Garreth O'Connor
Encyclopedia
Garreth O'Connor is an Irish
footballer
, who is currently playing for Football West Premier Division
side Stirling Lions
.
He started out playing for Bannow Celtic in Dublin where he soon caught the attention of Belvedere Boys, a well known schoolboy club. He started his senior career in the Bohemians
"B" team but with a breakthrough to the first team proving elusive, he moved to Shamrock Rovers
making his debut on 14 March 1999 against Derry City
. He then returned to Bohemians where he played for just one season (1999-20), gaining an FAI Cup
Runners up medal before being snapped up on a free transfer by English
Football League One
club AFC Bournemouth
, where he played 168 league games and scored 24 goals.
In May 2005 he moved on a Bosman
transfer to play in the Football League Championship
with Burnley where he played regularly during the 2005-06 season, mainly scoring his goals from set-pieces. One of his most memorable goals was a 25 yard free-kick
against Wolverhampton Wanderers
, in a match which Burnley won 1-0. However, his appearances became less regular during the second half of the season and he spent the 2006-07 season as a little used substitute
and squad player. He did though score Burnley's second goal in the 3-2 defeat at Reading
after coming on as a substitute. He was placed on the transfer list at the end of that season. On 12 June 2007 O'Connor returned to Bournemouth on trial with the possibility of a season long loan. However, this did not happen and he returned to Burnley. There he found himself frozen out of the first-team squad by Steve Cotterill and not even given a squad number. One of new manager Owen Coyle
's first actions in regards his first-team squad was to give O'Connor a first team squad number for the remainder of the 2007-08 season. Nevertheless, O'Connor was released at the end of the season.
On 6 October 2008, O'Connor signed for League Two side Luton Town
after a three week trial. Luton boss Mick Harford
had been impressed by O'Connor's performances in reserve games, scoring three goals in two games. Rather unfortunately, Garreth never made the impact at Kenilworth Road
that had been hoped for, and after just 7 appearances for Luton Town
(3 coming in the League), he was released by manager Mick Harford
as the January 2008 transfer window opened. With money tight, Harford released both Garreth and fellow midfielder Kevin Watson
from their deals, thus freeing up money to bring in some new faces.
On the eve of the 2009 season, O'Connor returned to Dublin and signed for St. Patrick's Athletic after unsuccessful trials with Bohemians and Dundalk
.
Garreth scored a memorable goal in the 2-1 defeat to Steaua Bucureşti in the Europa League play-off during St Pats 2009 European campaign http://www.stpatsfc.com/report.php?report=352.
Agreed a contract with Drogheda along with Glen Fitzpatrick
in January 2010 http://www.herald.ie/sport/soccer/rovers-wrap-up-deal-for-dennehy-2031944.html.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, who is currently playing for Football West Premier Division
Football West
Football West is the state governing body for association football in Western Australia. It is affiliated with the Football Federation Australia, the sport's national governing body...
side Stirling Lions
Stirling Lions
The Stirling Lions Soccer Club is an Australian football club from Perth, Australia currently playing in the Football West Premier League which is one grade lower than the Australian A-League....
.
He started out playing for Bannow Celtic in Dublin where he soon caught the attention of Belvedere Boys, a well known schoolboy club. He started his senior career in the Bohemians
Bohemian F.C.
Bohemian F.C. , more commonly referred to as Bohemians, is a professional football club from Dublin, Ireland. Bohemians compete in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland and are the third most successful club in League of Ireland football history, having won the League of Ireland title 11...
"B" team but with a breakthrough to the first team proving elusive, he moved to Shamrock Rovers
Shamrock Rovers F.C.
Shamrock Rovers Football Club are a professional football club from Dublin, Ireland. They compete in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland and are the most successful club in Irish football history. The club have won the League of Ireland title a record 17 times and the FAI Cup a record 24...
making his debut on 14 March 1999 against Derry City
Derry City F.C.
Derry City Football Club is a professional football club based in Derry, Northern Ireland. It plays in the League of Ireland Premier Division...
. He then returned to Bohemians where he played for just one season (1999-20), gaining an FAI Cup
FAI Cup
The Football Association of Ireland Challenge Cup, known as the FAI Ford Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a knock-out association football competition contested annually by teams from the Republic of Ireland...
