Gary O'Neill (footballer, born 1995)
{{short description|Irish footballer (born 1995)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{For|similarly named people|Gary O'Neill (disambiguation){{!}}Gary O'Neill}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Gary O'Neill{{cite web |title=Gary O Neill |url=https://www.shamrockrovers.ie/player/gary-oneill/ |website=Shamrock Rovers |access-date=25 March 2025}}
| image =
| caption =
| fullname =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1995|01|27|df=y}}
| birth_place = Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland
| position = Midfielder
| currentclub = Shamrock Rovers
| clubnumber = 24
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Kingdom Boys
| youthyears2 = 2009–2013
| youthclubs2 = Wolverhampton Wanderers
| youthyears3 = 2013–2014
| youthclubs3 = Port Vale
| years1 = 2014
| clubs1 = Port Vale
| caps1 = 0
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2014
| clubs2 = → Southport (loan)
| caps2 = 4
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2014–2015
| clubs3 = Hereford United
| caps3 = 0
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2015–2019
| clubs4 = UCD
| caps4 = 116
| goals4 = 32
| years5 = 2019–
| clubs5 = Shamrock Rovers
| caps5 = 140
| goals5 = 1
| nationalyears1 = 2010
| nationalteam1 = Republic of Ireland U15
| nationalcaps1 = 2
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2011–2012
| nationalteam2 = Republic of Ireland U17
| nationalcaps2 = 6
| nationalgoals2 = 1
| club-update = 11:40, 25 March 2025 (UTC)
}}
Gary O'Neill is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for League of Ireland Premier Division club Shamrock Rovers.
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 won the Premier Division in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023. He also won the FAI Cup in 2019 and the President of Ireland's Cup in 2022 and 2024.
Career
=Early career=
A native of Caherslee, Tralee, County Kerry, O'Neill played for Kingdom Boys as a youth.{{cite web |last1=Crean |first1=Dermot |title=Tralee Man Helps UCD To Famous Win In The Europa League |url=https://traleetoday.ie/tralee-man/ |website=traleetoday.ie |publisher=Tralee Today |access-date=25 March 2025}} His father, Tony, was a founding member of Tralee Dynamos.{{cite web |last1=Fallon |first1=John |title=Gary O'Neill urges caution about Kerry FC entry into League of Ireland |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/arid-40910465.html |website=irishexaminer.com |publisher=Irish Examiner |access-date=25 March 2025}} Following impressive displays in the Kennedy Cup, he joined the Academy at English Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers at Wolverhampton Wanderers.{{cite web |last1=Rice |first1=Mike |title=O'Neill the hero for Rovers |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/kerry/sport/soccer/oneill-the-hero-for-rovers/38665368.html |website=independent.ie |publisher=Kerryman |access-date=25 March 2025}}{{cite web |title=The week in pictures |url=https://www.independent.ie/news/the-week-in-pictures/27408595.html |website=independent.ie |publisher=Irish Independent |access-date=25 March 2025}} He spent four years with Wolves, where manager Mick McCarthy had an influx of Irish youngsters.{{cite news |last1=Gallagher |first1=Aaron |title='I've no regrets about my time in England. I'm 23-years-old, doing a degree in UCD and am a league champion' |url=https://www.the42.ie/gary-oneill-ucd-league-of-ireland-interview-sse-airtricity-league-fai-cup-semi-finals-4254942-Sep2018/ |access-date=25 March 2025 |work=The 42 |date=27 September 2018 |language=en}}
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.{{cite news|title=Micky Adams wants positive finish to the season|url=http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Port-Vale/story-20977540-detail/story.html|access-date=21 April 2014|newspaper=The Sentinel|date=18 April 2014|archive-date=20 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140420005457/http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Port-Vale/story-20977540-detail/story.html|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|last1=Baggaley|first1=Michael|first2=Phil|last2=Sherwin|title=Catch-up on where last season's development players are now|url=http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Port-Vale-Catch-season-s-development-players/story-22884938-detail/story.html|access-date=6 September 2014|work=The Sentinel|date=6 September 2014}}
