Wolves' Kevin Doyle plans to play for Ireland

Injured Kevin Doyle today put himself on course for a club versus country row by revealing he intends to play for Ireland next month - even if he doesn't kick another ball for Wolves this season, writes TIM NASH.

Doyle has all but ruled himself out of the rest of the Premier League campaign with the torn medial ligament he suffered playing for Ireland against Macedonia last month.

But he wants to be involved in Ireland's Carling Nations Cup games against Northern Ireland and Scotland on May 24 and 29 respectively.

The all-Ireland clash comes just two days after Wolves' last game of the season against Blackburn, while Ireland also have a Euro 2012 qualifier against Macedonia on June 4.

"If I don't play for Wolves again this season, I don't suppose the manager will be too happy to see me fit and disappear for my country," said Doyle. "But I'm going to try to make it."

That news is bound to sit uneasily with Wolves when they are without their nine-goal top scorer at the most crucial stage of the season.