Hunt goes for win

Victory over the Cypriots would maintain the Republic's quest to challenge world champions and Group Eight leaders Italy for automatic qualification for next summer's finals in South Africa, although a draw would be far from disastrous.

Hunt said: "To qualify, we have to win three [points]. Italy have that way about them that they will always do just enough to qualify, and we need to win away to put pressure on them."

Ireland currently trail Italy by just a point having played one match more, while Bulgaria and Cyprus, who both also have a game in hand, are five and eight points adrift respectively.

The fact that the Irish are very much in contention at the top of the group is testament to the job manager Giovanni Trapattoni has done since taking up his post in May last year.

They are unbeaten in the campaign to date, and with home games against the Italians and Montenegro to come next month, the play-offs at least are very much within their grasp.

Hunt added: "He's been good for Ireland. We are in with a chance of qualifying for a World Cup and to be honest, not many people would have thought that after the last campaign.

"So he's obviously doing something right and the players are behind him. We have got a belief that we can go all the way."