Euro U21 qualifiers: Burns and Brown back in Northern Ireland squad
- Published
Bobby Burns and Ciaron Brown have returned to the Northern Ireland panel for the Euro U21 qualifiers against Finland and Ukraine.
Barrow full-back Burns, now on loan at Glentoran, and Livingston defender Brown are back after being part of the senior set-up.
Midfielders JJ McKiernan and Amrit Bansal-McNulty are handed first U21 call-ups along with forward Ben Wilson.
NI host Finland on Friday and Ukraine four days later, both in Ballymena.
Northern Ireland lie fifth in Group H with six points from their seven qualifiers.
Caretaker manager Andy Crosby has named a 23-strong panel which includes Linfield striker Shayne Lavery.
Lavery was not named in the original panel for last month's U21 Euro qualifiers but played in the defeat by Denmark after initially being included in the senior squad for Nations League matches against Romania and Norway.
Stepping up is Ali McCann (St Johnstone), who has been given a call-up to the senior squad for their triple header during the international break, while Chris Gallagher (Glentoran), Kyle McClean (Linfield), Christopher Conn (Burnley) and Harry Robinson (Motherwell) are not included this time around.
Striker Lee Bonis (Portadown) and defenders Aaron Donnelly (Cliftonville) and Ross Larkin (Linfield), who were new to the U21s set-up in September, have retained their places in the group.
Goalkeepers: Conor Hazard (Celtic), Nathan Gartside (Derry City)
Defenders: Eoin Toal (Derry City), Caolan Marron (Glentoran), Ciaron Brown (Livingston), Kofi Balmer (Ballymena United), Jack Scott (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Daniel Amos (Doncaster Rovers), Ross Larkin (Linfield), Aaron Donnelly (Cliftonville), Nathan Kerr (Portadown)
Midfielders: Alfie McCalmont (Leeds United - on loan at Oldham Athletic), Caolan Boyd-Munce (Birmingham City), JJ McKiernan (Watford), Jake Dunwoody (Derry City), Ethan Galbraith (Manchester United), Amrit Bansal-McNulty (QPR - on loan at Como in Italy), Bobby Burns (Barrow - on loan at Glentoran)
Forwards: Shayne Lavery (Linfield), David Parkhouse (Sheffield United - on loan at Hartlepool United), Paul O'Neill (Glentoran), Lee Bonis (Portadown), Ben Wilson (Brighton & Hove Albion)