Four East Antrim schoolboys named in NI U-16 squad

The Northern Ireland U16 squad. INLT 38-908-CON

Four East Antrim schoolboys have been named in the Northern Ireland Under-16 squad which travels to Finland this week.

Midfielders Kyle McClean (Belfast High School), Conor McKendry, (St Killian’s College), forwards Matthew Henry (Larne Grammar) and Ryan Caulfield (Ballyclare Secondary) are part of Desi Curry’s 21-man squad.

His team will play Finland at Mikkeli today (Wednesday, September 18) and they will go head-to-head two days later at Mäntyharju.

Fifteen players were capped last season at Under-15 level in games against Austria and Belgium, but Curry stresses the importance of this week’s matches.

“The players saw in those games the standard required at international level and the 1-0 win in Belgium was the first success by a Northern Ireland Under-15 team in that country. The squad has been working very hard during the summer and these games will enable me to have a good look at everyone before we embark on our Victory Shield campaign,” he said.

After the Finland trip, Northern Ireland will host Poland at Knockbreda on Tuesday, October 8 and at Newry on Thursday, October 10.