Northern Ireland’s Under-18s are set to play two friendlies against Austria’s U18s in Dungannon next week.
Stangmore Park is due to host both matches. Game one at the home of Dungannon Swifts is on Tuesday (15 November) at 6pm, while the second game in Tyrone is scheduled for next Thursday (17 November), again with a 6pm start.
Northern Ireland U19s/U17s boss Gerard Lyttle says the matches will provide an opportunity for his U18 players to test themselves against strong opposition.
The U18s were last in action back in July when they played Manchester United’s U18s twice as part of the SuperCupNI tournament.
Lyttle’s 22-strong squad bridges the gap between Northern Ireland’s U19 and U17 teams – and the bulk of the players have previously represented Northern Ireland at either U17 or U18 level.
His panel includes two newcomers to the Northern Ireland set-up. They are Partick Thistle midfielder Gallagher Lennon and Cliftonville winger Sean Moore.
Northern Ireland U18s squad for games against Austria:
Goalkeepers – Pierce Charles (Sheffield Wednesday), Kai McClean (Celtic).
Defenders – Conor Barr, Daithi McCallion, Darragh McCloskey (all Derry City), Odhrán McCart and Sean Brown (both Larne), Reece Jordan (Portadown).
Midfielders – Ryan Donnelly and Corey Smith (both Dungannon Swifts), Jack Patterson (Everton), Lewis Trickett (Accrington Stanley), Caolan Donnelly (Larne), Eoin Kenny (Dundalk), Rio Morgan (Ipswich Town), Gallagher Lennon (Partick Thistle), Sean Moore (Cliftonville).
Forwards – Leon Boyd (Linfield), Reece Evans (Leicester City), Luca Doherty (Coleraine), Sam Glenfield (Fleetwood Town), Omari Kellyman (Aston Villa).
