We are pleased to announce that highly rated junior internationals Noah McDonnell and Callum Cowan have joined the club’s academy set-up.
Both players, who had previously played their club football within Linfield’s academy, began their time at Inver Park by making competitive debuts for Andy Mitchell’s U18 side against Dungannon Swifts on Friday night.
Cowan, a 16-year-old central defender, will learn his trade in a full-time football environment as he enrols as a first-year student athlete in the club’s Scholarship Programme.
The defender has represented Northern Ireland at U15-U17 level, making back-to-back Victory Shield squads in 2021 and 2022 alongside competing in the Rotterdam Tournament and Nordic Cup.
Most recently, Cowan received a call-up to NI’s U17 squad to take on the Netherlands in the Elite Round of the UEFA European U-17 Championship qualification competition.
Also joining from Linfield is another central defender in Noah McDonnell. The 15-year-old joins the club’s development squads alongside taking part in the IFA’s JD Academy.
McDonnell has also represented Northern Ireland at several age groups, having received an initial call-up to the U15 squad in 2022. After impressing at U15 level, the defender was pushed up an age group to the U16 squad, before being named as part of the most recent Victory Shield squad.
Everyone at Larne Football Club gives a warm welcome to both players and we look forward to supporting their development through our development phases.