Roy Keane arrives for a training session with the Republic of Ireland team in Malahide on Monday. (Reuters)

Dublin: Roy Keane’s hopes of returning to international football with Ireland this week have been dashed by a hamstring injury, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) said on Monday.

Keane had been expected to play against Poland on Wednesday in his first appearance for his country since sensationally walking out of a training camp on the eve of the 2002 World Cup.

An FAI spokesman said on Monday: “Following examination by FAI medical staff after training this morning... it was felt there would be further damage to the hamstring injury that kept Roy out of the Manchester United team in recent weeks if he were to make the trip to Poland.”

Keane, 32, had retired from the international game after falling out with former Ireland manager Mick McCarthy. He has since been won over by McCarthy’s successor, Brian Kerr, who named the United skipper in his squad last week.

Having failed to qualify for Euro 2004, the game against Poland in Bydgoszcz forms part of Ireland’s preparations for the 2006 World Cup qualifiers later this year.