Runners up medal before being snapped up on a free transfer by English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Football League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
club AFC Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
, where he played 168 league games and scored 24 goals.
In May 2005 he moved on a Bosman
Bosman ruling
Union Royale Belge des Sociétés de Football Association ASBL v Jean-Marc Bosman is a 1995 European Court of Justice decision concerning freedom of movement for workers, freedom of association, and direct effect of article 39 of the EC Treaty...
transfer to play in the Football League Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
with Burnley where he played regularly during the 2005-06 season, mainly scoring his goals from set-pieces. One of his most memorable goals was a 25 yard free-kick
Direct free kick
A direct free kick is a method of restarting play in a game of association football following a foul. Unlike an indirect free kick, a goal may be scored directly against the opposing side without the ball having first touched another player.-Award:...
against Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
, in a match which Burnley won 1-0. However, his appearances became less regular during the second half of the season and he spent the 2006-07 season as a little used substitute
Substitute (football)
In association football, a substitute is a player who is brought on to the pitch during a match in exchange for an existing player. Substitutions are generally made to replace a player who has become tired or injured, or who is not performing well; there may also be tactical reasons such as...
and squad player. He did though score Burnley's second goal in the 3-2 defeat at Reading
Reading F.C.
Reading Football Club is an English association football club based in the town of Reading, Berkshire who currently play in the Championship...
after coming on as a substitute. He was placed on the transfer list at the end of that season. On 12 June 2007 O'Connor returned to Bournemouth on trial with the possibility of a season long loan. However, this did not happen and he returned to Burnley. There he found himself frozen out of the first-team squad by Steve Cotterill and not even given a squad number. One of new manager Owen Coyle
Owen Coyle
Owen Columba Coyle is a Scottish-born Irish international former professional player and professional association football manager . He is currently the manager of Bolton Wanderers....
's first actions in regards his first-team squad was to give O'Connor a first team squad number for the remainder of the 2007-08 season. Nevertheless, O'Connor was released at the end of the season.
On 6 October 2008, O'Connor signed for League Two side Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
after a three week trial. Luton boss Mick Harford
Mick Harford
Michael Gordon "Mick" Harford , is an English former football player turned manager. He is former manager of Rotherham and Luton Town and has also been caretaker manager of Nottingham Forest and QPR...
had been impressed by O'Connor's performances in reserve games, scoring three goals in two games. Rather unfortunately, Garreth never made the impact at Kenilworth Road
Kenilworth Road
Kenilworth Road Stadium is a football stadium in Luton, Bedfordshire, England. It has been home to Luton Town Football Club since 1905, when financial complications forced the club to leave its previous location at Dunstable Road...
that had been hoped for, and after just 7 appearances for Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
(3 coming in the League), he was released by manager Mick Harford
Mick Harford
Michael Gordon "Mick" Harford , is an English former football player turned manager. He is former manager of Rotherham and Luton Town and has also been caretaker manager of Nottingham Forest and QPR...
as the January 2008 transfer window opened. With money tight, Harford released both Garreth and fellow midfielder Kevin Watson
Kevin Watson
Kevin Edward Watson is a former professional footballer, turned coach and sports broadcaster. He can now regularly be seen as a touchline pundit for Sky Sports show Soccer Saturday.-Football career:...
from their deals, thus freeing up money to bring in some new faces.
On the eve of the 2009 season, O'Connor returned to Dublin and signed for St. Patrick's Athletic after unsuccessful trials with Bohemians and Dundalk
Dundalk F.C.
Dundalk Football Club is a professional Irish football club based in Dundalk, County Louth. The club currently play in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland. Founded in 1903, they are the second most successful team, in terms of trophies won, in the history of the League of Ireland. The...
.
Garreth scored a memorable goal in the 2-1 defeat to Steaua Bucureşti in the Europa League play-off during St Pats 2009 European campaign http://www.stpatsfc.com/report.php?report=352.
Agreed a contract with Drogheda along with Glen Fitzpatrick
Glen Fitzpatrick
Glen Fitzpatrick is an Irish football player who currently plays for Broadford Rovers in the Leinster Senior League ....
in January 2010 http://www.herald.ie/sport/soccer/rovers-wrap-up-deal-for-dennehy-2031944.html.