Daire O'Connor explained

Daire O'Connor
Fullname:Daire O'Connor
Birth Date:15 April 1997
Birth Place:Arklow, County Wicklow, Ireland
Position:Winger
Currentclub:Hamilton Academical
Clubnumber:23
Youthclubs1:Arklow Town
Youthclubs2:Home Farm
Youthyears3:2014–2016
Youthclubs3:UCD
Years1:2015–2018
Clubs1:UCD
Caps1:73
Goals1:12
Years2:2019–2020
Clubs2:Cork City
Caps2:38
Goals2:4
Years3:2020–2021
Clubs3:Cliftonville
Caps3:37
Goals3:6
Years4:2021–2023
Clubs4:Ayr United
Caps4:49
Goals4:1
Years5:2023–2024
Clubs5:Glentoran
Caps5:35
Goals5:11
Years6:2024–
Clubs6:Hamilton Academical
Caps6:1
Goals6:0
Club-Update:22:53, 3 August 2024

Daire O'Connor is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a winger for Scottish Championship club Hamilton Academical.

Club career

UCD

A native of Arklow,[1] County Wicklow, O'Connor began playing football with his local side Arklow Town and Dublin club Home Farm before joining the Under 19 side of UCD in August 2014.[2] He made his first team debut for the club on 7 March 2015, the opening day of the 2015 League of Ireland First Division season, replacing Dylan Watts in the 89th minute of a 3–0 win over Cobh Ramblers at St Colman's Park.[3] In February 2018, he scored a 93rd minute winner in the final of the Collingwood Cup against QUB.[4] He was part of the side that won the 2018 League of Ireland First Division title, which was confirmed with a 1–1 draw against Finn Harps at the UCD Bowl on 14 September 2018.[5] O'Connor was voted by his fellow League of Ireland First Division players into the PFAI First Division Team of the Year for 2018.[6] He made a total of 86 appearances in all competitions during his 4 seasons at the club, scoring 12 goals.[7] March 2019 saw O'Connor named Colleges and Universities Player of the Year at the FAI International Football Awards for his performances for University College Dublin's Collingwood Cup side.[8]

Cork City

Deaspite leaving UCD at the end of the season, O'Connor still moved up to the League of Ireland Premier Division signing for Cork City ahead of the 2019 season.[9] [10] He made his Premier Division debut in the opening game of the season away to St Patrick's Athletic as his side lost 1–0 at Richmond Park but he did enough to impress the watching Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy who said 'Daire O'Connor, he was the one player who stood out for me, he played very very well I thought. Whether it was on the right or on the left, he went and played in behind the striker. He was the one that stood out.'[11] [12] [13] On 6 October 2020, it was announced that he had left the club, just 5 games before the end of the season after being told he was surplus to requirements by manager Neale Fenn.[14] [15] [16] [17] In the days the announcement, O'Connor revealed that he was 'baffled' at being told he was no longer required at the club following no falling out with his manager, stating 'I didn't expect to go in Monday morning to training and not go back again.'[18] [19] He scored 5 goals in 47 appearances over his 2 seasons at the club.[7]

Cliftonville

O'Connor signed for NIFL Premiership side Cliftonville on 21 October 2020 until the end of the season.[20] [21] In March 2021, Cliftonville manager Paddy McLaughlin called O'Connor 'unplayable' and backed him for a big future in the game.[22] He scored 8 goals in 39 games for the club over the season.[7]

Ayr United

On 28 July 2021, O'Connor signed for Scottish Championship side Ayr United.[23] [24] He made his debut for the club on 2 August 2021 in a 2–0 loss to Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.[25] O'Connor scored his first goal for the club on 14 September 2021, opening the scoring in a 3–0 Scottish Challenge Cup win away to Rangers B.[26] He spent 2 seasons at the club, making a total of 59 appearances in all competitions, scoring twice.

