Adam Thompson and Shay McCartan get Northern Ireland call-ups

29 May 2017 12:55

Northern Ireland have called up Southend's Adam Thompson and Accrington's Shay McCartan for the coming international fixtures against New Zealand and Azerbaijan.

Thompson's last appearance came in 2011 before Michael O'Neill's appointment as manager, while McCartan could make his debut amid the striker shortage brought by the absence of Conor Washington and Jamie Ward.

Washington is unavailable because he is getting married, while Ward is injured, but West Brom's Gareth McAuley has been included despite concerns over a knee injury that meant he missed the Baggies' final two games of the season. Burton defender Tom Flanagan is another potential debutant.

O'Neill's team host New Zealand on Friday, and they will then spend four days in Turkey before visiting Azerbaijan in a World Cup Group C qualifier on June 10.

Full squad: Roy Carroll (Linfield), Michael McGovern (Norwich), Alan Mannus (St. Johnstone), Aaron Hughes (Hearts), Gareth McAuley (West Brom), Jonny Evans (West Brom), Chris Brunt (West Brom), Craig Cathcart (Watford), Conor McLaughlin (Fleetwood), Lee Hodson (Rangers), Daniel Lafferty (Sheffield United), Adam Thompson (Southend), Ryan McLaughlin (Oldham), Tom Flanagan (Burton), Steven Davis (Southampton), Niall McGinn (Aberdeen), Oliver Norwood (Brighton), Shane Ferguson (Millwall), Stuart Dallas (Leeds), Paul Paton (St. Johnstone), Matthew Lund (Burton), Kyle Lafferty (Unattached), Josh Magennis (Charlton), Liam Boyce (Ross County), Shay McCartan (Accrington Stanley).

Source: PA