Northern Ireland: Hume and Lane called up to NI squad for Luxembourg and Hungary friendlies

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Paddy LaneImage source, Pacemaker
Image caption,

Fleetwood Town's Paddy Lane is one of two U21 players called up to the senior squad by manager Ian Baraclough

Trai Hume and Paddy Lane have received their first call-ups to the senior Northern Ireland squad for the forthcoming friendly matches against Luxembourg and Hungary.

Fleetwood Town winger Lane steps up from the NI Under-21s after impressing in League One this season.

His U21 team-mate Hume joined Sunderland from Linfield in January.

Shayne Lavery, Dion Charles and Daniel Ballard are among those who return and captain Steven Davis is included.

It had been uncertain whether the 37-year-old Rangers midfielder Davis, who has won a record 132 caps, would continue following the end of the side's World Cup qualifying campaign.

He has been ruled out with an injury in recent weeks and has not been a regular starter for Rangers since the departure of former manager Steven Gerrard in November.

Leicester City defender Jonny Evans is still recovering from a hamstring injury which required surgery after he suffered the problem while playing for his club in December.

Also absent from the 25-man squad named by manager Ian Baraclough are St Mirren winger Jordan Jones, Doncaster Rovers wing back Ethan Galbraith, Nottingham Forest striker Dale Taylor, Charlton forward Conor Washington and Newcastle United defender Jamal Lewis.

Washington is carrying a knock and isn't risked while Lewis, who was left out of Newcastle United's Premier League squad in January, has is set to have further surgery on a groin injury.

All five were selected in the group for the final World Cup qualifiers in November - a 1-0 win over Lithuania and a memorable 0-0 draw with Italy, both at Windsor Park.

Image source, Press Eye
Image caption,

Steven Davis has accumulated a record 132 caps for Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland are away to Luxembourg on 25 March and host Hungary at Windsor Park on 29 January as they build up to a busy Nations League schedule in June, when they will play four matches in the space of 10 days.

Lane, 21, made his debut for the Under-21s last year and joined Fleetwood in the summer, having previously played for Blackburn Rovers at youth level and Northern Premier League side Hyde United, plus a loan spell at Farsley Celtic.

Hume turns 20 this week and has played for Northern Ireland at Under-17, U18 Schoolboys, U19 and U21 level.

The right back/midfielder signed a four-and-a-half year contract with Sunderland in January and is already a regular in the Black Cats' first team squad.

Blackpool frontman Lavery returns to the fold after missing both the October and November international windows through injury.

Charles also missed out last time but has been scoring regularly in EFL League One after making the switch from Accrington Stanley to Bolton Wanderers during the January transfer window.

Centre back Ballard, currently on loan at Millwall from Arsenal, is another returnee, having sat out the games against the Italians and the Lithuanians due to injury.

Midfielder Matthew Kennedy, who is playing regularly for Aberdeen again after a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a back injury, is included, while Motherwell midfielder Liam Donnelly is also back in the fold.

Northern Ireland squad: Goalkeepers - Bailey Peacock-Farrell (Sheffield Wednesday, on loan from Burnley), Conor Hazard (HJK Helsinki, on loan from Celtic), Luke Southwood (Reading).

Defenders - Craig Cathcart (Watford), Shane Ferguson (Rotherham United), Daniel Ballard (Millwall, on loan from Arsenal), Tom Flanagan (Shrewsbury Town), Ciaron Brown (Oxford United, on loan from Cardiff City), Conor Bradley (Liverpool), Patrick McNair (Middlesbrough), Trai Hume (Sunderland).

Midfielders - Steven Davis (Rangers), Niall McGinn (Dundee), Corry Evans (Sunderland), Stuart Dallas (Leeds United), George Saville (Millwall), Jordan Thompson (Stoke City), Alistair McCann (Preston North End), Patrick Lane (Fleetwood Town), Matthew Kennedy (Aberdeen), Liam Donnelly (Motherwell).

Forwards - Josh Magennis (Wigan Athletic), Gavin Whyte (Oxford United, on loan from Cardiff City), Dion Charles (Bolton Wanderers), Shayne Lavery (Blackpool).