After being sidelined for nearly a year with an achilles injury, Northern Ireland goalkeeper Jackie Burns returned to first team action with Reading over the Easter weekend in their 4-1 defeat at home to Blackburn Rovers… a timely return after her Northern Ireland recall.
Burns, who won the last of her 45 caps in the 1-0 friendly win over Italy in November 2022, admitted she was delighted to return to the international fold for the upcoming qualifying games against Malta, at Windsor Park on Friday, April 5 and away to Bosnia and Herzegovina the following Tuesday.
“It’s great to be back in with the team after so long,” she told irishfa.com. “Thanks to coach Tanya Oxtoby for giving me the opportunity.
“I’ve heard so much from the girls and I’m really excited to get involved in it all and especially to see all the fans again.”
Elsewhere, NI midfielder Megan Bell chalked up an assist for Hearts after coming on as a substitute in the 3-0 SWPL victory at Patrick Thistle, while the newest member of Oxtoby’s panel, Connie Scofield, played the final 12 minutes of London City Lionesses’ 2-1 defeat at Sheffield United.
