Northern Ireland Women's Football Team

Image source, Irish FA

Teenage Lisburn Rangers goalkeeper Kate Smith has been called into the Northern Ireland squad for the forthcoming Women's Nations League matches against Poland and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

It is a first senior international call-up for Smith, 18, who replaces Crusaders stopper Maddy Harvey-Clifford, who has withdrawn through injury.

Northern Ireland will host unbeaten group leaders Poland at Seaview on Friday (19:00 BST), followed by a trip to Zenica to face third-placed Bosnia-Herzegovina four days later (18:00 BST).

"Kate is a young player we've been monitoring for some time. She equipped herself well when she joined the squad as a training player during our last camp and deserves her place for these two games," said Northern Ireland manager Tanya Oxtoby.

The Northern Ireland squad gathered at their training base in Leicester on Monday, where they will train before final preparations take place in Belfast for the League B Group 1 encounter.

Oxtoby added: "It's great to get the players together again. There is an optimistic mood about the place.

"We know we need to put the work in here over the next few days to prepare ourselves for the games against two quality teams in Poland and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"The players are all eager to play in front of the 'Green and White Army' and we know how important they can be in helping us deliver a positive performance."

Northern Ireland trail the Poles by three points in their group with two matches remaining.

Northern Ireland squad

Goalkeepers: Jackie Burns (Calgary Wild), Kate Smith (Lisburn Rangers), Abbie Smith (Manchester City Women).

Defenders: Rebecca Holloway, Rebecca McKenna and Ellie Mason (all Birmingham City Women), Laura Rafferty (Rangers Women), Rachel Dugdale (Blackburn Rovers Women), Abi Sweetlove (Linfield Women).

Midfielders: Louise McDaniel and Brenna McPartlan (both Burnley Women), Nadene Caldwell and Aimee Kerr (both Glentoran Women), Joely Andrews (Hearts Women), Megan Bell (Nottingham Forest Women), Connie Scofield (Sheffield United Women, on loan from London City Lionesses), Rachel Furness (Newcastle United Women).

Forwards: Emily Wilson and Kascie Weir (both Glentoran Women), Lauren Wade (Hearts Women), Simone Magill (Birmingham City Women), Keri Halliday (Linfield Women), Danielle Maxwell (Burnley Women), Caragh Hamilton (Nottingham Forest Women).

Image source, Presseye

Midfielder Connie Scofield has been ruled out of the Northern Ireland squad for the forthcoming Uefa Women's Nations League games against Poland and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

It was revealed on Wednesday that Scofield has picked up a hamstring injury, prompting her withdrawal from manager Tanya Oxtoby's group for the two matches.

The 25-year-old, who has just completed a loan spell at Sheffield United Women from London City Lionesses, will be replaced in the squad by Nottingham Forest Women defender Natalie Johnson.

Northern Ireland will play unbeaten Group B1 leaders Poland on Friday 30 May at Seaview, then face Bosnia-Herzegovina in their final game in Zenica on Tuesday 3 June.

Oxtoby's side sit second in the group going into the final two rounds of fixtures, three points behind leaders Poland.

Image source, Press Eye

Northern Ireland will play their final home Nations League game against Poland at Seaview on Friday, 30 May.

The game in north Belfast next month will kick off at 19:00 BST.

Tanya Oxtoby's side last played at Seaview, the home of Irish Premiership side Crusaders, in October 2023 when they drew 1-1 with Hungary in the Nations League.

Head coach Oxtoby will be without assistant Stuart McLaren after his departure was announced following Tuesday's 1-0 win against Romania at Windsor Park.

The Scottish coach joined the backroom staff at the start of 2024 but leaves to take up a new role with Fifa, working closely with the Ghanaian FA as a talent coach.

"It's an exciting role and a great opportunity but, naturally, I'm sad to leave Northern Ireland," McLaren said.

"During my time here I've seen real collaboration across all parts of the senior women's set-up. There is clarity and structure. Every camp we evolve and look to learn how we can do things better."

Northern Ireland are second in Group B1 having picked up seven points from their four games.

They are three points behind leaders Poland, who drew 1-1 with Bosnia-Herzegovina earlier this week.

NI will finish their Nations League campaign away to the Bosnians on Tuesday, 3 June in Zenica.

Lauren McCann
BBC Sport NI Journalist

Image source, Pacemaker Press

Northern Ireland goalkeeper Jackie Burns said that she will "savour" a clean sheet after her side beat Romania 1-0 at Windsor Park on Tuesday.

Teenager Kascie Weir scored the winner with her first international goal, but Burns was equally as important to the win, pulling off a number of saves including one in injury-time to thwart Mihaela Ciolacu.

After five games without a clean sheet, Burns was pleased with the defensive effort in the gritty win.

"We savour clean sheets as much as we can, we try and get them whenever we can, but with opponents now it is becoming a bit more challenging so it was good to get it and it sets us up well for the next camp," she said.

"You don't really want those opportunities [Ciolacu chance] but that is what you train for as a goalkeeper to be able to pull off these saves whenever you need to so to be able to pull off a save like that to keep us in the game puts me in a happy place."

The 28-year-old, who will now move to Canada to join her new side Calgary Wild, was also pleased with the contributions of the forwards in Weir's well-worked winning goal.

"The last few games we have lacked in that department, we gave them [attacking players] the freedom to express themselves and play the way they can play coming into this game," she added.

"They just needed to back themselves more and it's probably one of the best goals we have scored with the link-up play."

Northern Ireland are now three points behind group leaders Poland, who they face next month, and Burns is confident that her side can produce a better display at home than they did in Gdansk when they lost 2-0.

"We know Poland are a good opponent and they've proved that by qualifying for the Euros, we don't overlook them, but we want to challenge ourselves and compete against the higher-ranked teams."