Clarets International: The Four Update!

Full back, Danny Lafferty earned his first cap for Northern Ireland in a friendly in the Amsterdam Arena last night against World Cup qualifiers, Holland.

It will though probably be a night he will wish to forget with his side suffering a 6-0 rout at the hands of the Dutch; their worst defeat since 1961.

Lafferty played the first 45 minutes of the game in partnership with another Claret, Michael Duff who also made a start picking up his 25th cap.

Sadly the two defenders could do nothing to stop the rout and by half-time the Dutch were already leading 4-0!

Duff then picked up an ankle knock and had to come off on the hour mark with his side now 5-0 down. Holland completed a miserable night for the Irish scoring their sixth goal with twelve minutes to go giving them a great boost ahead of the Euro 2012 finals.

Cameron Howieson was also on international duty last night but he was an unused sub in the Kiwi's World Cup Qualifying game in the Solomon Islands against Fiji. He was however able to watch his team come away with a 1-0 victory.

There was also good news this week for defender, Kevin Long

He won his first call-up to the Republic of Ireland under-21s.

Long has been drafted into Ireland's squad for their European Championship qualifying tie against Italy in Sligo on Monday afternoon.

The 21-year-old was previously invited to train with Noel King's squad ahead of a friendly against Denmark last Monday and appears to have impressed since the former Cork City youngster has now been formally added to the squad to face Italy in a Group Seven qualifier at the Showgrounds.

The call-up is a reward for Long's impressive progress during three loan spells away from Turf Moor.

The central defender is yet to make a senior appearance for the Clarets since signing on a three-and-a-half-year deal in January, 2010.

But following two successful loan spells with Accrington Stanley he made the step up to League One with a temporary move to Rochdale in January and made 16 appearances up to the end of last season for John Coleman's side.

Long is set to return to Turf Moor for pre-season but before that will be looking to help Ireland upset group leaders Italy and keep alive their hopes of qualification for the 2013 finals in Israel

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