Irish League star handed maiden Northern Ireland U21 call-up for Euro 2025 qualifiers against England and Ukraine - one of six Premiership players included
Cliftonville star Shea Kearney has received his maiden Northern Ireland U21 call-up for Euro 2025 qualifiers against England and Ukraine in Ballymena next month.
The 20-year-old is one of the Irish League’s brightest talents and played a key role in helping the Reds end their 45-year wait for Irish Cup glory as they defeated Linfield at Windsor Park last season.
After breaking into Jim Magilton’s side in October, Kearney went on to make 29 Premiership appearances, scoring three goals from wing-back, and started in their opening two league games of the current campaign, but was replaced at half-time of Saturday’s 2-1 triumph over Glenavon at Mourneview Park due to injury.
Kearney is joined in Tommy Wright’s 23-man panel by Cliftonville teammate Sean Stewart while Glentoran’s Johnny Russell, Linfield duo Ethan McGee and Charlie Allen have also been included alongside Larne’s Matty Lusty, who has been rewarded for a fine start to the season with the Inver Reds.
From the previous U21 squad, Linfield midfielder Josh Archer, new Larne striker Benji Magee and Glentoran midfielder Charlie Lindsay have missed out on selection while Odhran Casey is injured.
With the England clash taking place at the Ballymena Showgrounds on September 6 before Wright’s youngsters face Ukraine at the same venue on September 10 (both 7:45pm kick-off), it could mean Cliftonville’s Premiership showdown with Coleraine on September 7 and Linfield’s home encounter against Crusaders on the same afternoon are both potentially impacted.
Full NI U21 squad:
Goalkeepers – Stephen McMullan (Caernarfon Town, on loan from Fleetwood Town), Pierce Charles(Sheffield Wednesday), Josh Clarke (Celtic).
Defenders – Sean Stewart and Shea Kearney (both Cliftonville), Carl Johnston (Fleetwood Town), Tommy Fogarty (Birmingham City), Michael Forbes (Bristol Rovers, on loan from West Ham United), Aaron Donnelly (Nottingham Forest), Jonny Russell (Glentoran), Tom Atcheson (Marine, on loan from Blackburn Rovers), Ethan McGee (Linfield).
Midfielders – Patrick Kelly (Doncaster Rovers, on loan from West Ham United), Barry Baggley (Waterford, on loan from Fleetwood Town), Terry Devlin (Portsmouth), Justin Devenny (Crystal Palace), Darren Robinson (Hartlepool United, on loan from Derby County), JJ McKiernan (Lincoln City), Charlie Allen (Linfield), Euan Williams (Gillingham).
Forwards – Dale Taylor (Nottingham Forest), Matty Lusty (Larne), Makenzie Kirk (St Johnstone).