Donley denied dream start to senior international career

The outstretched fingertips of Switzerland's Gregor Kobel were all that came between Jamie Donley and a dream start to life on the senior international stage on Friday night.

Having received his first call-up to the Northern Ireland senior side earlier this week, the versatile attacker came off the bench to make his debut for the GAWA against the Swiss and was inches away from making it the perfect start to life in green and white.

Entering the field on 57 minutes, the man on loan at Leyton Orient this campaign was primed to open his goalscoring account for Norn Iron 15 minutes later when he got himself free at the front post at a corner - and he came so, so close.

Meeting the cross from the left ahead of his man, he instinctively flicked a header towards the near post but Kobel was a match to it, leaping up to flick the ball over the bar and for another corner.

At that stage, the game was level at 1-1 with Switzerland's Vincent Sierro cancelling out Isaac Price's 16th-minute opener - and that was the way it finished in the friendly in Belfast.

Earlier this year, Jamie made national headlines for his long-range effort for loan side Orient against Manchester City in the FA Cup in February while he was also named EFL Young Player of the Month for January.

He’s currently on six goals and five assists in 30 League One appearances for the O’s.

Part of our Premier League 2 title-winning side at Under-21 level last term, he’s made four senior appearances for us to date.

Meanwhile, in Spain, Aaron Maguire was in action for the Republic of Ireland's Under-21s against Scotland.

The Academy goalkeeper started and played 84 minutes against the Scots and impressed, making a number of vital saves in the game as he picked up his second cap at that level. However, he was unable to prevent his nation slipping to a 2-0 defeat.