Mick McCarthy, Manager of the Irish Republic team, makes five changes to his first-choice line-up tonight, mostly through injuries.

	Steve Finnan selected to start for the Republic

"I want to keep the same back four as much as possible because the more they play together the better it will be for them," said McCarthy.

The manager has left out Tottenham's in-form Stephen Carr with a calf-muscle strain and recalled Gary Kelly of Leeds. Shay Given is back goal and Matt Holland makes his first Dublin start in place of injured skipper Roy Keane. The arm band goes to Charlton's Mark Kinsella for the first time.

Fulham's Steve Finnan, after a couple of starts as a substitute, is also given a run on the right in place of Jason McAteer.

"The team which has started the three World Cup games is still my first choice," said McCarthy.

Finland are using the Republic as a sounding board for their next World Cup qualifier against England at Anfield next March after holding their Group Nine rivals to a damaging goalless draw in Helsinki last month.

Republic of Ireland:
Given (Newcastle), G Kelly (Leeds), Breen (Coventry), Dunne (Man City), Harte (Leeds), Finnan (Fulham), Kinsella (Charlton), Holland (Ipswich), Kilbane (Sunderland), Keane (Inter Milan), Foley (Watford).

Finland (probable):
Niemi (Hearts), Nylund, Tihinen (Viking Stavanger), Pasanen (Ajax), Saarinen, Riihilahti (Valerenga), Valakari (Derby County), Kolkka, Litmanen (Barcelona), Tainio (Auxerre), Johansson (Charlton).