AIDEN McGEADY faces a race against the clock to be fit for the Republic of Ireland's World Cup qualifier against Bulgaria tomorrow.

The 22-year-old did only light training yesterday as he continues his recovery from a badly bruised right foot, and will need to prove his fitness to manager Giovanni Trapattoni before he names his team for the Croke Park. showdown Trapattoni will be keeping his fingers crossed the wing ace is fit after being forced to send another winger, Damien Duff, home with a hamstring injury.

Assistant boss Liam Brady is hopeful McGeady will be able to play. He said: "I think it's more likely that he will play, but we won't know until he comes through the training session today.

"We have kept him out of contact, his foot is still badly bruised. But with bruising, the longer it goes on, the better it gets.

"The manager will want to see some kind of contact today and comfort when he is kicking the ball.

"We have got to have fit players out there. We believe he will make it, but it's the type of injury that if he doesn't make it, he will make Wednesday."

A scan on Duff had earlier revealed a bleed high in his hamstring.

He was swiftly ruled out of the Bulgaria game and the trip to Italy four days later and has returned to Newcastle for treatment.

Reading's Stephen Hunt has already been named as his replacement, but the Ireland camp are giving McGeady every chance to prove his fitness.

Duff's loss came as a major blow, although in Hunt, Trapattoni is confident he has an able deputy.

Goalkeeper Shay Given trained without any problem after recovering from the shoulder injury which delayed his arrival in Dublin.