Nations League: O'Neill adds new face to squad

Michael O'Neill has added teenager Ruairi McConville to his Northern Ireland squad - for the forthcoming Nations League games with Belarus and Luxembourg.

It is the first senior call-up for the 19-year-old Brighton centre back, who has previously played for the U21s, captained the U19s and also played at U16 and U17 level.

McConville, who is in Brighton’s U21 team, has been brought in to bolster the Northern Ireland manager’s defensive options as both West Bromwich Albion defender Paddy McNair and Bolton Wanderers defender Eoin Toal have been ruled out of this month’s games due to injury.

The senior men’s team are due to play Belarus at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park in Belfast on Friday 15 November (7.45pm kick-off).

And then they will be facing Luxembourg at Stade de Luxembourg in Luxembourg City on Monday 18 November (7.45pm kick-off UK time).

McConville is the only addition to the squad originally named for last month’s games against Belarus (away) and Bulgaria (home), while McNair and Toal are the only players from the original 25-strong October panel to miss out this time.

Birmingham City goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell and Sunderland defender Daniel Ballard are back in the squad after having to withdraw from the panel ahead of the October games due to injury.

Mansfield Town goalkeeper Christy Pym, a late call-up last month, has switched to the standby list.

However, two other late call-ups in October, Motherwell defender Kofi Balmer and ADO Den Haag striker Lee Bonis, have kept their places in the squad.

Northern Ireland are currently sitting top ofUNL League C Group 3 following their 0-0 draw with Belarus and 5-0 win over Bulgaria last month.

O’Neill’s side have seven points from four games, while unbeaten Belarus are second on six points (one win, three draws) with the Bulgarians in third on five and Luxembourg propping up the C3 table with two.

All tickets have been sold for next week’s game against Belarus in Belfast.

The 26-strong Northern Ireland squad for the upcoming UNL fixtures is as follows:

Goalkeepers – Bailey Peacock-Farrell (Birmingham City), Pierce Charles (Sheffield Wednesday), Luke Southwood (Bolton Wanderers).

Defenders – Jamal Lewis (Sao Paulo, on loan from Newcastle United), Daniel Ballard (Sunderland), Ciaron Brown (Oxford United), Conor Bradley (Liverpool), Trai Hume (Sunderland), Brodie Spencer (Huddersfield Town), Kofi Balmer (Motherwell), Ruairi McConville (Brighton and Hove Albion).

Midfielders – George Saville (Millwall), Jordan Thompson (Stoke City), Alistair McCann (Preston North End), Shea Charles (Sheffield Wednesday, on loan from Southampton), Isaac Price (Standard Liege), Paul Smyth (Queens Park Rangers), Ross McCausland (Rangers), Ethan Galbraith (Leyton Orient), Brad Lyons (Kilmarnock), Caolan Boyd-Munce (St Mirren).

Forwards - Josh Magennis (Exeter City), Dion Charles (Bolton Wanderers), Callum Marshall (Huddersfield Town, on loan from West Ham United), Jamie Reid (Stevenage), Lee Bonis (ADO Den Haag).