Young Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper, Pierce Charles, has been named in Northern Ireland’s squad for the upcoming U19 European Championship.

The 18-year-old shot-stopper, who has been in and around the Wednesday first team for some time now, has been part of the Owls’ preseason this summer, with Danny Röhl having spoken highly of him in the past - and he featured in Saturday’s win over Alfreton Town.

Now, though, he’ll be heading off on international duty to represent his country, with Gareth McAuley having named him as one of two goalkeepers in his squad for the tournament taking place in Northern Ireland this year. It’s an honour, of course, but will mean that he’ll miss Wednesday’s trip to Austria and Germany later this month.

A statement on their website read, “Gareth McAuley has named his 20-strong panel to represent Northern Ireland at this year’s U19 Euros. There are no new faces in the squad, which has effectively been taking shape through friendlies and camps over the past two years. McAuley said both he and his players feel “super proud” to be able to represent their country at U19 Euro 2024, which the Irish Football Association is hosting along with UEFA this summer. The tournament will run from 15 to 28 July.”

NI’s first game in Group A is against Ukraine on Monday before taking on Italy on Thursday - they will then round off their group games against Norway on July 21st, and they’ll be hoping to have done enough to not only qualify for the semifinals, but also book their spot at the 2025 FIFA U20 World Cup.

Charles, who recently earned his first call-up to the senior national team, is expected to start in the competition for the Green and White Army, and Wednesdayites will no doubt be keeping a close eye on how he gets on in Larne and Belfast.