Headline: Arsenal’s Ceadach O’Neill Withdraws from Northern Ireland Squad Due to Injury
Northern Ireland’s squad for the upcoming Nations League matches against Ukraine and Hungary has been dealt a blow with the withdrawal of Arsenal forward Ceadach O’Neill due to injury.
O’Neill earned his first senior cap earlier this year in June against Guinea and contributed as a late substitute in the Nations League victories over Georgia and Ukraine during the previous international window. The 18-year-old has made a total of four international appearances and recently had his first senior outing for Arsenal, starting in the EFL Cup against Fleetwood Town, a match the Gunners lost in a penalty shootout.
He joins a list of players unavailable for the double-header, including Sunderland defender Dan Ballard, Eoin Toal, and midfielders Ali McCann and Jamie McDonnell. Additionally, Liverpool’s Conor Bradley continues to be sidelined, having not played since January.
Michael O’Neill’s team currently leads League B2, having accumulated eight points from four matches, and they aim for promotion to the top tier for the first time in their history.
Northern Ireland will host Ukraine at Windsor Park on Saturday, November 14, at 19:45 GMT before traveling to Budapest to face Hungary in their closing match on Tuesday, November 17. Both fixtures will be broadcast live on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds.
In light of O’Neill’s absence, Manchester United goalkeeper Dermot Mee and Portsmouth forward Eoin Kenny have received their first call-ups to the Northern Ireland squad.
“We’re naturally disappointed to be without Ceadach for the final two games of the campaign. He has been a great asset to the squad in the last international window, and everyone here wishes him a swift recovery,” remarked Northern Ireland manager O’Neill.
He added, “The wider squad and staff are looking forward to the two games ahead. We’re in a good position in the group and there is plenty to play for. The Ukraine game in Belfast will be an important one for us, before we travel to Hungary for another challenging fixture. We’ll be looking to build on the work we’ve done so far and finish the campaign strongly.”
Notably, Northern Ireland remains the only team in the Nations League yet to concede a goal this year. Shea Charles scored a dramatic late winner against Georgia in September, followed by a goalless draw at home to Hungary. A standout 3-0 win over Ukraine showcased the strength of O’Neill’s young side, who concluded their quadruple-header with another goalless draw against Georgia.
Should Northern Ireland top their group, they will not only secure promotion to League A but also likely earn a play-off spot for Euro 2028.
