Manchester United goalkeeper Dermot Mee and Portsmouth forward Eoin Kenny have received their first senior call-ups to the Northern Ireland squad for the final Nations League matches against Ukraine and Hungary in November.
New Faces in the Squad
Mee, 23, is a former Northern Ireland underage international who currently serves as third-choice goalkeeper at Manchester United and is involved in their Champions League squad. Manager Michael O'Neill revealed he had a positive conversation with Jonny Evans about Mee's development. Kenny, 20, is the son of former Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny and joined Portsmouth from Dundalk in July. He has made one Championship appearance but impressed for the Northern Ireland Under-21s under Tommy Wright, prompting O'Neill to describe the call-up as a reward for a strong campaign.
Injury Absences and Squad Changes
Striker Dion Charles and goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell have been omitted from the squad. Defender Dan Ballard misses out with a hamstring injury sustained in September, while Eoin Toal, Ali McCann and Jamie McDonnell are also sidelined. Liverpool's Conor Bradley remains a long-term absentee.
Promotion Within Reach
Northern Ireland sit unbeaten at the top of League B2 and can secure promotion to the top tier for the first time. They face Ukraine at Windsor Park on Saturday, 14 November (19:45 GMT) before travelling to Hungary on 17 November. Both matches will be broadcast live on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds.
The squad's average age is just 23.5, with 17 of the 25 players aged 23 or under. O'Neill acknowledged the absence of experienced players but emphasised the importance of building depth. Northern Ireland are the only side in this year's Nations League yet to concede a goal, having recorded a 3-0 win over Ukraine and three goalless draws. Topping the group would also all but guarantee a play-off place for Euro 2028.
