Republic receive seeding boost

Portugal, Croatia and Czech Republic make up top seeds

By Pete O'Rourke - Follow me: @skysportspeteo.   Last Updated: October 12, 2011 1:58pm

Image text here

Giovanni Trapattoni: Republic of Ireland seeded for play-off draw on Thursday

Sky Bet

Republic of Ireland have been seeded for the draw for the Euro 2012 play-offs on Thursday.

Giovanni Trapattoni's men booked their place in the play-offs with a 2-1 win over Armenia on Tuesday and they have been handed a boost with the news that they will be one of the seeded sides in the draw.

Portugal, Croatia and Czech Republic are the other sides who will be seeded in the draw, with Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Turkey and Estonia the unseeded teams.

It means the Irish will face one of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Turkey or Estonia for the right to reach the finals in Poland and Ukraine next summer.

Hosts Poland and Ukraine, England, Spain, Germany, Russia, Italy, France, Holland, Greece, Denmark and best runners-up Sweden have already qualified for the finals.