Glentoran

On 24 June 2023, O'Connor signed for NIFL Premiership club Glentoran.[27] He made his debut for the club on 13 July 2023, scoring his first career European goal in a 2–2 draw away to Gżira United of Malta in a UEFA Europa Conference League tie.[28] O'Connor scored 13 goals in 45 appearances in all competitions during his season with the club, as they came 5th in the league.[29]

Hamilton Academical

On 23 July 2024, O'Connor signed a two-year-contract with Scottish Championship side Hamilton Academical.[30]

Career statistics

[31]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational CupLeague CupEuropeOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
UCD2015League of Ireland First Division11200100020142
2016162101020202
2017192000020212
2018276301000316
Total7312403000608612
Cork City2019League of Ireland Premier Division29400101031345
2020902020130
Total38420101051475
Cliftonville2020–21NIFL Premiership3762200398
Ayr United2021–22Scottish Championship240200011271
2022–23251204010321
Total491404021592
Glentoran2023–24NIFL Premiership3511411021304513
Hamilton Academical2024–25Scottish Championship1000200030
Career Total233341631103116227940

Honours

Club

UCD

2018[5]

2018[4]

Individual

2018[6]

2018[8]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Exciting time to be a fan of Wicklow footballers. independent.
  2. Web site: Extratime.com - Extratime.ie - Daire O'Connor. www.extratime.com.
  3. Web site: League Report: Cobh Ramblers 0 - 3 UCD. ExtraTime.com.
  4. Web site: UCD win the Collingwood Cup | Football Association of Ireland. www.fai.ie.
  5. News: UCD top of the class as they make return to Premier Division. Emmet Malone at UCD. Bowl. The Irish Times.
  6. Web site: Double-winner Michael Duffy named PFAI Player of the Year following stellar season with Dundalk. the42.ie. 1 September 2021.
  7. Web site: Republic of Ireland - D. O'Connor - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway. ie.soccerway.com.
  8. News: Shane Duffy named Republic of Ireland Player of the Year. Emmet. Malone. The Irish Times.
  9. Web site: Dáire O'Connor signs for CCFC. 15 November 2018.
  10. News: Cork City capture star midfielder from UCD's 2018 league-winning side. Emma. Duffy. The42.
  11. Web site: McCarthy impressed by Cork's O'Connor. 27 February 2019. www.rte.ie.
  12. Web site: Cork City new recruit Daire O'Connor on Mick McCarthy's radar. Paul. O'Hehir. 1 March 2019. Irish Mirror.
  13. Web site: Greenlight: Daire O'Connor On Catching Mick's Eye & Being "The Irish Messi". 26 March 2019.
  14. Web site: Dáire O'Connor leaves Cork City, Neale Fenn confirms. Denis. Hurley. 6 October 2020. Irish Examiner.
  15. Web site: Midfielder Daire O'Connor leaves relegation-threatened Cork City with five games left in season. independent.
  16. Web site: Daire O'Connor has left Cork City FC. 6 October 2020. echo live.
  17. Web site: Daire O'Connor leaves Cork City with immediate effect. ExtraTime.com.
  18. Web site: Daire O'Connor 'baffled' by surprise exit in week of upheaval at Cork City. Gavin. Cooney. The42.
  19. Web site: 'I didn't expect to go in Monday morning to training and not go back again'. independent.
  20. Web site: Cliftonville Football Club » He who Dairs.
  21. Web site: Dáire O'Connor signs for Cliftonville following Cork City exit. Niall. Kelly. The42.
  22. News: 'He was unplayable': Daire O'Connor tipped for big future after rare Cliftonville start in win over Glenavon. Belfasttelegraph. www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk.
  23. Web site: Daire is an Honest Man. Ayr United FC. 2 September 2021. 23 September 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210923031256/https://ayrunitedfc.co.uk/daire-is-an-honest-man. dead.
  24. Web site: A new challenge for Arklow's O'Connor. independent.
  25. Web site: Kilmarnock 2 Ayr United 0 as Ayrshire Derby bragging rights return to Rugby Park. Lochlin. Highet. 2 August 2021. Daily Record.
  26. News: Rangers B v Ayr United. BBC Sport .
  27. Web site: Daire O'Connor joins Glens. www.glentoran.com.
  28. Web site: Dáire O’Connor makes it a debut to remember as Glentoran earn battling draw with Gzira United. 13 July 2023. m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk.
  29. Web site: Republic of Ireland - D. O'Connor - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway. int.soccerway.com.
  30. Web site: Hamilton Accies sign ex-Ayr Utd winger as they strengthen squad. 23 July 2024. Daily Record.
  31. Web site: D.O'Connor. Soccerway. 1 September 2021.