In September 2014, O'Neill joined Hereford United.{{cite web |last1=Rice |first1=Mike |title=O'Neill wins Premier Division title with Shamrock Rovers |url=https://www.independent.ie/regionals/kerry/sport/soccer/oneill-wins-premier-division-title-with-shamrock-rovers/41005214.html |website=independent.ie |publisher=Kerryman |access-date=25 March 2025}} He left Hereford in December 2014, when they were wound up as a club, with all league results and league appearances expunged.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/jan/05/hereford-playing-record-expunged-southern-league|title=Hereford United's results for this season officially expunged by Southern League|first=Guardian|last=sport|date=5 January 2015|via=The Guardian}} He was not paid his full wages.{{cite news |last1=Fielding |first1=Rob |title=Where are they now: Gary O'Neill |url=https://www.onevalefan.co.uk/2019/06/where-are-they-now-aziz-deen-conteh/ |access-date=25 March 2025 |work=onevalefan.co.uk |date=30 June 2019}}
=UCD=
O'Neill returned to Ireland in February 2015, signing with UCD where manager Pat Devlin was a friend of his father. He obtained a degree in sports management whilst at the university. 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.{{cite web |title=Gary O'Neill extratime profile |url=https://www.extratime.com/player/detailed/11119416/gary_oneill/ |website=extratime.com |publisher=Extratime |access-date=25 March 2025}}
=Shamrock Rovers=
In June 2019, O'Neill signed with Shamrock Rovers.{{cite web |last1=Kearns |first1=David |title=UCD AFC duo Gary O'Neill and Neil Farrugia sign with Shamrock Rovers |url=https://www.ucd.ie/newsandopinion/news/2019/june/27/ucdafcduogaryoneillandneilfarrugiasignwithshamrockrovers/ |website=ucd.ie |publisher=UCD |access-date=25 March 2025}} 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.{{cite web |last1=Bennett |first1=Stephen |title=Shamrock Rovers boss Stephen Bradley 'delighted' with new signings Neil Farrugia and Gary O'Neill |url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/league-of-ireland/shamrock-rovers-boss-stephen-bradley-delighted-with-new-signings-neil-farrugia-and-gary-oneill/38257315.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com |website=independent.ie |publisher=Irish Independent |access-date=25 March 2025}} 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/league-of-ireland/fai-cup-final-dundalks-dream-of-domestic-treble-dies-as-shamrock-rovers-win-dramatic-penalty-shoot-out/38656699.html|title=FAI Cup Final: Dundalk's dream of domestic treble dies as Shamrock Rovers win dramatic penalty shoot-out|date=3 November 2019|website=Irish Independent}}
Style of play
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.{{cite web |last1=O'Connor |first1=Tom |title=Gary O'Neill: The heartbeat keeping Shamrock Rovers ticking over |url=https://www.extratime.com/articles/32471/gary-oneill-the-heartbeat-keeping-shamrock-rovers-ticking-over/ |website=extratime.com |publisher=Extratime |access-date=25 March 2025}}
Career statistics
{{updated|match played on 7 March 2025}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National Cup{{efn|Includes FA Cup & FAI Cup}} !colspan="2"|League Cup{{efn|Includes EFL Cup, Southern League Cup & League of Ireland Cup}} !colspan="2"|Europe !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Port Vale
|2013–14{{Soccerbase season|74170|2013|accessdate=1 August 2023}} |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Southport (loan)
|2013–14{{Soccerway|gary-oneil/326238}} |4 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 4 | 0 | |||||
| Hereford United
|Southern League |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | 2{{efn|Appearance(s) in the FA Trophy|name=statsFAT}} | 0 | 3 | 1 | ||
| rowspan="6"|UCD
|2015 |25 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4{{efn|Appearance(s) in the UEFA Europa League|name=statsUEL}} | 0 | 3{{efn|2 appearances in the 2015 League of Ireland First Division Playoffs; 1 appearance in the Leinster Senior Cup}} | 0 | 34 | 3 | |
| 2016
|LOI First Division |27 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 3{{efn|Appearance(s) in the Leinster Senior Cup|name=statsLSC}} | 2 | 34 | 16 | ||
| 2017
|LOI First Division |18 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | 2{{efn|name=statsLSC}} | 2 | 21 | 8 | ||
| 2018
