Jamie Donley: Uncapped forward added to NI squad but Eoin Toal ruled out
Jamie Donley expects Northern Ireland to increase friendly matches against Switzerland and Sweden, but defender Eoin Toal will miss the game due to injury and be replaced by Kofi Balmer.
Twenty-year-old Tottenham Hotspur striker Donley impressed during his loan period in the Leyton Orient League, before playing for North React before becoming a loyalist in the UK.
However, the Antrim-born player has now received the first senior call from Northern Ireland, playing for home matches against Switzerland on Friday and in Sweden on Tuesday.
Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill said he was “happy to welcome Jamie to the team”.
“He’s a young player and we’ve been following for a while,” O’Neal said.
“We are waiting for paperwork from FIFA before we can determine if he plays an active role in any game, but it’s important to get him and the places around him familiar with what I think is important.”
O’Neal added that he was “disappointed by “Bolton’s Thor”, but said he was confident that Motherwell’s Balmer “can come in and make an impact”.
