Craig O'Reilly

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Craig O'Reilly

| image =

| fullname = Craig Michael O'Reilly

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1987|9|20|df=y}}

| birth_place = Edinburgh, Scotland

| height =

| position = Striker

| youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2003

| youthclubs1 = Raith Rovers "D" form U16

| years1 = 2003–2005

| clubs1 = Raith Rovers

| caps1 = 11

| goals1 = 1

| years2 = 2004

| clubs2 = → Montrose (loan)

| caps2 = 10

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2005–2007

| clubs3 = Dundee

| caps3 = 15

| goals3 = 3

| years4 = 2006–2007

| clubs4 = → East Fife (loan)

| caps4 = 31

| goals4 = 13

| years5 = 2007–2008

| clubs5 = East Fife

| caps5 = 41

| goals5 = 3

| years6 = 2009

| clubs6 = Clyde

| caps6 = 3

| goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2009

| clubs7 = → Montrose (loan)

| caps7 = 8

| goals7 = 3

| years8 = 2009–2010

| clubs8 = Stenhousemuir

| caps8 = 10

| goals8 = 0

| years9 = 2010

| clubs9 = Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic

| caps9 =

| goals9 =

| years10 = 2010–2011

| clubs10 = Berwick Rangers

| caps10 = 21

| goals10 = 6

| years11 = 2012

| clubs11 = Penicuik Athletic

| caps11 = 11

| goals11 = 3

| years12 = 2012

| clubs12 = Ballingry Rovers

| caps12 =

| goals12 =

| years13 = 2012–2014

| clubs13 = Newtongrange Star

| caps13 =

| goals13 =

| years14 = 2014–2015

| clubs14 = Kelty Hearts

| caps14 =

| goals14 =

| years15 = 2015–2016

| clubs15 = Dalkeith Thistle

| caps15 =

| goals15 =

| years16 = 2016–2018

| clubs16 = Tynecastle

| caps16 =

| goals16 =

| years17 = 2018–2019

| clubs17 = Gala Fairydean Rovers

| caps17 =

| goals17 =

| years18 = 2020–2021

| clubs18 = Newtongrange Star

| caps18 =

| goals18 =

| nationalyears1 = 2005

| nationalteam1 = Scotland U-19

| nationalcaps1 = 2

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| club-update = 16:00, 24 April 2021 (UTC)

| ntupdate =

}}

Craig Michael O'Reilly (born 20 September 1987) is a Scottish former footballer.

He has previously played in the Scottish Football League First Division for Raith Rovers, Dundee and Clyde.

Career

O'Reilly began his career with Raith Rovers. He made his senior debut aged 16, scoring a goal in a 1–1 draw with Brechin City in May 2004, securing Raith's First Division future in the process.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/scot_div_1/3691491.stm|title=Raith 1–1 Brechin C|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=31 December 2008 | date=8 May 2004}} In August 2004, he joined Montrose on a loan deal until the end of the year.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/r/raith_rovers/3573292.stm|title=O'Reilly moves to Montrose|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=31 December 2008 | date=17 August 2004}}

O'Reilly signed for Dundee in July 2005, and was named Scottish Football League Young Player of the Month for December 2005, after scoring 3 goals in 3 games.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/stirling_albion/4613744.stm|title=O'Reilly given young player award|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=31 December 2008 | date=14 January 2006}} He was also called up to the Scotland under-19 squad at this time.{{cite news|title=UNDER 19s TO FACE DANES|url=http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/scottish_fa_news.cfm?page=2986&newsCategoryID=39&newsID=1612|accessdate=10 August 2014|publisher=Scottish Football Association|date=26 August 2005}} He spent the whole of the 2006–07 season on loan at East Fife, and the move was made permanent in May 2007.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/e/east_fife/6709397.stm|title=East Fife make O'Reilly permanent|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=31 December 2008 | date=31 May 2007}} In a Scottish League Cup tie in August 2007, O'Reilly's wonder goal saw Third Division East Fife defeat Premier League St Mirren 1–0 away from home, in a cup giant killing.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/scot_cups/6965521.stm|title=St Mirren 0–1 East Fife|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=31 December 2008 | date=28 August 2007}} O'Reilly left East Fife in December 2008, after finding first team chances limited.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/e/east_fife/7800421.stm|title=Strike pair make New Bayview exit|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=31 December 2008 | date=26 December 2008}}

