Inverness striker Billy McKay’s Scotland chance

NORTHERN Ireland manager Michael O’Neill hopes Inverness striker Billy McKay can carry his club form on to the international stage when his side travel to Malta next month.

By The Newsroom

Published 26th Jan 2013, 00:13 BST

Regular striker Kyle Lafferty is suspended for the next World Cup qualifier against Russia in March and has been left out of the squad for the friendly at the Ta’Qali National Stadium on 6 February.

Inverness are providing the sternest challenge to Celtic in the SPL and McKay is the division’s top goalscorer. The 24-year-old is now in line to win his first senior cap, and O’Neill said: “Billy has been very good for Inverness this season, he’s scored 20 goals. They’re riding high in the SPL and we’re delighted with the form he’s in. I’m keen to get him involved.”