Caolan Lavery earns maiden Northern Ireland call-up, Liam Boyce returns

Highly-rated Sheffield Wednesday striker Caolan Lavery has received his maiden international call-up to Michael O’Neill’s Northern Ireland squad for the friendly encounter against 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar and the Euro 2016 qualifying clash with Group F rivals Romania (11/4 with Coral to win group).

The 22-year-old’s season looked to have been finished; after impressing for the Owls later in the Championship campaign, as they finished in 13th position, but the in-form forward will now feature as part of his country’s senior set-up for the first time this year.

Having already been capped at Under-19 and Under-21 level for Northern Ireland, Lavery will now be turning his attention to winning a first senior appearance under O’Neill in the upcoming friendly meeting with Qatar at Crewe’s Gresty Road on May 31.

The promising poacher started all of the Owls’ final seven second tier matches, after an encouraging loan spell at Chesterfield, having come off the bench to strike his side’s winner in a dramatic 3-2 triumph over Rotherham United and was also on target against Charlton Athletic.

Meanwhile, Ross County attacker Liam Boyce has made a return to the international squad, after the former Cliftonville forward rediscovered his form in front of goal in Scotland.

The 24-year-old clinched the winning strike five minutes from time against Hamilton recently to secure his club’s Scottish Premiership safety, and was then named as the Fans’ Player of the Year.

After colliding with Qatar at the end of this month, O’Neill’s side will entertain the Romanians at Windsor Park in a vital Euro 2016 qualifier on June 13, with the Group F high-flyers aiming to overtake their opposition at the summit of their qualifying table.