Wikipedia

Gary O'Neill (footballer, born 1995)

Gary O'Neill is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for League of Ireland Premier Division club Shamrock Rovers.

Gary O'Neill[1]
Personal information
Date of birth (1995-01-27) 27 January 1995 (age 31)[1]
Place of birth Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland[1]
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[1]
Position Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Shamrock Rovers
Number 16
Youth career
Kingdom Boys
2009–2013 Wolverhampton Wanderers
2013–2014 Port Vale
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014 Port Vale 0 (0)
2014 → Southport (loan) 4 (0)
2014–2015 Hereford United 0 (0)
2015–2019 UCD 116 (32)
2019– Shamrock Rovers 149 (1)
International career
2010 Republic of Ireland U15 2 (0)
2011–2012 Republic of Ireland U17 6 (1)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 10:31, 6 October 2025 (UTC)

O'Neill moved to England as a teenager and came through the Academy at Wolverhampton Wanderers. He was signed to Port Vale and played on loan at Southport. He returned to Ireland after leaving Hereford United in 2015, at which point he signed with UCD. He spent four years with UCD, helping the club to the League of Ireland First Division title in 2018, before he moved on to Shamrock Rovers. He was named in the PFAI Team of the Year three times whilst in the second tier. He won the Premier Division in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2025. He also won the FAI Cup in 2019 and 2025, and the President of Ireland's Cup in 2022 and 2024.

Career

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Early career

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A native of Caherslee, Tralee, County Kerry, O'Neill played for Kingdom Boys as a youth.[2] His father, Tony, was a founding member of Tralee Dynamos.[3] Following impressive displays in the Kennedy Cup, he joined the Academy at English Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers at Wolverhampton Wanderers.[4][5] He spent four years with Wolves, where manager Mick McCarthy had an influx of Irish youngsters.[6]

He joined Port Vale, though was released by manager Micky Adams at the end of the 2013–14 season without playing a first-team game.[7][8] He spent a month on loan at Southport, playing four Conference games.[9]

In September 2014, O'Neill joined Hereford United.[10] He left Hereford in December 2014, when they were wound up as a club, with all league results and league appearances expunged.[11] He was not paid his full wages.[12]

UCD

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O'Neill returned to Ireland in February 2015, signing with UCD where manager Pat Devlin was a friend of his father.[6] He obtained a degree in sports management whilst at the university.[6] He made his senior debut for the club in a Leinster Senior Cup tie against Dundalk on 10 February 2015. O'Neill scored on his league debut, a 3–0 victory over Cobh Ramblers on 7 March 2015.[13] He was named on the PFAI Team of the Year for 2015, alongside teammates Thomas Boyle, Robbie Benson, and Ryan Swan.[14] He was again voted onto the PFAI Team of the Year for 2016, along teammates Maxi Kouogun and Ryan Swan, with Limerick players making up the other eight names on the teamsheet.[15] He was named onto the PFAI Team of the Year for the First Division for a third time in 2018, alongside teammates Liam Scales, Daire O'Connor and Georgie Kelly.[16] He also won the division's Player of the Year award.[17] UCD secured promotion that season as champions of the First Division.[18]

Shamrock Rovers

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In June 2019, O'Neill signed with Shamrock Rovers.[19] Manager Stephen Bradley expressed his delight at the acquisition, highlighting O'Neill's fit within the team's playing style and his potential for further development.[20] On 3 November 2019, he scored the winning penalty in the 2019 FAI Cup final in a shootout victory over Dundalk at the Aviva Stadium.[21] He was a unused substitute in the 2021 President of Ireland's Cup final defeat to Dundalk.[22] He did manage to play in the 2022 President of Ireland's Cup, which finished as a 1–1 draw, and converted his penalty in the 5–4 shootout victory.[23] He went on to feature as a half-time substitution the 2024 President of Ireland's Cup, a 3–1 victory over St Patrick's Athletic.[24] He missed 11 games of the 2024 campaign due to injury.[25] He was not in the matchday squad for the 2025 FAI Cup final win over Cork City following a cancer diagnosis, but recorded a video message of support for his teammates in the run up to the game.[26][27]

Style of play

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O'Neill is renowned for his exceptional passing ability, boasting a passing accuracy above 90%. In 2019, he was the only player to complete over 2,000 passes in the season, averaging 71 completed passes per game, accounting for 13% of Shamrock Rovers' total passes.[28]

Personal life

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In April 2026, O'Neill revealed that he had been diagnosed with testicular cancer in October 2025 and had undergone chemotherapy treatment, with the treatment and recovery period keeping him out of action for a long term period.[27][29]

