Arsenal forward Ceadach O’Neill earns Northern Ireland Under 19 call as Hale End prospect continues rapid rise for club and country
Ceadach O’Neill has been rewarded for his progress at Arsenal with another call up to the Northern Ireland Under 19 squad for next week’s final round of European Championship qualifiers, under manager Gareth McAuley.
Arsenal’s 17-year-old attacker, one of the best recent arrivals into Hale End, continues his rapid rise after establishing himself as a standout prospect in north London.
O’Neill hails from Kilrea and first came to prominence with Linfield, where he debuted in the League Cup in October 2023 and then in the NIFL Premiership a month later at just 15, before earning a move to Arsenal following a successful trial.
He officially signed in the summer of 2024 and made an immediate impact, scoring twice on his Under 18 debut in a 3-2 win over West Ham and finishing his first U18 campaign with five goals as well as appearances in the FA Youth Cup and UEFA Youth League.
His latest international recognition underlines how highly his development at Arsenal is being viewed.
O’Neill is one of seven youngsters in the Northern Ireland Under 19 group attached to Premier League clubs, a cohort that reflects the improving depth of talent around him, but it is the Arsenal man who is being named as a headliner in the press in the country.
Among the goalkeepers are Will Murdock of Manchester United and Josh Gracey of Wolverhampton Wanderers. The defensive pool features Callum Leacock of West Ham United, Luke Matykiewicz of Leeds United and Alfie Mitchell of Bangor, along with Coist Walker of Hull City, James Simpson of Larne, Keevan Hawthorne of Cliftonville, Broghan Sewell of Southampton and Senan Devine of Coleraine. In midfield, the options are Dylan Stitt of Luton Town, Jack Doherty of Crusaders, Sean Corry of Derby County, Blaine McClure of Nottingham Forest on loan from Rangers, Ceadach O’Neill of Arsenal and Joe Sheridan of Cliftonville. The forwards are George Feeney of Tottenham Hotspur, Braiden Graham of Everton, Paul McGovern of Glenavon and Max Wilson of Preston North End, a supporting cast that places Arsenal’s young forward in a competitive but prestigious company as he represents his country.