From the Irish League to NI - Devlin's 'unbelievable' debut

Yahoo

23-03-2025

While there was a lot of excitement surrounding Jamie Donley's first Northern Ireland cap at Windsor Park on Thursday night, another debutant perhaps flew a little under the radar.
Portsmouth's Terry Devlin came on with and helped a youthful Northern Ireland side see out a 1-1 draw with Euro 2024 quarter-finalists Switzerland.
The 21-year-old almost set up Paddy McNair for a winner with his first touch, and that set the tone for a solid display during his 15 minutes on the pitch.
"Everyone wants to play for their country when they are a young kid, and to be able to do that was unbelievable," Devlin said after his debut at right-back.
"It's been a tough squad to get into, which is only good for the country. I'm in the same position as Conor [Bradley] and Trai [Hume] and they are two really good players.
"Obviously it's going to be tough [to break through] but I just have to keep working hard."
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While many players look to go over to England or Scotland as quickly as possible, Devlin served his apprenticeship in the Irish Premiership, first coming through the ranks at Dungannon Swifts, where he made his debut as a 15-year-old.
He then moved onto to Glentoran, before making the jump to Portsmouth in 2023.
Something of a Swiss Army knife of a player with his versatility, Devlin has become a fan favourite at the Championship side, and he is honest enough to say he might not be at Fratton Park if he had rushed his journey into professional football.
"Honestly, if I'd gone over to England when I was younger, maybe 16, I don't think I would have made it," he admitted.
"I'm glad the way it has all worked out. I think the Irish League made me into the player I am now and I'm getting joy out of the way I play.
"I think the Irish League is underrated and it's a really good pathway."
Devlin will be hoping to win his second cap as Northern Ireland travel to Sweden on Tuesday.
It will be another tough test for NI, who finished with a side with an average age of 22 against the Swiss.
The friendlies are preparation for the start of 2026 World Cup qualifying, where O'Neill's side will face Luxembourg, Slovakia and the winner of the Nations League play-off between Germany and Italy.
"Switzerland are a top nation and qualify for most tournaments," Devlin added.
"For us to go toe-to-toe, and we maybe could have won if we'd taken a chance or two but getting a good result like that is something we can really build on as we go towards the World Cup qualifiers.
"We're a really young squad and we're not going to be the finished product yet, but if we can keep improving in every international campaign, we will keep getting better."