Manchester United goalkeeper Dermot Mee and Portsmouth attacker Eoin Kenny have received their first senior Northern Ireland call-ups for the decisive November Nations League fixtures against Ukraine and Hungary. Manager Michael O'Neill has integrated the young duo into the senior setup as his side aim to maintain their momentum at the summit of League B2.
Mee, 23, is an experienced Northern Ireland underage international who adds fresh competition for first-choice goalkeeper Pierce Charles, despite not making a competitive appearance for United this term. Portsmouth's 20-year-old wide player Kenny—the son of former Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny—gets his senior nod following a July transfer from Dundalk and one Championship appearance. The pair step in as Dion Charles, Eoin Toal, and goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell drop out of the squad, with Sunderland defender Dan Ballard missing after sustaining a hamstring injury against Georgia in Tbilisi. Midfielders Ali McCann and Jamie McDonnell are also sidelined, while Liverpool's Conor Bradley remains unavailable having not featured since January.
Northern Ireland head into the final round of fixtures boasting an exceptional defensive foundation, standing as the sole team across the entire Nations League yet to concede a goal. Their unbeaten group phase includes an opening late winner from Shea Charles in Georgia, a commanding 3-0 victory against Ukraine, and two goalless draws on home soil against Hungary and Georgia.
The campaign concludes with a home tie against Ukraine at Windsor Park on Saturday, 14 November at 19:45 GMT, followed by an away fixture in Hungary on 17 November, both of which will be broadcast on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds. Topping League B2 would seal Northern Ireland's first-ever promotion to the top tier, while also leaving them all but guaranteed a qualification play-off spot for Euro 2028.