Northern Ireland women's squad named for Euro 2021 qualifiers

Kenny Shiels has included five players without competitive caps in his first squad since taking over as Northern Ireland senior women's manager.

Northern Ireland face Norway and Wales in the first two games of their Euro 2021 qualifying campaign.

The Green and White Army host top seeds Norway at Seaview on 30 August before facing Wales in Newport on 3 September.

While Shiels, who was appointed in May, has retained a core of established internationals, including captain Marissa Callaghan and Julie Nelson, the former Derry City boss has injected youth into his panel for the Norway-Wales double-header.

Leicester City defender Johnson has featured in two friendlies for Northern Ireland, while Linfield midfielder McCarron last represented her country in three non-competitive games in 2015.

Holloway (Birmingham City) and Connor (Sion Swifts) are named in a senior panel for the first time, while White (Glentoran) is also hoping to make her debut at this level.

Megan Bell, who moved to Durham from Linfield this summer, has been named among a strong midfield contingent which includes Glentoran's Demi Vance and Rachel Furness of Reading.

There is no place, however, for Kirsty McGuinness, Jessica Foy or Billie Simpson, who was this week nominated for the World Goal of the Year Puskas Award after her stunning strike for Cliftonville Ladies. Laura Rafferty is out with a knee ligament injury.

Northern Ireland are attempting to qualify for the Women's European Championship for the first time since 1979. Nine group winners along with three runners-up with the best records will book their tickets to the tournament in England at the end of the qualification process.

The other six runners-up will enter a play-off in October 2020 to determine the last three spots, with England having automatically qualified as hosts.

Belarus and the Faroe Islands complete Group C alongside Northern Ireland, Wales and Norway.