus Christie (inset) is one of those under the spotlight as he continues to deputise at right-back for injured skipper Seamus Coleman. O’neill said: “He’s got big shoes to fill, Cyrus knows that himself. Sometimes you have to disregard club form, he’s not played all that many games for Derby but he’s been good for us.”