Keri Halliday receives first Northern Ireland call-up for Nations League fixtures

Kerri Halliday has been called up to the Northern Ireland squad

Linfield striker Keri Halliday has been called up to the Northern Ireland Women’s squad for the first time ahead of their Nations League double-header against Albania and the Republic of Ireland.

The teenager has been in prolific form for the Sports Direct Premiership side, with the 18-year-old having also played at Under-17 and Under-19 level for Northern Ireland, but this marks her first senior call-up.

Manager Tanya Oxtoby has also called up 21-year-old Crusaders goalkeeper Maddy Harvey-Clifford, who has been around the squad for the last few camps but has yet to make her international debut, as the only other new face to the squad for the games in Tirana next Friday and at Windsor Park the following Tuesday.

The boss is unable to call upon record goal scorer Rachel Furness, who has been ruled out due to injury sustained for club Bristol City and will be out for a month, while Cliftonville forward Caitlin McGuinness and Mid Ulster goalkeeper Lilie Woods have also dropped out.

Apart from those five players, the rest of the squad were part of the panel that took on Hungary in their back-to-back Nations League ties last month, with late call-up Danielle Maxwell retained in the squad after the Cliftonville ace scored her first international goal in those games.

Kirsty McGuinness, who withdrew from the last squad for personal reasons, is also absent from this team.

The Republic of Ireland have already won Group B1 having triumphed in all four of their games thus far, with Hungary and Northern Ireland battling it out for second place on five and four points respectively with only two games left to play.

Northern Ireland Women’s squad

Goalkeepers: Shannon