Northern Ireland national under-23 football team

The Northern Ireland national under-23 football team is an association football team representing Northern Ireland featuring footballers playing in the Irish League. The team first played at this level in 2007 when entering the International Challenge Trophy for national semi-professional Under-23 sides, though previously the Northern Ireland Under-23 team offered a recognised stepping stone for all young players hoping to progress to the full Northern Ireland side.

Northern Ireland Under-23
Nickname(s)Green & White Army, Norn Iron
AssociationIrish Football Association
Head coachRonnie McFall
Home stadiumVarious
First colours
Second colours

The Original Under-23s

The original Northern Ireland Under-23 side played a total of ten matches, all but three in the 1960s.[1] Players to have stepped up from the Under-23 side to full international level include Pat Jennings, Bryan Hamilton, Neil Lennon and Sammy Clingan.

Results
Date Opponent Venue Result Scorers
07-02-1962 Wales Windsor Park, Belfast Drew 0–0
27-02-1963 Wales Vetch Field, Swansea Lost 1–5 Jimmy McLaughlin
05-02-1964 Wales Windsor Park, Belfast Drew 3–3 Willie Irvine (2), Jimmy McLaughlin
10-02-1965 Wales Ninian Park, Cardiff Drew 2–2 Willie Irvine, Dave Clements
22-02-1967 Wales Windsor Park, Belfast Won 2–1 Vic McKinney (2)
20-03-1968 Wales Vetch Field, Swansea Won 1–0 Shaun Dunlop
26-03-1969 Italy Communale Stadium, Brescia Lost 1–2 Brendan Mullan
11-04-1989 Republic of Ireland Dalymount Park, Dublin Lost 0–3
15-05-1990 Republic of Ireland Shamrock Park, Portadown Lost 2–3 Stephen McBride, John Devine
27-04-2004 Serbia & Montenegro Mourneview Park, Lurgan Drew 0–0 (billed an Under 21–23 team)[2]

The New Under-23s

The Irish FA announced on 2 October 2007 that they would be entering a side in the International Challenge Trophy.[3] The team was selected only from players playing in the IFA Premiership and as such it is also a successor to the Irish League representative team. For the 2007–09 International Challenge Trophy the team was managed by Linfield's David Jeffrey and for the 2009-11 International Challenge Trophy by Portadown's Ronnie McFall. On both occasions Northern Ireland failed to make it beyond the group stage, and have not entered a team since.

2007–09 International Challenge Trophy
Belgium U-232–1 Northern Ireland U-23
58 Hubert
85 Lutun		 (Report) 46 Peter Thompson
Northern Ireland U-230–1 Republic of Ireland U-23
(Report) 88 Stephen Rice
Mourneview Park, Lurgan, Northern Ireland
Referee: Adrian McCourt (Northern Ireland)
Slovakia U-231–0 Northern Ireland U-23
10 Skutka (Report)

2009–11 International Challenge Trophy
Northern Ireland U-232–2 Wales Semi Pro
Jay Magee
Daryl Fordyce		 (Report)
Shamrock Park, Portadown, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland U-232–0 Poland U-23
Jordan Owens
Martin Donnelly		 (Report)
The Showgrounds, Coleraine, Northern Ireland
Portugal U-232–0 Northern Ireland U-23
(Report)

Squad

Squad for the match against Portugal, 12 October 2010.[4] Clubs correct at time of call-up.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1GK Chris Keenan (1987-01-27) 27 January 1987 Crusaders
1GK Sean O'Neill (1988-04-11) 11 April 1988 Dungannon Swifts
2DF Chris Ramsey (1990-05-24) 24 May 1990 Portadown
3MF Billy Joe Burns (1989-08-24) 24 August 1989 Linfield
2DF Johnny Taylor (1988-06-30) 30 June 1988 Glentoran
2DF Jay Magee (1988-05-04) 4 May 1988 1 Glenavon
2DF Ross Redman (1989-11-23) 23 November 1989 Portadown
2DF Archie Stewart (1989-12-03) 3 December 1989 Ballymena United
3MF Philip Lowry (1989-07-15) 15 July 1989 Linfield
3MF Robert Garrett (1988-05-05) 5 May 1988 Linfield
3MF Jamie Mulgrew (1986-05-06) 6 May 1986 Linfield
3MF Stuart Dallas (1991-04-19) 19 April 1991 Crusaders
3MF Martin Donnelly (1988-08-28) 28 August 1988 1 Crusaders
3MF Michael Carvill (1988-04-03) 3 April 1988 Linfield
4FW Daryl Fordyce (1987-01-02) 2 January 1987 1 Glentoran
4FW Curtis Allen (1988-02-22) 22 February 1988 Linfield
4FW Jordan Owens (1989-07-09) 9 July 1989 1 Crusaders
4FW Darren Boyce (1986-01-25) 25 January 1986 Coleraine

Competitive record

International Challenge Trophy

References
  1. "List of Northern Ireland Under-23 Players and fixtures", 14 May 2008
  2. Official Match Programme
  3. "NI to compete for U23 silverware ", 14 May 2008
  4. "U23 SQUAD ANNOUNCED", 18 December 2011
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