Conor Kearns Explained

Conor Kearns
Fullname:Conor Kearns
Birth Date:1998 5, df=y
Birth Place:Dublin, Ireland
Currentclub:Shelbourne
Clubnumber:1
Position:Goalkeeper
Youthclubs1:Templeogue United
Youthyears2:2015–2017
Youthclubs2:UCD
Years1:2016–2019
Clubs1:UCD
Caps1:55
Goals1:0
Years2:2020  
Clubs2:St Patrick's Athletic
Caps2:0
Goals2:0
Years3:2021–2022
Clubs3:Galway United
Caps3:55
Goals3:0
Years4:2023–
Clubs4:Shelbourne
Caps4:57
Goals4:0
Nationalyears1:2019
Nationalteam1:Republic of Ireland U21
Nationalcaps1:1
Nationalgoals1:0
Pcupdate:00:56, 19 June 2024

Conor Kearns (born 6 May 1998) is an Irish professional footballer who plays for League of Ireland Premier Division club Shelbourne. He previously spent 5 years with UCD, as well as a season with St Patrick's Athletic and 2 seasons with Galway United.

Club career

Early career

Raised in the Dublin suburb of Templeogue, Kearns started playing football with his local side Templeogue United. He signed for UCD in 2015, playing for their under 19 side for the 2015, 2016 and 2017 seasons. In April 2017, Kearns scored a Bicycle kick in the 92nd minute away to Cork City under 19's.[1] [2] The goal went viral and later featured on popular TV show Soccer AM.[3] He was part of the squad that won the League of Ireland U19 Division in September 2016.[4] He featured in both legs of UCD's UEFA Youth League tie against Molde FK of Norway in September/October 2017. The first leg saw his side win 2–1,[5] while they lost 2–1 away from home in the second leg before losing 5–4 on penalties, despite Kearns saving one of Molde's penalties.[6]

UCD

Kearns' first involvement with the UCD senior team came towards the end of the 2016 season, when he was named in the matchday squad but remained as an unused substitute in 7 games.[7] Although he again didn't make an appearance, 2017 saw him take another step closer to the number 1 shirt, as he was second choice keeper for much of the year, remaining an unused substitute in 22 of his side's 28 league games.[7] He made his debut at senior level on the opening night of the 2018 League of Ireland First Division, in a 2–1 win over Dublin rivals Shelbourne.[8] On 14 September 2018, Kearns and his UCD side drew 1–1 with Finn Harps to win the League of Ireland First Division.[9] He made 32 appearances in all competitions over the season.[7] The 2019 season was Kearns' first season at League of Ireland Premier Division level. With such a young squad, coupled with the mid-season departure of many of the team's better players including Gary O'Neill, Neil Farrugia & Conor Davis, meant the side were in a relegation battle with Finn Harps for the entirety of the season. On 15 July 2019, UCD beat Bohemians 1–0 at the UCD Bowl.[10] After the match, Kearns celebrated in front of the Bohemians fans who had been booing him for what they perceived as time wasting, which Bohs captain Derek Pender confronted Kearns over his celebrations which resulted in a brawl on the pitch between both sets of players, while Kearns had bottles thrown at him from the visiting supporters who also tried to attack him as he left the pitch.[11] [12] [13] For their part in the brawl, both Kearns and Pender were sent off by referee Derek Tomney which resulted in one match bans but Kearns was given an additional 5 game ban, with Pender receiving an additional 3 games.[14] [15] Speaking on the incident, Kearns denied any deliberate time wasting, stating I was playing the game with an injury and whenever I went down to get treatment, there was no way it was timewasting – it would’ve been pushing it to say it was that, but they were on my case any chance they got. But, in terms of having to justify it, there’s a lot of people who have been in the situation I have been in that hasn’t had to deal with the same backlash that I have. So, to a degree, you can feel unfortunate, but at the end of the day it was handbags. Nobody was hurt, there was no real malice – there was just pushing and shoving but it was probably a bit unfortunate and naïve on my part..[16] UCD were later awarded a 3–0 win as Bohemians had fielded an ineligible player, the suspended Danny Mandroiu.[17] Kearns made a total of 33 appearances in all competitions as UCD were relegated after finishing bottom of the league with just 19 points.[18]

St Patrick's Athletic

On 27 November 2019, it was announced that Kearns had signed for St Patrick's Athletic, under new manager Stephen O'Donnell, joining former UCD teammate Jason McClelland who had signed a few weeks earlier.[19] Due to the postponement of football in Ireland as a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, Kearns had to wait until 10 August 2020 to make his competitive debut for the club, a 1–0 loss away to Finn Harps in the FAI Cup.[20] This proved to be his only appearance over the course of what was a shortened season, due to the form of first choice keeper Brendan Clarke, who was voted Player of the Year. On 26 November 2020, Kearns announced that he had left the club, following the end of his contract.[21]

Galway United

Kearns signed for League of Ireland First Division club Galway United on 23 January 2021, under manager John Caulfield.[22] He made his debut for the club on the opening night of the season in a 0–0 draw with Shelbourne on 26 March 2021 at Eamonn Deacy Park.[23]

Personal life

Kearns' mother Pamela is a Labour Party councillor in the Templeogue Rathfarnham constituency. He spoke in May 2019 about helping with canvassing for his mother in the run up to elections.[24]

