EXCITING midfield discovery Thomas Butler has been withdrawn from the Republic of Ireland Under-21 squad, so he can play in the crucial end-of-the-season game against Derby County at the Stadium of Light a week on Saturday.

The Wearsiders are currently three points ahead of third-bottom Ipswich Town, who play their last game at Liverpool, and need a draw to be certain of Premiership survival, regardless of the result at Anfield.

And Peter Reid, delighted with the performance of Butler, has decided to keep the 21-year-old under his wing instead of risking him in the prestigious Toulon Under-20 Championship, which starts on May 6 and lasts ten days.

Butler had been selected for the international tournament, where Ireland have been grouped with Germany, Italy and South Africa.

Irish coach Don Given regards the French tournament as ideal preparation for the European Under-21 Championships, which start in September, and has selected Butler and his Sunderland teammate, Clifford Byrne, in a 21-man squad.

Butler, who marked his full Sunderland debut by laying on the equaliser in the 2-2 draw at Charlton on Saturday, earned promotion to the Sunderland first team after some impressive displays in his 19 FA Premier Reserve League games.

With Argentinian Julio Arca still having problems with a groin injury which has kept him out of action for nearly three months, Reid could stick with Butler for the full-house visit of already relegated Derby County.

Reid said: "Thomas Butler has great feet and he showed at Charlton in the build up to our first goal that he can pick a pass - it was a lovely pass he slotted through for Kevin Kilbane.

"The lad has done all right and he has a good chance."

Kilbane was certainly grateful for the inch-perfect pass which gave him his second goal of the season and first since the 3-0 victory at Blackburn Rovers on Boxing Day.

He said: "It was a fantastic pass from Thomas for my goal, it was simply inch-perfect. He is a great young player. He has got great ability, bags of skill and talent.

"I'm sure he is one to watch in the coming years - and not just for Sunderland but for Ireland as well because he has definitely got a lot of ability and a lot of talent."

Butler is a naturally right-footed player whose early career was as a central midfielder, and while he has been played as an orthodox right winger in the Ireland Under-21s Reid has used him on the left during his recent first team calls.

Butler said: "I'm right-footed and I've played on the right most of the time for Ireland.

"At Sunderland I've played on the left wing and it doesn't really matter where I'd prefer to play because the manager picks the team - and I'd much rather be out on the pitch getting games on the wing than watching from the stands as a central midfielder who's not getting picked!"

He added: "I was delighted to be included in the Ireland squad for Toulon but if the manatger wants me here that's great."

Born in Ballymun, Butler was signed as a trainee and worked his way through the junior ranks before making his senior debut when he came on as substitute during the first leg of a second round Worthington Cup tie against Walsall at the Stadium of Light two seasons ago.

This season he made five appearances as subsitute, and a spirited display in the 3-0 defeat at West Ham won him his first Premiership start at The Valley.

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