NORTHERN Ireland Women’s Under-17 manager Gail Redmond (above) has named her squad for upcoming Euro qualifiers.
The WU17s will be competing in League A in the first stage of WU17 Euro 2025 qualifiers from October 1-7.
They are due to face Poland, Scotland and Iceland in League A Group 4, with Scotland hosting the A4 mini tournament.
Redmond has chosen a 20-strong squad for the three matches in Scotland, which will be played at Broadwood Stadium in Cumbernauld and at Falkirk Stadium in Falkirk.
First up for her side is the qualifier against Poland on Tuesday, October 1 (3.30pm).
Game two is against hosts Scotland on Friday 4 (11.30am), while the final game will see the WU17s take on Iceland at Falkirk Stadium on Monday 7 (3.00pm).
The WU17s earned promotion to League A after winning a three-team mini tournament (Group B5) back in February. In the qualifying second round for WU17 Euro 2024 they defeated Malta 5-1 and Luxembourg 4-1.
League A in part one of the 2024-25 competition consists of 28 teams. The teams finishing fourth in seven groups will be relegated to League B for 2024-25 Round 2.
League A R2, drawn on December 6 this year and to be completed by 23 March next year, will decide the seven teams joining hosts Faroe Islands in the WU17 finals from 4 to May 4-17, 2025.
The bulk of the players in Redmond’s WU17s panel were part of the Northern Ireland WU16 team which competed at SuperCupNI back in July. They reached the final of the Girls’ U16 (Premier) Cup where they were narrowly defeated by Manchester United.
Northern Ireland geared up for next month’s Euro qualifiers with two friendlies against Greece’s WU17s earlier this month. They registered a 2-1 win and a 2-2 draw against the Greeks in Ballyclare.
The squad for the A4 matches is as follows:
Goalkeepers – Zara Maguire, Abbie Smith.
Defenders – Lillie Horner, Chloe Beckinsale, Caitlin Carlisle, Niamh Hassan, Sophie Hutchinson, Tara Kerr, Caitie McGurnaghan.
Midfielders – Charlotte Havern, Ruby Adair, Mirjana Karrabecaj, Olivia Campbell, Sophie Pollock.
Forwards – Lucy Kelly, Jessica McGuinness, Mia Reilly, Ava Hurl, Ellen McDermott, Anna Walsh.