Career statistics

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As of match played on 5 October 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup[a] League Cup[b] Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Port Vale 2013–14[30] League One 000000—0000
Southport (loan) 2013–14[31] Conference 40————40
Hereford United 2014–15 Southern League
Premier Division		 000011—2[c]031
UCD 2015[31] LOI First Division 25310104[d]03[e]0343
2016[31] LOI First Division 27133110—3[f]23416
2017[31] LOI First Division 1850011—2[f]2218
2018[31] LOI First Division 2793011—003110
2019[31] LOI Premier Division 192—20——212
Total 116327162408414139
Shamrock Rovers 2019[31] LOI Premier Division 11051—3[d]100192
2020[31] LOI Premier Division 12010—2[d]0—150
2021[31] LOI Premier Division 31120—6[g]000391
2022[31] LOI Premier Division 31020—13[h]11[i]0471
2023[31] LOI Premier Division 28010—4[j]000330
2024[31] LOI Premier Division 23010—13[k]01[i]0380
2025[31] LOI Premier Division 13040—3[l]000200
2026[31] LOI Premier Division 0000—000000
Total 1491161—442202114
Career Total 269332327348212435944
  1. ↑ Includes FA Cup & FAI Cup
  2. ↑ Includes EFL Cup, Southern League Cup & League of Ireland Cup
  3. ↑ Appearance(s) in the FA Trophy
  4. 1 2 3 Appearance(s) in the UEFA Europa League
  5. ↑ 2 appearances in the 2015 League of Ireland First Division Playoffs; 1 appearance in the Leinster Senior Cup
  6. 1 2 Appearance(s) in the Leinster Senior Cup
  7. ↑ 2 appearances in the UEFA Champions League; 4 appearances in the UEFA Conference League
  8. ↑ 4 appearances in the UEFA Champions League; 4 appearances, 1 goal in the UEFA Europa League; 5 appearances in the UEFA Conference League
  9. 1 2 Appearance in the President of Ireland's Cup
  10. ↑ 2 appearances in the UEFA Champions League; 2 appearances in the UEFA Europa League
  11. ↑ 4 appearances in the UEFA Champions League; 4 appearances in the UEFA Europa League; 5 appearances in the UEFA Conference League
  12. ↑ 2 appearances in the 2024–25 UEFA Conference League campaign; 1 appearance in the 2025–26 UEFA Conference League campaign

Honours

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References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Gary O Neill". Shamrock Rovers. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  2. ↑ Crean, Dermot (10 July 2015). "Tralee Man Helps UCD To Famous Win In The Europa League". traleetoday.ie. Tralee Today. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  3. ↑ Fallon, John (4 July 2022). "Gary O'Neill urges caution about Kerry FC entry into League of Ireland". irishexaminer.com. Irish Examiner. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  4. ↑ Rice, Mike. "O'Neill the hero for Rovers". independent.ie. Kerryman. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  5. ↑ "The week in pictures". independent.ie. Irish Independent. 22 June 2011. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  6. 1 2 3 Gallagher, Aaron (27 September 2018). "'I've no regrets about my time in England. I'm 23-years-old, doing a degree in UCD and am a league champion'". The 42. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  7. ↑ "Micky Adams wants positive finish to the season". The Sentinel. 18 April 2014. Archived from the original on 20 April 2014. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  8. ↑ Baggaley, Michael; Sherwin, Phil (6 September 2014). "Catch-up on where last season's development players are now". The Sentinel. Archived from the original on 10 September 2014. Retrieved 6 September 2014.
  9. ↑ "Player List Last Update 2 May 2025". Southport FC. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  10. ↑ Rice, Mike (1 November 2021). "O'Neill wins Premier Division title with Shamrock Rovers". independent.ie. Kerryman. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  11. ↑ "Hereford United's results for this season officially expunged by Southern League". The Guardian. 5 January 2015. Retrieved 25 March 2026.
  12. ↑ Fielding, Rob (30 June 2019). "Where are they now: Gary O'Neill". onevalefan.co.uk. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  13. ↑ "Gary O'Neill extratime profile". extratime.com. Extratime. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  14. 1 2 "Dundalk dominate PFAI team of the year". PFAI. 22 October 2015. Archived from the original on 20 November 2018. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
  15. 1 2 "Cork City and Dundalk dominate PFAI team of the year". Irish Examiner. 18 October 2016. Archived from the original on 21 November 2018. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
  16. 1 2 Gallagher, Aaron (11 November 2018). "Double-winner Michael Duffy named PFAI Player of the Year following stellar season with Dundalk". The 42. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
  17. ↑ Donnelly, Dave (11 November 2018). "UCD's Collie O'Neill and Gary O'Neill win First Division Manager and Player of the Year at PFAI Awards". extratime.com. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  18. ↑ "2018 League of Ireland First Division". extratime.com. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  19. ↑ Kearns, David (27 June 2019). "UCD AFC duo Gary O'Neill and Neil Farrugia sign with Shamrock Rovers". ucd.ie. UCD. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  20. ↑ Bennett, Stephen (26 June 2019). "Shamrock Rovers boss Stephen Bradley 'delighted' with new signings Neil Farrugia and Gary O'Neill". independent.ie. Irish Independent. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  21. ↑ "FAI Cup Final: Dundalk's dream of domestic treble dies as Shamrock Rovers win dramatic penalty shoot-out". Irish Independent. 3 November 2019. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  22. ↑ Graham, Brendan. "President's Cup Final Report: Shamrock Rovers 1 - 1 Dundalk (Dundalk win 4-3 on penalties)". extratime.com. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  23. ↑ Fennessy, Paul (11 February 2022). "Memorable return for Jack Byrne as Shamrock Rovers beat Pat's on penalties". The 42. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  24. ↑ Cummiskey, Gavin (9 February 2024). "President's Cup: Shamrock Rovers too strong for St Pat's in season curtain-raiser". The Irish Times. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  25. ↑ Fitzmaurice, Aidan (3 July 2024). "'It was the first time in my career where I couldn't believe this is a different level again' – Shamrock Rovers' Gary O'Neill on clash with Euro 2024 star". Irish Independent. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  26. ↑ Branigan, Peter (9 November 2025). "Gaffney seals the double for Hoops against 10-man Cork". RTE. Retrieved 1 April 2026.
  27. 1 2 "Shamrock Rovers midfielder Gary O'Neill reveals absence from football due to cancer diagnosis". www.independent.ie. 11 April 2026.
  28. ↑ O'Connor, Tom (30 December 2023). "Gary O'Neill: The heartbeat keeping Shamrock Rovers ticking over". extratime.com. Extratime. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
  29. ↑ "Hoops' O'Neill reveals all-clear after cancer diagnosis". 11 April 2026 – via www.rte.ie.
  30. ↑ "Games played by Gary O'Neill in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  31. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Gary O'Neill at Soccerway
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