Midfielder returns to Northern Ireland squad after seven-year absence
Tanya Oxtoby has called midfielder Brenna McPartlan into the Northern Ireland squad for next month’s Women’s Euro 2025 qualifying double-header.
The 24 year-old has one cap for Northern Ireland, when she featured as a substitute in a friendly with Wales in April 2017. The Burnley player also previously starred for her country at U17 and U19 level.
The midfielder played at Blackburn Rovers, Liverpool and Manchester City at youth level before moving to the United States where she played in two university teams, South Alabama Jaguars and Louisiana State Tigers.
She was then with Sunderland Women for a year before signing for Burnley this season. The Clarets play in the Northern Premier Division of the FA Women's National League.
London City Lionesses midfielder Connie Scofield has also been called up to the Northern Ireland squad for the first time, however she is awaiting clearance from FIFA before being declared eligible for the two games.
Birmingham City defender Rebecca Holloway, who missed February’s play-off games due to injury, is back in the panel. Cliftonville defender Abbie Magee and Crusaders Strikers defender Rachel McLaren have been included as well after missing out on the games against Montenegro.
Striker Casey Howe is back, too. Howe, who signed for Athlone Town at the start of this year after switching from fellow League of Ireland Women’s Premier Division side Sligo Rovers, was last in the senior international squad during Kenny Shiels’ tenure.
Durham defender and Northern Ireland centurion Sarah McFadden is not available for the games against the Maltese and the Bosnians. She is recovering from an operation on a long-standing injury. Also unavailable for the upcoming international window is Blackburn Rovers striker Danielle Maxwell.
The four teams in League B Group 3 - Portugal, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Northern Ireland and Malta - are set to face each other home and away across six matchdays between April and July.
Northern Ireland’s first group game is against Malta on Friday 5 April at at Windsor Park (7pm kick-off), followed by Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday 9 April at the Football Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Training Centre in Zenica (3.30pm start CET).
Goalkeepers – Jackie Burns (Reading Women), Maddy Harvey-Clifford (Crusaders Strikers), Lauren Perry (Montrose Women).
Defenders - Rebecca Holloway (Birmingham City Women), Rebecca McKenna (Charlton Athletic Women), Laura Rafferty (Southampton Women), Demi Vance (Glentoran Women), Abbie Magee (Cliftonville Ladies), Rachel Dugdale (Reading Women), Rachel McLaren (Crusaders Strikers).
Midfielders - Joely Andrews, Nadene Caldwell and Chloe McCarron (all Glentoran Women), Megan Bell (Hearts Women, on loan from Rangers Women), Marissa Callaghan (Cliftonville Ladies), Brenna McPartlan (Burnley Women).
Forwards: Kerry Beattie (Glentoran Women), Simone Magill (Aston Villa Women), Lauren Wade (Reading Women), Keri Halliday (Linfield Women), Casey Howe (Athlone Town Ladies), Caragh Hamilton (Lewes Women).