|LOI First Division |27 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | 31 | 10 | ||
| 2019
|19 | 2 | colspan="2"|— | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 21 | 2 | ||||
| colspan="2"|Total
!116 | 32 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 141 | 39 | |
| rowspan="8"|Shamrock Rovers
|2019 |LOI Premier Division |11 | 0 | 5 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | 3{{efn|name=statsUEL}} | 1 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 2 | ||
| 2020
|LOI Premier Division |12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 2{{efn|name=statsUEL}} | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 15 | 0 | |||
| 2021
|LOI Premier Division |31 | 1 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 6{{efn|2 appearances in the UEFA Champions League; 4 appearances in the UEFA Conference League}} | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 1 | ||
| 2022
|LOI Premier Division |31 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 13{{efn|4 appearances in the UEFA Champions League; 4 appearances, 1 goal in the UEFA Europa League; 5 appearances in the UEFA Conference League}} | 1 | 1{{efn|Appearance in the President of Ireland's Cup|name=statsPOIC}} | 0 | 47 | 1 | ||
| 2023
|LOI Premier Division |28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 4{{efn|2 appearances in the UEFA Champions League; 2 appearances in the UEFA Europa League}} | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 0 | ||
| 2024
|LOI Premier Division |23 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 13{{efn|4 appearances in the UEFA Champions League; 4 appearances in the UEFA Europa League; 5 appearances in the UEFA Conference League}} | 0 | 1{{efn|name=statsPOIC}} | 0 | 38 | 0 | ||
| 2025
|LOI Premier Division |4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 2{{efn|Appearances in the UEFA Conference League}} | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!140 | 1 | 12 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | 43 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 197 | 4 | ||
| colspan="3"|Career Total
!260 | 33 | 19 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 47 | 2 | 12 | 4 | 345 | 44 |
{{notelist}}
Honours
Individual
- PFAI First Division Team of the Year (3): 2015, 2016, 2018{{cite news |url=http://www.pfai.ie/news/nominees-announced-player-year-awards |title=Dundalk dominate PFAI team of the year |publisher=PFAI |date=22 October 2015 |access-date=20 November 2018 |archive-date=20 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181120221200/http://www.pfai.ie/news/nominees-announced-player-year-awards |url-status=live }}{{cite news |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/sport/cork-city-and-dundalk-dominate-pfai-team-of-the-year-759889.html |title=Cork City and Dundalk dominate PFAI team of the year |publisher=Irish Examiner |date=18 October 2016 |access-date=20 November 2018 |archive-date=21 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181121021849/https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/sport/cork-city-and-dundalk-dominate-pfai-team-of-the-year-759889.html |url-status=live }}https://www.the42.ie/michael-duffy-pfai-player-of-the-year-dundalk-league-of-ireland-sse-airtricity-league-4333614-Nov2018/
UCD
Shamrock Rovers
- League of Ireland Premier Division (4): 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
- FAI Cup (1): 2019
- President of Ireland's Cup (2): 2022, 2024
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Shamrock Rovers F.C. squad}}
{{2015 PFAI League of Ireland First Division Team of the Year}}
{{2016 PFAI League of Ireland First Division Team of the Year}}
{{2018 PFAI League of Ireland First Division Team of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:O'Neill, Gary}}
Category:Sportspeople from Tralee
Category:Association footballers from County Kerry
Category:Republic of Ireland men's association footballers
Category:Republic of Ireland men's youth international footballers
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. players
Category:Port Vale F.C. players
Category:Southport F.C. players
Category:Hereford United F.C. players
Category:University College Dublin A.F.C. players
Category:Shamrock Rovers F.C. players
Category:National League (English football) players
Category:League of Ireland players
Category:Republic of Ireland expatriate men's association footballers