McConville aims for long NI career after debut

McConville has been at Brighton since moving from Linfield in 2021

Ruairi McConville says his target is to keep his place in the Northern Ireland squad after making his senior debut on Friday.

The 19-year-old came on in the 86th minute in NI's 2-0 win over Belarus in the Nations League in Belfast.

Second-half goals from Dan Ballard and Dion Charles were the difference as Michael O'Neill's side aim to secure promotion to League B.

"I'm sure the smile will stay on my face for a long time," McConville told BBC Sport NI.

"To get on that pitch and hear the fans, it was amazing, and it's hopefully one that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

"I just hope that I can push on now with my next aim being the camp in March and to that try and get into [the squad]."

The highly-rated Brighton youngster is currently captain of the Northern Ireland Under-19 side, but missed this summer's home European Championships through injury.

His call-up to the senior squad came after hamstring injuries prevented Paddy McNair and Eoin Toal from inclusion, and with fellow defender Ciaron Brown suspended for Monday's final group game with Luxembourg, McConville could be in line for a first senior start.

"I've always I've always been ready," McConville said.

"I've always been working to try and get this opportunity, and I'm grateful that it that it's come.

"I've put my head down and hope there's many more opportunities."

The victory over Belarus was the first time Northern Ireland had named a starting XI which did not feature a single player from their last appearance at a major tournament in 2016.

O'Neill's has a new nucleus of young players with only two members of the current squad over the age of 30.

"That's what gives us the excitement that we may get into this team one day," McConville said when asked about the younger players getting a chance in the senior set-up.

"Now that I've got a sniff, I'm gonna want to try and stay around the group.

"There's a good excitement and we're all working hard. We all know what we're we're trying to do and we're trying to top this group first of all, and we we showed tonight that we're we're capable of doing it."