Nine Danske Bank Premiership players have been named in the Northern Ireland U21 panel for the forthcoming European Championship qualifying games against Finland and Ukraine.

Manager Andy Crosby has once again recognised the wealth of young domestic talent at his disposal, drawing from no fewer than five different clubs including three from Irish Cup winners Glentoran (Caolan Marron, Bobby Burns, Paul O'Neill) plus two apiece from champions Linfield (Ross Larkin, Shayne Lavery) and newly promoted Portadown (Nathan Kerr, Lee Bonis).

Also getting a call up are Ballymena United's nine-time capped Kofi Balmer and Aaron Donnelly from Cliftonville who retains his place after being named in the squad for the first time last month.

The full panel reads:-

Goalkeepers
Conor Hazard (Celtic), Nathan Gartside (Derry City)

Defenders
Eoin Toal (Derry City), Caolan Marron (Glentoran), Ciaron Brown (Livingston), Kofi Balmer (Ballymena United), Jack Scott (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Daniel Amos (Doncaster Rovers), Ross Larkin (Linfield), Aaron Donnelly (Cliftonville), Nathan Kerr (Portadown)

Midfielders
Alfie McCalmont (Leeds United - on loan at Oldham Athletic), Caolan Boyd-Munce (Birmingham City), JJ McKiernan (Watford), Jake Dunwoody (Derry City), Ethan Galbraith (Manchester United), Amrit Bansal-McNulty (Como), Bobby Burns (Glentoran)

Forwards
Shayne Lavery (Linfield), David Parkhouse (Sheffield United – on loan at Hartlepool United), Paul O’Neill (Glentoran), Lee Bonis (Portadown), Ben Wilson (Brighton & Hove Albion)

Northern Ireland are home to Finland on October 9th and Ukraine four days later (13th). Both games will be played behind closed doors at the Ballymena Showgrounds.