Hughes Drops To Under-21's

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14th August 2006

Northern Ireland have confirmed their squads for this week's international fixtures.

Lincoln City's Jeff Hughes has been named in the Northern Ireland Under-21 squad. This represent a drop from the senior side, which he broke into in May, when he won two senior caps during Northern Ireland's tour of the United States.

Hughes' drop is rather more a case of Northern Ireland needing a full strengthen Under-21 squad rather than demotion. For Northern Ireland's Under-21 side play Romania in Urziceni in a vital European Under-21 Qualifying match.

Goalkeepers:
Michael McGovern (Glasgow Celtic),
Jonathan Tuffey (Partick Thistle)

Defenders
Sean Ward (Glentoran)
Rory McArdle (Sheffield Wednesday)
Mark McChrystal (Derry City)
Dermot McCaffrey (Hibernian)
Jeff Hughes (Lincoln City)
Emmet Friars (Tamworth)

Midfielders
Bryan Gilfillan (Gretna)
Jonathan Evans (Manchester United)
Richard Clarke (Newry City)
David Scullion (Dungannon Swifts)
Chris Brunt (Sheffield Wednesday)
Chris Turner (Sligo Rovers)

Forwards
Peter Thompson (Linfield)
Dean Shiels (Hibernian)
Thomas Stewart (Unattached)
Daryl Smylie (Livingston)

Meanwhile, former Lincoln City defender Gareth McAuley has been omitted from the Northern Ireland senior squad. This will come as a disappointment for McAuley, who has played five times for Northern Ireland - all of which were while he was on Lincoln City FC's books.

McAuley left Lincoln City in June to join Championship club Leicester City. He cited his international ambitions as one of the reasons for leaving Lincoln. McAuley has yet to make his Leicester City debut.