He made the step up to the Scottish First Division in January 2009, signing a six-month contract with Clyde.{{cite web|url=http://www.clydefc.co.uk/news/2008/12/31/2976/|title=O'Reilly joins the Bully Wee|publisher=Clyde F.C.|accessdate=31 December 2008}} He made his debut in a 4–2 defeat against Partick Thistle on 3 January.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/scot_div_1/7805447.stm|title=Clyde 2–4 Partick Thistle|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=3 January 2009 | date=3 January 2009}} He joined Montrose on loan for the second time in his career, in March 2009, until the end of the season.{{cite web|url=http://www.clydefc.co.uk/news/2009/03/20/3073/|title=Craig joins the Gable Endies|publisher=Clyde F.C.|accessdate=20 March 2009}} O'Reilly was released by Clyde in June 2009 along with the rest of the out of contract players, due to the club's financial position.{{cite web|url=http://www.clydefc.co.uk/news/2009/06/02/3173/|title=Players Released|publisher=Clyde F.C.|accessdate=2 June 2009}} O'Reilly moved on to Stenhousemuir but failed to hold down a starting place. He joined his hometown club Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic in January 2010 while considering a move to America, but returned to the SFL with Berwick Rangers the following summer.{{cite news|title=Rangers kick off friendlies with defeat at Blyth|url=http://www.berwick-advertiser.co.uk/news/rangers-kick-off-friendlies-with-defeat-at-blyth-1-234682|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140812030037/http://www.berwick-advertiser.co.uk/news/rangers-kick-off-friendlies-with-defeat-at-blyth-1-234682|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 August 2014|accessdate=10 August 2014|work=Berwick Advertiser|date=14 July 2010}}{{cite news|title=O'Reilly on a roll|url=http://spfl.co.uk/news/article/oreilly-on-a-role/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140812030026/http://spfl.co.uk/news/article/oreilly-on-a-role/|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 August 2014|accessdate=10 August 2014|publisher=Scottish Professional Football League|date=17 September 2010}}

A cruciate ligament injury picked up whilst jogging in March 2011 ended O'Reilly's career at Berwick but he returned to the Junior game with Penicuik Athletic in January 2012.{{cite news|title=O'Reilly out for season|url=http://spfl.co.uk/news/article/oreilly-out-for-season/|accessdate=10 August 2014|publisher=Scottish Professional Football League|date=22 March 2011|archive-date=26 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180326064103/https://spfl.co.uk/news/article/oreilly-out-for-season/|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|last1=Dempster|first1=Martin|title=Striker pushing for Penicuik start after return from injury|url=http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/local-football/striker-pushing-for-penicuik-start-after-return-from-injury-1-2054654|accessdate=10 August 2014|work=Edinburgh Evening News|date=13 January 2012|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304085139/http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/local-football/striker-pushing-for-penicuik-start-after-return-from-injury-1-2054654|url-status=dead}} He then had a short spell at Ballingry Rovers before signing for Newtongrange Star in October 2012.{{cite news|title=Rovers have eyes on Super League already|url=http://www.centralfifetimes.com/sport/matchreports/articles/2012/07/25/432559-rovers-have-eyes-on-super-league-already/|accessdate=10 August 2014|work=Central Fife Times|date=25 July 2012}}{{cite tweet |author= Steven Tait |user= Nitten_Star|number= 260825221697765376 |date= 23 October 2012 |title= Newtongrange Star sign Craig O'Reilly |accessdate= 10 August 2014 }}

O'Reilly joined Kelty Hearts in June 2014.{{cite news|title=Kelty Hearts clinch survival and four new signings|url=http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/sport/juniors/articles/2014/06/20/502076-kelty-hearts-clinch-survival-and-four-new-signings/|accessdate=10 August 2014|work=Dunfermline Press|date=20 June 2014}} He later had a spell at hometown club Dalkeith Thistle before moving on to East of Scotland League side Tynecastle in June 2016.{{cite web|title=Jags sign new striker|url=http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/dalkeiththistle/news/new-signing-craig-oreilly-1524582.html|website=Dalkeith Thistle Community Football Club|publisher=Dalkeith Thistle FC|accessdate=5 July 2016|date=4 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816195302/http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/dalkeiththistle/news/new-signing-craig-oreilly-1524582.html|archive-date=16 August 2016|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=Jags striker leaves the club|url=http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/dalkeiththistle/news/transfer-news-craig-oreilly-1633621.html|website=Dalkeith Thistle Community Football Club|publisher=Dalkeith Thistle FC|accessdate=5 July 2016|date=22 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816192550/http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/dalkeiththistle/news/transfer-news-craig-oreilly-1633621.html|archive-date=16 August 2016|url-status=dead}}

O'Reilly joined Gala Fairdean Rovers in 2018{{Cite web|title=GFRwelcome |url=https://twitter.com/fairydeanrovers/status/1043106300119470080|access-date=2020-06-29|via=Twitter|language=en}} and returned to Newtongrange Star in 2020,{{Cite web|title=** Signing News **|url=https://twitter.com/nittenstar1890/status/1256668531141328896|access-date=2020-06-29|via=Twitter|language=en}}

O'Reilly announced his retirement from football on 17 April 2021.{{Cite web|title=Enjoy your retirement from a brilliant career|url=https://twitter.com/nittenstar1890/status/1383343001489928198|access-date=2021-04-24|via=Twitter|language=en}}