Northern Ireland: Demi Vance and Rachel Furness return for home qualifiers
- Published
Left back Vance underwent season-ending ACL injury after sustaining the injury on international duty against Belarus
Demi Vance and Rachel Furness have been named in Kenny Shiels' squad for September's World Cup qualifiers with Luxembourg and Latvia.
Vance sustained a knee injury against Belarus in November and Furness broke her ankle in April's history-making Euro 2022 play-off win over Ukraine.
Everton striker Simone Magill misses out through injury.
NI play Luxembourg at Inver Park on 17 September and host Latvia at Windsor Park four days later.
Defender Ashley Hutton remains on the sidelines after injuring her knee while playing for Linfield in May, with Cliftonville's Toni-Leigh Finnegan also ruled out.
Caragh Hamilton is back in the squad from a knee injury with young forwards Caitlin McGuinness, Emily Wilson, Danielle Maxwell and Kerry Beattie all selected.
Beattie made an impressive debut in Northern Ireland's summer friendly defeat by Scotland and is Glentoran's top scorer in the Women's Premiership as they chase back-to-back titles.
Experienced players have earned Windsor opportunity
Fresh from their historic Euro 2022 qualification, Northern Ireland commence their World Cup qualifying campaign on the crest of a wave, buoyed by the news that they will play at Windsor Park for the first time since 2012.
"It will be a great feeling for them after years if playing here, there and everywhere," said Shiels.
"Especially the girls that have been in the women's game for a long time. Ashley Hutton, Julie Nelson and the like."
"Now they're playing at the national stadium and the feel good (factor) that surrounds that will have a big impact on everybody."
Northern Ireland's qualifying campaign will also see them take on England at Wembley, with next summer's Euros drawing ever nearer.
However despite recent successes Shiels is determined that his side must continue their upward trajectory in the games to come.
"The girls and the staff have taken a lot of praise and the whole nation has got behind us," he said.
"It's really difficult to sustain the tempo of how we play, and we have to start from scratch now.
"It's essential to get ourselves up and at it. It's not something we can do with one session, we've got to get them conditioned to play at international intensity."
Northern Ireland squad
Goalkeepers: Jackie Burns (Glentoran), Rebecca Flaherty (Blackburn Rovers), Maddy Harvey-Clifford (Crusader Strikers).
Defenders: Julie Nelson (Crusaders Strikers), Laura Rafferty (Southampton), Demi Vance (Rangers), Rebecca Holloway (Birmingham City), Rebecca McKenna (Lewes), Kelsie Burrows (Cliftonville).
Midfielders: Marissa Callaghan (Cliftonville), Rachel Furness (Liverpool), Chloe McCarron (Glentoran), Sarah McFadden (Durham), Nadene Caldwell (Glentoran), Caragh Hamilton (Glentoran), Ciara Watling (Southampton), Louise McDaniel (Cliftonville).
Forwards: Lauren Wade (Glentoran), Kirsty McGuinness (Cliftonville), Kerry Beattie (Glentoran), Emily Wilson (Crusaders Strikers), Danielle Maxwell (Glentoran), Caitlin McGuinness (Cliftonville).