Free-kick master Harte has not kicked a ball since damaging the ankle in a clash with West Ham’s Paolo di Canio during the goalless draw at Upton Park last Saturday.

He limped into Dublin on Monday even though Leeds manager David O’Leary predicted he had no chance of facing the Dutch, sat out yesterday’s training and was expected to do only light running today.

McCarthy will give him as long as possible for the stitches to knit but Harte has revealed the cut is in exactly the spot where he normally strikes the ball.

McCarthy’s first-choice defence has already been hit by injuries.

"We remain optimistic but you’ve got to say Hartey is still a doubt," admitted McCarthy.

"We are going to give him as long as possible even if it takes until Saturday morning."

But if the sharp-shooting defender is ruled out he will be replaced on the left by Leeds club-mate Gary Kelly - also Harte’s uncle by marriage to his sister.

That would mean Finnan taking the Irish right-back role - usually contested by Kelly and injured Tottenham star Steve Carr - even though his eight previous caps, five as a substitute, have all been won as a right midfielder.

At Fulham, though, Finnan has made the right-back position his own.

He said: "Although I know that if I do get in for Ireland it will be because of somebody else’s misfortunes with injury, but I’m ready. Of course, I am."

With centre-backs Gary Breen and Kenny Cunningham already ruled out after surgery in the summer, McCarthy must entrust the central defensive positions to Manchester City youngster Richard Dunne and Aston Villa’s 90-cap veteran Steve Staunton, and will be encouraged by their partnership in the recent matches with Estonia and Croatia.

Dunne excelled in preventing Dutch superstar Patrick Kluivert scoring as Ireland finished with mixed emotions after a 2-2 draw in Amsterdam a year ago, having been 2-0 up with 24 minutes left to play.

But Holland had to field a weakened side that night and they come to Dublin with stars like Marc Overmars, Jaap Stam, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Boudewjin Zenden and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink back on board - and knowing they need a win to keep their qualification hopes alive.

Even a draw will practically guarantee unbeaten Ireland second in Group Two and a place in the play-offs for a major finals for the third time running.

They will start tomorrow at the top of the table, four points ahead of third-placed Holland.

But the Dutch, who meet Estonia at home next Wednesday, finish with an even easier home game against the pointless part-timers of Andorra.

Portugal, who have an even easier run-in, remain heavy favourites to clinch the only automatic qualifying place in the group - unless Ireland win tomorrow and score a hatful of goals in their final tie at home to Cyprus next month.

"How bad will that feel if we finish the group unbeaten and still don’t qualify for Japan and South Korea?" asked McCarthy.

"But there is no way we’ll play for a draw against Holland. Why change our shape and our approach now?

"But it is no good beating the Dutch or, at worst, drawing with them only to get knocked out in the play-offs.

"We’ve been there before and it is something I’d like to change because it would be the pinnacle of my career as a coach to reach the finals of a World Cup."

McCarthy has been experimenting with two nippy strikers in Robbie Keane and Damien Duff in the giant Niall Quinn’s latest absences through well-documented back problems, but the Sunderland veteran insists he is ready to do a job again.

He said: "I’ve done the right thing and taken no chances with my back in Ireland’s easier qualifiers. With the great understanding of Mick and my club manager Peter Reid I’ve saved myself for the bigger ones and they come no bigger than Holland, even if I’m only on the subs bench and just get half an hour if things are going against us."

It will be a surprise, though, if 35-year-old Quinn and Keane, 21, are not called upon to start in tandem tomorrow - even though neither has scored for Ireland in a year.

Even so, Quinn has 20 goals from 84 internationals and needs just one more to pass Frank Stapleton’s all-time Irish record.

He said: "If I had a sort of mercenary attitude to the record I would have tried to play in some of what I call the easier games.

"It would still be a nice way to finish as well as getting the right result against the Dutch, but I’m there to do a job for Mick because I owe him my thanks for talking me out of international retirement two years ago and I’ll fully support the plan he decides upon."