Worthington drops Healy from Northern Ireland squad

Record scorer David Healy has been omitted from the Northern Ireland squad to face Morocco in a friendly at Windsor Park on November 17.

Healy, 30, marked his debut for Doncaster on Saturday by scoring in the victory against Millwall following his arrival on a one-month loan deal from Sunderland.

However Northern Ireland manager Nigel Worthington has chosen to leave out a striker with 35 goals in 84 games to his credit, although none in the last two years.

Instead Kyle Lafferty, Warren Feeney and Rory Patterson will fight it out for a starting place in attack.

Full back George McCartney, on loan to Leeds from Sunderland, returns to the squad for the first team this season while schoolboy Johnny Gorman retains his place.

Northern Ireland squad to face Morocco in a friendly at Windsor Park on November 17: Taylor (Birmingham), Tuffey (Inverness), Blayney (Linfield); J Evans (Manchester United), Craigan (Motherwell), McCartney (Sunderland), McAuley (Ipswich), Hughes (Fulham), Baird (Fulham); McCann (Peterborough), Brunt (West Brom), Gorman (Wolves), C Evans (Manchester United), Davis (Rangers), McGinn (Celtic), Clingan (Coventry), McCourt (Celtic); Feeney (Oldham), Lafferty (Rangers), Patterson (Plymouth).