Northern Ireland Under-17s boss Kris Lindsay has named his squad for three upcoming friendlies in Spain.
The international challenge matches later this month will act as preparation games for the first phase of qualifying for UEFA U17 Euro 2027.
The friendlies against Sweden, Switzerland and Wales are being staged at the Oliva Nova sports complex, which is located on the Mediterranean coast 50 miles south of Valencia.
First up for Lindsay’s side is a game against Sweden next Wednesday (23 September) at 4pm.
Game two will see them take on Switzerland next Friday (25 September) at 4pm, while their final game in Oliva Nova is against Wales on Monday 28 September (11:30 am kick-off).
Lindsay has chosen a 22-strong panel to make the trip to Spain. The bulk of the players have come through the Irish FA JD Academy (residential and non-residential).
The U17s will face Germany, Lithuania and Azerbaijan in phase one of U17 Euro 2017 qualifying in November.
Lindsay’s team are set to come up against Lithuania on 11 November followed by Azerbaijan on 14 November. They will then take on the Germans on 17 November. All of Northern Ireland’s group matches are due to be staged at the German FA (DFB) campus in Frankfurt am Main.
The Round 1 Group 2 mini tournament in Germany is one of 14 mini tournaments across Europe that will determine the 14 group winners and 14 runners-up that will qualify for Round 2 League A next spring. The remaining 26 teams will participate in Round 2 League B. R2 League A mini tournaments will decide the seven teams that join hosts Latvia in the final tournament next summer.
The Northern Ireland U17s squad for the friendlies in Spain this month is as follows:
Goalkeepers – Phoenix Blayney (Larne), Matthew Belshaw (Cliftonville).
Defenders – Bailey Magee and Oisin Ward (both Glenavon), Oisin O’Brien (Derry City), Alfie Pollock (Sunderland), Alfie Mulvenna (Crystal Palace), Daniel McCarron (Arsenal), Rory Prenter (Linfield), Will Hasselhurst (Middlesbrough), JB Camlin (Glentoran).
Midfielders – Conor Wilson (Coleraine), Liam Kelly (Derry City), Adam Nelson (Sunderland), Cillian Murray (Cliftonville), Lukas Doherty (Finn Harps).
Forwards – Jay Forsythe (Glentoran), Finn Reilly (St Patrick’s Athletic), Rocco Devlin (Dungannon Swifts), Padai O’Kane (Cliftonville), Odhran McHugh (Coleraine), Michael Mulholland (Crusaders).
