Northern Ireland U-17s will prepare for Qualifying Round 2 in their UEFA Women’s Championship by playing two friendlies against Everton teams.
The games against Everton for the U-17s, who are due to compete in Euro qualifiers in March, will be the competitive element of a training camp in England from 6 to 11 February.
Northern Ireland WU17s boss Alfie Wylie has chosen a 24-strong squad for the camp and the friendlies on 9 and 11 February against Everton teams that will be a mix of their WU17s and WU19s.
There are six new faces in the panel from the squad that took part in stage one of the WU17 Euro 2022 qualifiers in Serbia back in the autumn.
Among the newcomers are two players from West Bromwich Albion, goalkeeper Kaicee Griffin and forward Olivia Stubbs, and Birmingham City defender Mikayla Wildgoose.
Also in the squad for the first time are Antrim Rovers forward Kascie Weir, Carnmoney defender Tara Gilmore and her club team-mate Grace Montgomery, a midfielder. Montgomery was named in the squad for last year’s trip to Serbia but was unable to travel due to illness.
As part of a new Nations League-style qualifying format, the Northern Ireland are in League B of their current Euro competition where they will be aiming to gain promotion to League A in Qualifying Round 1 of the 2022-23 edition.
The Irish will be taking on Luxembourg, Faroe Islands and hosts Israel in March. The three League B Group 1 matches are scheduled for 8-17 March (venues TBC).
Wylie revealed his 20 players for the trip to Israel will be chosen from the 24 taking part in the training camp in England.
Wylie told irishfa.com: “We have some really exciting young players in our ranks and I believe quite a few of them could be senior internationals of the future, which is testament to our performance pathway. I am looking forward to seeing how they do against top quality opposition.”
The squad for the upcoming training camp is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Kaicee Griffin (West Bromwich Albion), Erin McAllister (Linfield).
Defenders: Abi Sweetlove, Sarah Tweedie (both Linfield), Niamh Coyle, Claragh Quigg (both Sion Swifts), Tara Gilmore (Carnmoney), Cerys Madden (Cliftonville), Rebecca Magee (Glentoran), Mikayla Wildgoose (Birmingham City).
Midfielders: Naomi McLaughlin, Aoibhe O’Neill (both Sion Swifts), Lucy Johnston, Rhyleigh Marks (both Linfield), Aimee Kerr, Grace Montgomery (both Carnmoney).
Forwards: Sophie Gargan, Keri Halliday, Emily Reid (all Linfield), Rachael McIntyre (Glentoran), Tara Reilly (Cliftonville), Chelsea Scott (Sion Swifts), Olivia Stubbs (West Bromwich Albion), Kascie Weir (Antrim Rovers).
