Michael O'Connor (footballer born 1960)
Encyclopedia
Michael O'Connor is a former Irish
soccer player.
He made his League of Ireland
debut for Athlone Town on 4 March 1979. During his time at St Mels Park he was twice top scorer in the League of Ireland in 1981/82 and 1984/85 http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/iertops.html. Is the all time leading scorer for Athlone.
On 25 February 1981, he played for Republic of Ireland U21
at Anfield
.
Signed for Shamrock Rovers in October 1985 and made his debut in a 3-0 win over Bohemians on the 27th. He scored his first goal for the Hoops on the 17th of November at Home Farm. Played in a memorable friendly win over Arsenal in February 1986 when his fellow Athlone man and ex teammate Noel Larkin
scored the winner. He played no part of the 1986/87 season due to a broken leg. Made 1 appearance in the European Cup in September 1987.
Left in October 1987 to sign for his brother Turlough O'Connor at Dundalk where he stayed for one season before returning to his hometown club.
In May 1992 he was appointed player manager of Ireland's oldest club http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/1992/0513/Pg017.html#Ar01707:2826223216612EF6A83226BD2B87AE2EB7C427A5C92826092825C931460923D6B42616C929568A2A169F2A168A2A469F2A468A2D669F25079E25C7B325D79E25F7B325F79E2927B323C7BB2487D02487BB24B7D024B7BB27C7D023D68728669D
In his second season he guided them to promotion.
In May 1995 he scored the decisive penalty to keep Athlone in the Premier Division http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/1995/0508/Pg026.html#Ar02603:3866D53B46EA46D6DE4A36F653D75455D76258E7005BF7154FD70E50872450870E50A72450A70E53772456777F56F78D56F77F57178D57177F59278D54D7CB5557DA5557CB5577DA5577CB5787DA3326D537A6EA33D7B636F7CB4166DE4686F643A70D46471B4B479A4BE7B24BE79C4C27B14C479A4E77B24217C74537DD51770052271552370054971550975453A762
However they got relegated by penalties the following year with Michael retiring as a player and resigning as manager. Athlone have languished in the First Division since then.
He was appointed manager again for a second spell for the 2006 season. His first game in charge was also the clubs first game at their new stadium in Lissywoollen but he resigned in July 2007 http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2007/0706/athlonetown.html
The O'Connor name is synonymous with Athlone Town as another brother Padraig O'Connor
played for the club.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
soccer player.
He made his League of Ireland
League of Ireland
The League of Ireland is the national association football league of the Republic of Ireland. Founded in 1921, as a league of eight clubs, it has expanded over time into a two-tiered league of 22 clubs. It is currently split into the League of Ireland Premier Division and the League of Ireland...
debut for Athlone Town on 4 March 1979. During his time at St Mels Park he was twice top scorer in the League of Ireland in 1981/82 and 1984/85 http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/iertops.html. Is the all time leading scorer for Athlone.
On 25 February 1981, he played for Republic of Ireland U21
Republic of Ireland national under-21 football team
The Republic of Ireland national under-21 football team, is the national under-21 football team of the Republic of Ireland and is controlled by the Football Association of Ireland and competes in the biennial European Under-21 Football Championship and has competed since 1978.-Competition...
at Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
.
Signed for Shamrock Rovers in October 1985 and made his debut in a 3-0 win over Bohemians on the 27th. He scored his first goal for the Hoops on the 17th of November at Home Farm. Played in a memorable friendly win over Arsenal in February 1986 when his fellow Athlone man and ex teammate Noel Larkin
Noel Larkin
Noel Larkin is a former Irish footballer who played for Athlone Town, Shamrock Rovers and Derry City.Noel made his debut in 1971 at Tolka Park against Shelbourne as a left back...
scored the winner. He played no part of the 1986/87 season due to a broken leg. Made 1 appearance in the European Cup in September 1987.
Left in October 1987 to sign for his brother Turlough O'Connor at Dundalk where he stayed for one season before returning to his hometown club.
In May 1992 he was appointed player manager of Ireland's oldest club http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/1992/0513/Pg017.html#Ar01707:2826223216612EF6A83226BD2B87AE2EB7C427A5C92826092825C931460923D6B42616C929568A2A169F2A168A2A469F2A468A2D669F25079E25C7B325D79E25F7B325F79E2927B323C7BB2487D02487BB24B7D024B7BB27C7D023D68728669D
In his second season he guided them to promotion.
In May 1995 he scored the decisive penalty to keep Athlone in the Premier Division http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/1995/0508/Pg026.html#Ar02603:3866D53B46EA46D6DE4A36F653D75455D76258E7005BF7154FD70E50872450870E50A72450A70E53772456777F56F78D56F77F57178D57177F59278D54D7CB5557DA5557CB5577DA5577CB5787DA3326D537A6EA33D7B636F7CB4166DE4686F643A70D46471B4B479A4BE7B24BE79C4C27B14C479A4E77B24217C74537DD51770052271552370054971550975453A762
However they got relegated by penalties the following year with Michael retiring as a player and resigning as manager. Athlone have languished in the First Division since then.
He was appointed manager again for a second spell for the 2006 season. His first game in charge was also the clubs first game at their new stadium in Lissywoollen but he resigned in July 2007 http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2007/0706/athlonetown.html
The O'Connor name is synonymous with Athlone Town as another brother Padraig O'Connor
Padraig O'Connor
Padraig O'Connor was an Irish soccer player in the League of Ireland during the 1970s and 1980s.He played for Bohemians from 1973 to 1978 winning 2 league titles and making 147 league appearances , scoring 11 goals. He also made 14 appearances in European competition for the club scoring 1 goal in...
played for the club.
Honours
- League of IrelandLeague of IrelandThe League of Ireland is the national association football league of the Republic of Ireland. Founded in 1921, as a league of eight clubs, it has expanded over time into a two-tiered league of 22 clubs. It is currently split into the League of Ireland Premier Division and the League of Ireland...
: 3- Athlone Town F.C. 1980/81, 1982/83
- Shamrock Rovers F.C.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...
1985/86
- FAI CupFAI CupThe 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...
:1- DundalkDundalkDundalk is the county town of County Louth in Ireland. It is situated where the Castletown River flows into Dundalk Bay. The town is close to the border with Northern Ireland and equi-distant from Dublin and Belfast. The town's name, which was historically written as Dundalgan, has associations...
1988
- Dundalk
- League of Ireland Cup: 3
- Athlone Town F.C. 1979/80, 1981/82, 1982/83
Sources
- The Hoops by Paul Doolan and Robert Goggins (ISBN 0-7171-2121-6)