McGeady shoots for second with Spartak

The Ireland international has endured some tough times since the Russian league resumed following a winter break last month, but yesterday's 2-0 win over Rubin Kazan was the first time that McGeady completed 90 minutes for the side since the league's restart.

That win put Spartak into second place in the eight-team Russian league, two points ahead of city rivals CSKA and Dinamo, but a massive 12 points behind leaders Zenit St Petersburg and with only five games left in the season it's almost impossible to see Spartak catching Zenit for the league title.

"We all want to secure second place in the league and we have the ability to do it," McGeady said today.

"CSKA Moscow are our main rivals for second place but we'll do all we can to finish in the top two."

The Russian league season finishes on May 13th and a week later McGeady will link up with the Ireland squad in Dublin for the Euro 2012 build-up.

IRELAND'S Euro 2012 opponents Italy will cancel plans for a pre-tournament training camp in the aftermath of the sudden death of Serie B player Piermario Morosini over the weekend.

The weekend's league programme in Italy was called off after the 25-year-old collapsed during a Serie B game on Saturday between Pescara and Livorno.

Italian football officials had previously rearranged the league programme to allow national team coach Cesare Prandelli hold a get-together for his players on April 23-24.

That's now likely to be called off to accommodate the re-fixture of last weekend's games, though manager Prandelli has stressed that Morosini's death is far more serious.

"I am shocked. I say that the Federation had the right reaction of great sensibility in cancelling all the games," said Prandelli.

"It is a sign that I absolutely share."