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April 28 (Daily Mail) -- THE puzzle of Paddy Kenny's absence from the Republic of Ireland squad was finally resolved yesterday -- the in-form QPR goalkeeper is unavailable for selection. According to Alan Kelly, the Irish goalkeeping coach, Kenny -- who completed a nine-month ban from football a year ago -- asked not to be considered for international duty at the start of the season.
Since then, Kenny has kept 23 clean sheets in 44 Championship games to help propel QPR to the brink of a Premier League return, sparking calls for an international return after a five-year gap.
But Kelly, like Kenny a former Sheffield United stalwart, yesterday shed a revealing light on Kenny's continued absence.
'We had a private conversation at the beginning of the season where he said he didn't want to be considered,' said Kelly.
'As far as I'm aware, he is still unavailable. I've not had a text from him to make himself available, so you'll have to ask him, it's not my question,' he added.
Asked would Kenny, 32, be selected if he changed his mind, Kelly smiled and said that was a hypothetical question. Kelly gave an upbeat progress report on the fitness of Shay Given, whom he expects to be on the bench for Manchester City in the FA Cup final on May 14.
Since then, Kenny has kept 23 clean sheets in 44 Championship games to help propel QPR to the brink of a Premier League return, sparking calls for an international return after a five-year gap.
But Kelly, like Kenny a former Sheffield United stalwart, yesterday shed a revealing light on Kenny's continued absence.
'We had a private conversation at the beginning of the season where he said he didn't want to be considered,' said Kelly.
'As far as I'm aware, he is still unavailable. I've not had a text from him to make himself available, so you'll have to ask him, it's not my question,' he added.
Asked would Kenny, 32, be selected if he changed his mind, Kelly smiled and said that was a hypothetical question. Kelly gave an upbeat progress report on the fitness of Shay Given, whom he expects to be on the bench for Manchester City in the FA Cup final on May 14.