Jordan Jones and Bailey Peacock-Farrell join Northern Ireland training camp

23 May 2017 11:24

Kilmarnock's Jordan Jones and Leeds' Bailey Peacock-Farrell have been invited to the Northern Ireland training camp which Conor Washington will miss due to his wedding.

Northern Ireland boss Michael O'Neill names his squad for the June 2 friendly with New Zealand and World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan on Monday, but there will be no place for QPR striker Washington, as the 25-year-old is getting married around the time of the qualifier in Baku on June 10.

O'Neill has arranged two meet-ups prior to the match with New Zealand in Belfast, the first of which is taking place in Manchester this week without most of his English and Scottish top-flight players.

Jones is a 22-year-old midfielder who has been capped by his country at youth level. The former Middlesbrough trainee once pulled out of the Northern Ireland Under-21 squad in the hope of representing England.

Goalkeeper Peacock-Farrell, 20, was born in the north-east of England like Jones and made his Leeds debut last year in a 1-1 draw against QPR.

There will be some regulars involved in the first training camp, including Michael McGovern, Conor McLaughlin, Jamie Ward and Kyle Lafferty.

Doncaster's Luke McCullough is back in the set-up for the first time since Euro 2016 after a cruciate ligament injury lay-off, while Rochdale's Callum Camps and Southend's Adam Thompson, who earned two caps in 2011 prior to O'Neill's appointment, will be among those hoping to impress.

Washington was on target in the win over Norway in March and his absence leaves O'Neill with an attacking headache, particularly as Lafferty has made just one start for club and country since November.

Liam Boyce has staked his claim for a starting berth in Baku after finishing the campaign as the Scottish Premiership's top scorer with 23 goals.

O'Neill watched both him and Jones at Kilmarnock on Saturday when Boyce's double earned Ross County a season-ending 2-1 victory.

Source: PA