International career

Kearns made his debut for the Republic of Ireland U21s on 6 February 2019, playing in a friendly against Republic of Ireland Ametuers and keeping a clean sheet in a 1–0 win.[25] On 21 May 2019, he was named in the 2019 Toulon Tournament squad by manager Stephen Kenny.[26] He played in the 3rd/4th place playoff against Mexico U23s, replacing Caoimhín Kelleher in the 64th minute as Ireland drew 0–0 but lost 4–3 on penalties despite Kearns saving Érick Aguirre's penalty in the shootout.[27] Kearns along with fellow St Patrick's Athletic teammates Lee Desmond and Shane Griffin, was called up to train with the Republic of Ireland senior squad on 31 August 2020, in what was new manager Stephen Kenny's first training session with the squad.[28]

Career statistics

[29]

ClubSeasonLeagueNational CupLeague CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
UCD2016LOI First Division0000000000
20170000000000
2018250402010320
2019[30] LOI Premier Division300100020330
Total550502030650
St Patrick's Athletic2020LOI Premier Division001010
Galway United2021LOI First Division2301020260
20223200030350
Total5501050610
Shelbourne2023[31] LOI Premier Division3501000360
Career Total14508020801630

Honours

Club

(1)

Individual

2023

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Believe it when you see it! UCD keeper scores equalising bicycle-kick in injury-time. Emma. Duffy. The42.
  2. Web site: Extratime.com - Extratime.ie - Live Updates - 2017 U19 Southern Elite Division - Cork City U19 -v- UCD U19. www.extratime.com.
  3. Web site: Conor Kearns on Soccer AM! - UCD AFC Official Website. www.ucdsoccer.com.
  4. Web site: Under 19 Champions!! - UCD AFC Official Website. www.ucdsoccer.com.
  5. Web site: Extratime.com - Extratime.ie - Live Updates - 2017/18 UEFA Youth League First Round - UCD U19 -v- Molde FK U19. www.extratime.com.
  6. Web site: Extratime.com - Extratime.ie - Live Updates - 2017/18 UEFA Youth League First Round - Molde FK U19 -v- UCD U19. www.extratime.com.
  7. Web site: Republic of Ireland - C. Kearns - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway. ie.soccerway.com.
  8. Web site: League Report: UCD 2 - 1 Shelbourne. ExtraTime.com.
  9. News: UCD top of the class as they make return to Premier Division. Emmet Malone at UCD. Bowl. The Irish Times.
  10. Web site: League Report: UCD 1 - 0 Bohemians. ExtraTime.com.
  11. Web site: UCD goalkeeper Kearns and Bohs fans spark ugly scenes after 1-0 win. Eamon. Doggett. 16 July 2019. DublinLive.
  12. Watch: UCD goalkeeper irks Bohemians as melee ensues. 16 July 2019. www.rte.ie.
  13. Web site: 2019-07-16. Watch: Bohs Fans Attack UCD Keeper Conor Kearns After Losing 1-0. 2021-06-07. Extra.ie. en-GB.
  14. Kearns and Pender given additional bans after clash. 1 August 2019. www.rte.ie.
  15. Web site: Lengthy bans dished out for League of Ireland fracas. Ben. Blake. The42.
  16. Web site: Conor Kearns: "I had probably never played in that hostile of an environment before". ExtraTime.com.
  17. Bohs fined and UCD scoreline changed over banned player. 18 July 2019. www.rte.ie.
  18. Web site: Summary - Premier Division - Republic of Ireland - Results, fixtures, tables and news - Soccerway. us.soccerway.com.
  19. Web site: Ireland U21 keeper Conor Kearns joins St Patrick's Athletic from UCD. independent.
  20. Web site: Finn Harps (1) - St Patrick's Athletic (0). www.stpatsfc.com.
  21. Web site: Thanks to everyone who helped me during my time at @stpatsfc, time for a new challenge now ⚽. live. 2021-06-07. Twitter. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20201126180113/https://twitter.com/ConorKearns98/status/1332021488229232641 . 26 November 2020 .
  22. Web site: Conor Kearns heads west to join Galway United. 23 January 2021.
  23. Web site: League Report: Galway United 0 - 0 Shelbourne. ExtraTime.com.
  24. Web site: UCD's Conor Kearns accepts he comes second best to his mum at election time. Paul. Dowling. 17 May 2019. Irish Mirror.
  25. Web site: Ireland U21s Home-based squad draw with Irish Amateurs | Football Association of Ireland. www.fai.ie.
  26. Web site: Ireland U21: Kenny names Toulon tournament squad | Football Association of Ireland. www.fai.ie.
  27. Web site: Festival International Espoirs Football Tournoi Maurice Revello Toulon. festival-foot-espoirs.com.
  28. Web site: Saints Trio Train With Ireland Squad. www.stpatsfc.com.
  29. Web site: Republic of Ireland – C.Kearns. Soccerway. 28 November 2019.
  30. Web site: Conor Kearns Football Stats Shelbourne Season 2019/2020 Soccer Base . 2023-06-05 . www.soccerbase.com.
  31. Web site: Conor Kearns Football Stats Shelbourne Season 2023/2024 Soccer Base . 2023-06-05 . www.soccerbase.com.