Stephen Kenny's son Eoin earns first senior Northern Ireland call-up

Michael O'Neill on calling up Eoin Kenny: 'Eoin had a really strong campaign for us. Tommy Wright said he played consistently well and we have to try and reward that, you have to show players there is a pathway from the 21s to (senior) international level.' Pic: Liam McBurney/PA Wire.

Michael O’Neill had no hesitation in lowering the average age of his Northern Ireland squad yet further by handing first senior call-ups to Manchester United goalkeeper Dermot Mee and Portsmouth forward Eoin Kenny as they eye Nations League promotion this month.

Mee, 23, and Kenny, 20, have replaced experienced pair Bailey Peacock-Farrell and Dion Charles in a 25-man squad for matches at home to Ukraine and away to Hungary.

Northern Ireland are targeting promotion to League A for the first time as they top Group B2 – the only side in the entire competition still yet to concede after the opening four rounds.

With Charles, 31, and Peacock-Farrell, 30, dropping to the standby list, the 36-year-old Josh Magennis and 31-year-old Paddy McNair are the only players in O’Neill’s squad over the age of 30.

Although Charles did feature against Hungary in September, he did not make the match squad for two of the four games in the last window, while former number one Peacock-Farrell has not played an international in the last 12 months.

“You’re not really wanting to bring more senior players and not give them the opportunity,” O’Neill told the Press Association. “That’s the nature of the selection process.

“It was a good conversation with Dion. He knows himself. He has to have a good season at Blackpool… Bailey’s good, he understands the reasons.

“We’ve got enough experience in the squad with the amount of international football this group has played.” 

Kenny, the son of former Republic of Ireland manager Stephen, has one goal in 11 appearances for Northern Ireland Under-21s.

Although Kenny, who has also represented the Republic at youth level, has made only one league appearance for Pompey since joining from Dundalk in the summer, O’Neill was impressed with his recent performances for Tommy Wright’s under-21s.

“Eoin had a really strong campaign for us,” O’Neill said. “Tommy Wright said he played consistently well and we have to try and reward that, you have to show players there is a pathway from the 21s to (senior) international level.” 

Kenny turned out for the Republic’s under-19s in 2023 before returning to the Northern Ireland fold.

“Eoin’s played 11 times for our under-21 team, so I would assume that if he wasn’t comfortable playing for Northern Ireland, he would have made that decision in his earlier years,” O’Neill said.

Mee is yet to make a senior appearance for Manchester United but has twice been on the bench this season for Champions League fixtures against Sabah and Atletico Madrid, and came with a recommendation from 107-cap Jonny Evans.

“Jonny spoke very highly of him,” O’Neill said. “It gives us another chance to look at another young goalkeeper who obviously has potential.” 

O’Neill remains without Liverpool’s Conor Bradley and Preston midfielder Ali McCann, while Dan Ballard, Eoin Toal and Jamie McDonnell are all missing through injury.

Northern Ireland sit one point clear of second-placed Hungary and four ahead of third-placed Ukraine, who visit Windsor Park on November 14 before Northern Ireland face Hungary at the 67,000 capacity Puskas Arena on November 17.

Top spot would earn automatic promotion to League A, while second place brings a play-off against a side in danger of dropping down from the top division.