The Northern Ireland Under-16 squad produced some excellent displays during a triple header in England.
The team, led by Irish FA JD Academy Pathway Coach Michael McClean, notched up 17 goals and only conceded four as they took on three English academy sides as part of a summer training camp.
They enjoyed victories over U16 teams from the Manchester City Academy, Blackburn Rovers Academy and the Burnley Academy.
McClean said afterwards: “Overall the training camp was a very successful one. It was an opportunity for the group to get together again before upcoming international games against Finland and Estonia as well as the Victory Shield in November.
“The squad got valuable time on the training pitch as well as playing the games against the three category one English academy teams.
“The matches highlighted that the Irish FA’s player pathway is working and we have a lot of good young players coming through the association’s National Performance Programme.
“Six players in the squad were part of the Irish FA JD Academy last year, with a further four players from the squad coming in to the JD Academy as first years next month.”
The Northern Ireland U16s squad featured:
Goalkeepers - Odhran Patton (Derry City), Zak Robinson (Linfield).
Defenders - Noah McConnell and Callum Anderson (both Linfield), Darragh McCann and Jayden Charnley (both Glentoran), Leon Barr (Crusaders), Aron KC (Derry City).
Midfielders - Callum Downey and Glenn McCourt (both Derry City), Jack Faloona (Glentoran), Christian Coyle (Bohemians), Troy Savage (Castle Juniors), Matthew Burns (Coleraine).
Forwards - Scott Hamilton, Kalum Thompson and Céadach O’Neill (all Linfield), Oli Devlin (Derry City), George Feeney (Glentoran).
