Hearts and Hibs quartet called up for Scotland Under-19 Euro qualifiers

Hearts and Hibs will both have representatives in the Scotland under-19 squad for three European Under-19 Championship Qualifying Round fixtures in November.

Hearts and Hibs are both represented in the Scotland 19s squad

Goalkeeper Liam McFarlane and midfielder Finlay Pollock will represent the maroon half of the Capital while centre-back Jacob Blaney and goalkeeper Murray Johnson of Hibs have also been named in Billy Stark’s 20-man squad for games against Iceland, Kazakhstan, and France.

Scotland host Iceland at Firhill on Wednesday November 16 before taking on Kazakhstan at Ayr United’s Somerset Park three days later on Saturday November 19. The young Scots return to Somerset for the match with France on Tuesday November 22.

Blaney has already made his senior debut for Hibs, playing in matches against St Johnstone in last season’s cinch Premiership and Bonnyrigg Rose during the Premier Sports Cup group stages in July while 17-year-old Johnson has been heavily involved with the Easter Road first team and made his senior debut on loan at Airdrieonians earlier this season. The pair were key members of the Hibs side that won the CAS Elite Under-18 League title last season and are currently part of Gareth Evans’ under-19 squad currently competing in the UEFA Youth League competition.

Across the city Pollock has been an unused substitute on seven occasions for Hearts this season and McFarlane once, but both play regularly in the Lowland League for Steven Naismith’s Hearts B team.

Meanwhile, Hearts and Hibs have both been drawn away from home in the third round of the Scottish Youth Cup, with Hearts travelling to Motherwell after knocking out Haddington Athletic in the previous round and Hibs visiting Rangers after a 4-3 AET victory over St Mirren.