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Quartet to miss Northern Ireland friendly in Wales

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CitrixNews Staff
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Quartet to miss Northern Ireland friendly in Wales
Ruairi McConville and Paddy McNairImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption,

Ruairi McConville and Paddy McNair both played the full 90 minutes in Thursday's World Cup play-off in Italy

ByAndy GrayBBC Sport NI Journalist in Cardiff
  • Published51 minutes ago

Ali McCann, Ruairi McConville, Paddy McNair and Bailey Peacock-Farrell will miss Northern Ireland's friendly with Wales in Cardiff on Tuesday.

Preston North End midfielder McCann sat out Northern Ireland's 2-0 World Cup play-off semi-final defeat in Italy with an ankle problem.

Defenders McConville and McNair both impressed as they played the full 90 minutes in Bergamo but they will now return to Norwich City and Hull City respectively.

Peacock-Farrell was named on the bench by manager Michael O'Neill as Pierce Charles started the play-off on his return from injury.

After the quartet of withdrawals, O'Neill has a 24-man squad to pick from to face Wales.

Northern Ireland are particularly light in defence following the withdrawals of McConville and McNair, as well as the injured Dan Ballard.

That could open the door for Tom Atcheson, who plays under O'Neill at Blackburn Rovers, to make his senior debut, while Trai Hume, Ciaron Brown, Eoin Toal and Brodie Spencer can also play in the centre of defence.

Peacock-Farrell's absence will bring uncapped goalkeeper Josh Clarke, who is on loan at Partick Thistle from Celtic, into the squad.

There could also be a debut for Liverpool teenager Kieran Morrison, who has made two senior cup appearances for Arne Slot's side this season.

Craig Bellamy's Wales lost at home on penalties to Bosnia-Herzegovina after a 1-1 draw in their World Cup play-off semi-final at Cardiff City stadium.

Northern Ireland squad

Goalkeepers: Conor Hazard (Plymouth Argyle), Pierce Charles (Sheffield Wednesday), Josh Clarke (Partick Thistle, on loan from Celtic).

Defenders: Ciaron Brown and Brodie Spencer (both Oxford United), Trai Hume (Sunderland), Eoin Toal (Bolton Wanderers), Terry Devlin (Portsmouth), Tom Atcheson (Blackburn Rovers).

Midfielders: Jamie Donley and Jamie McDonnell (both Oxford United), George Saville (Luton Town), Shea Charles (Southampton), Isaac Price (West Bromwich Albion), Paul Smyth (Queens Park Rangers), Ethan Galbraith (Swansea City), Justin Devenny (Crystal Palace), Brad Lyons (Kilmarnock), Patrick Kelly (Barnsley), Kieran Morrison (Liverpool).

Forwards: Josh Magennis (Exeter City), Dion Charles (Huddersfield Town), Callum Marshall (Vfl Bochum, on loan from West Ham United), Jamie Reid (Stevenage).

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Originally reported by BBC Sport