NORTHERN Ireland Women’s Under-19s boss Gail Redmond has named her squad for three upcoming Euro qualifiers.
Redmond will have 20 players at her disposal for stage one of the qualifiers for the 2024-25 edition of the UEFA Women’s U19 European Championship.
Northern Ireland have been drawn in League A Group 6 where they will face holders Spain, Belgium and Iceland.
The first of those games, which are being staged in Spain, will see them come up against the Spanish at the Pinatar Arena in Murcia on Wednesday, November 27 at 11.00am UK time.
Spain won the WU19 Euros for the third year in a row when they defeated the Netherlands 2-1 after extra time in the final at the end of July. Lithuania hosted the final tournament.
Matchday two in A6 will see Northern Ireland face Belgium at the Pinatar Arena on Saturday, November 30 (5.00pm kick-off UK time), while their final group game, against Iceland, is due to be played at the Pinatar Arena Football Centre on Tuesday, December 3 (11.00am kick-off UK time).
Northern Ireland’s WU19s were promoted to League A after winning League B Group 5 in stage two of the qualifiers for Women’s U19 Euro 2024. In those group matches, played in April, they defeated Estonia (2-0) and Georgia (5-0) and drew 0-0 with Kazakhstan.
They prepared for the upcoming qualifiers with friendlies against Hungary and Switzerland in recent months. They drew 1-1 with the Hungarians in July, while in two games against the Swiss last month they registered a draw and a defeat.
The Northern Ireland WU19s boss has been moulding a new squad for these qualifiers. Several of the squad members previously played for their country – and Redmond – at U17 level.
The WU19s panel for the three games in Spain is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Kate Smith (Lisburn Rangers Ladies), Cerys Sharkey (Larne Women).
Defenders: Abi Sweetlove, Ellen Hampton and Anastasija Stanyte (all Linfield Women), Sofie Keenan (Glentoran Women), Faye Loughran (Lisburn Rangers Ladies), Niamh O’Donnell (Mid Ulster Ladies), Orleigha McGuinness (Cliftonville Ladies).
Midfielders: Aimee Kerr and Clodagh Maguire (both Glentoran Women), Darcie McNeill (Crusaders Strikers), Sophie Kelly-Bradley (Lisburn Rangers Ladies), Niamh Boothroyd (Sunderland Women).
Forwards: Kascie Weir and Rachel McIntyre (both Glentoran Women), Rhianna Breen and Sophie Gargan (both Linfield Women), Gracie Conway (Lisburn Rangers Ladies), Bernie Ferreira (Crusaders Strikers).
