{"id":7659,"date":"2019-05-30T10:48:41","date_gmt":"2019-05-30T14:48:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=7659"},"modified":"2019-05-30T10:48:41","modified_gmt":"2019-05-30T14:48:41","slug":"mark-sykes-receives-first-senior-call-up-for-northern-ireland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=7659","title":{"rendered":"Mark Sykes Receives First Senior Call-Up for Northern Ireland"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Oxford midfielder Mark Sykes has received his first call-up to Northern Ireland\u2019s senior squad for the upcoming Euro 2020 qualifiers.<\/p>\n

Sykes, 21, and Hearts defender Michael Smith have been added to Michael O\u2019Neill\u2019s squad for the games in Estonia a week on Saturday and Belarus the following Tuesday.<\/p>\n

Smith returns after injury but Sheffield United midfielder Oliver Norwood is still absent following his decision to withdraw temporarily from international football.<\/p>\n

Sykes has been in impressive form for Sky Bet League One side Oxford since joining them from Glenavon in January.<\/p>\n

Hearts defender Aaron Hughes, Northern Ireland\u2019s most-capped outfield player with 112 caps, has been included in the squad.<\/p>\n

The former Newcastle center-half is expected to retire as a player this summer and did not feature in Hearts\u2019 Scottish Cup final defeat to Celtic last weekend.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Neill\u2019s squad head to Austria on Monday in preparation for next Saturday\u2019s match against Estonia in Tallinn.<\/p>\n

Northern Ireland currently sit top of Group C, three points ahead of Germany, who have a game in hand, and Holland after winning both of their opening matches against Estonia and Belarus in Belfast in March.<\/p>\n

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