Connolly was contacted and asked to join the squad but declined - after being dropped initially.
No fewer than eleven players have withdrawn opening the way for Crowe and Shelbourne's Wes Houlihan.
The Shelbourne speedster has been added to the squad along with Richie Partridge and Barry Quinn, only the second eircom League player to make it to a full Irish squad since the day Mick McCarthy became boss.
Out of the equation go Steve Carr, Ian Harte, Robbie Keane, Damien Duff, Graham Barrett, Kevin Kilbane, Clinton Morrison, Andy O'Brien, Mark Kennedy, Gary Kelly and Mark Kinsella.
All of them have offered a range of excuses for their no-show and given the time of the year and the fact that many of them still feel sore about McCarthy's exit, it is nor surpirse though very disappointing for Givens.
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