Paterson joins Lafferty in Northern Ireland squad

15 March 2013 14:08
It's been a week of international call ups at Burnley and there are two more to be had with Michael O'Neill recalling Martin Paterson to his Northern Ireland squad alongside left back Danny Lafferty.

Because of his previous ongoing injury problems, Paterson's international career has been stop start at best in the last three and a half years. Since playing against Slovakia in September 2009 in a World Cup qualifier he has only three times appeared for his country.

All three have been friendlies; the first in August 2010 against Montenegro which was followed by two appearances in 2012 against Norway in February and Finland in August when he finally got his first ever international goal, a late equaliser from the penalty spot.

He's pulled out of squads since as he fought for full fitness but is now available again for their next two games alongside left back Danny Lafferty who will be hoping to add to his three caps.

They have two games, both at Windsor Park in Belfast. On Friday 22nd March they play Russia and on the following Tuesday meet Israel. Their opponents are currently the top two teams in the group with Northern Ireland in fourth place out of six with three draws and one defeat in four games.

They will select from the following squad: Roy Carroll (Olympiacos), Alan Mannus (St. Johnstone), Michael McGovern (Falkirk), Aaron Hughes (Fulham), Ryan McGivern (Manchester City, on loan at Hibs), Craig Cathcart (Blackpool), Gareth McAuley (West Brom), Danny Lafferty (Burnley), Jonny Evans (Manchester United), Alex Bruce (Hull), Steven Davis (Southampton), Oliver Norwood (Huddersfield), Grant McCann (Peterborough), Niall McGinn (Aberdeen), Chris Brunt (West Brom), Shane Ferguson (Newcastle, on loan at Birmingham), Sammy Clingan (Kilmarnock), Andrew Little (Rangers), Pat McCourt (Celtic), Will Grigg (Walsall), Billy McKay (Inverness CT), Martin Paterson (Burnley), David Healy (Bury), Jamie Ward (Derby).

Both Chris Baird (Fulham) and Kyle Lafferty (FC Sion) are ruled out of the Russia game through suspension but both are included in the squad for the game against Israel.

Source: Clarets Mad

Source: FOOTYMAD