Mary Therese McDonnell explained

Mary Therese McDonnell
Birth Date:1986 8, df=y
Birth Place:Orland Park, Illinois, United States
Position:Defender
Youthclubs1:Windy City Pride
Years1:2004–2007
Years2:2008
Years3:2009
Years4:2009
Years5:2010
Years6:2011–2012
Clubs6:Chicago Red Stars
Caps2:5
Goals2:4
Caps3:0
Goals3:0
Caps4:0
Goals4:0
Caps5:0
Goals5:0
Caps6:8
Goals6:0
Nationalyears1:2008–
Nationalteam1:Republic of Ireland
Nationalcaps1:21
Nationalgoals1:0
Pcupdate:June 13, 2013
Ntupdate:April 2, 2014

Mary Therese McDonnell (born 26 August 1986), is an Irish American soccer defender. She is a Republic of Ireland women's national football team player. After being released from St. Louis Athletica's preseason training camp in March 2010, she rejoined the Chicago Red Stars for 2011.

College career

McDonnell attended Carl Sandburg High School[1] then spent four years at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign studying speech and hearing sciences.[2] In 2012, she played for the University of Illinois College of Law Club team, Learned Foot, in the Champaign County Soccer League helping the Learned Foot win the title.

Club career

After graduating McDonnell played for Boston Renegades in the 2008 W-League season, scoring four goals in five games.[3]

McDonnell was assigned to Sky Blue FC in the 2009 WPS Draft. However, she was released the week before the squads were finalised[4] and instead joined Chicago Red Stars as a developmental player.[5] In July 2009 McDonnell played for the Irish national team against her Chicago Red Stars club side in an exhibition game at the Sports Complex at Benedictine University.[6] The Red Stars released McDonnell in September 2009.

She then attended St. Louis Athletica's preseason training camp,[7]

International career

McDonnell first appeared for the Republic of Ireland in three friendly games against the United States in September 2008.[8] [9] She said, "After college I played in Boston for a summer and it turned out my coach was Irish. He literally walked up to us on the practice field and asked if any of us were Irish, and one thing led to another. It’s been great."[10] Mary Therese and elder sister Shannon featured in Ireland's qualifying campaigns for Euro 2009 and World Cup 2011.[9] Daughters of Ian and Jean McDonnell, their eligibility for the Irish team derived from their grandfather; who was from Foxford.[11]

Both sisters were called up to the national squad in August 2011, ahead of the Euro 2013 qualifying series.[12]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sandburg welcomes home soccer standout. Heather Warthen. The Orland Park Prairie. 2009-05-01. 2010-09-22. https://web.archive.org/web/20120725144424/http://www.opprairie.com/Articles-c-2009-05-01-194883.112113_Sandburg_welcomes_home_soccer_standout.html. 2012-07-25. dead.
  2. Web site: 6. Mary Therese McDonnell. FightingIllini.com. 2010-09-22. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20100422194146/http://www.fightingillini.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/mcdonnell_marytherese00.html. 2010-04-22.
  3. Web site: Boston Renegades . USLsoccer.com . 2010-09-22 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110610120315/http://www.uslsoccer.com/teams/2008/roster/22299.html . 2011-06-10 .
  4. Web site: Transactions: 2009 . WomensProSoccer.com . 2010-09-22 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100406120323/http://www.womensprosoccer.com/Home/news/transactions-09.aspx . 2010-04-06 .
  5. Web site: Chicago Red Stars Announce Opening Day Roster. 2009-03-25. WomensProSoccer.com. 2010-09-22.
  6. Web site: Mary Therese Blog: Inside the Irish National Team . 2009-07-09 . Mary Therese McDonnell . WomensProSoccer.com . 2010-09-22 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20091224203912/http://www.womensprosoccer.com/chicago/news/off_the_field/090709-mcdonnell-guest-blog . 2009-12-24 .
  7. Web site: Women's Professional Soccer: St. Louis Athletica Training Camp Begins Today. 2010-03-08. Lauren Salter . Bleacher Report. 2010-09-22.
  8. Web site: McDonnell Joins Irish National Team. 2008-09-19. FightingIllini.com. 2010-09-22. https://web.archive.org/web/20120304121234/http://www.fightingillini.com/sports/w-soccer/spec-rel/091908aaa.html. 2012-03-04. dead.
  9. Web site: Irish sisters look forward to French challenge. 2010-02-24 . Football Association of Ireland. 2010-09-22.
  10. Web site: McDonnell Sisters Honored to be Representing Ireland on Soccer Field . 2011-07-27 . Oak Forest Patch. 2011-08-17. Ken Ryan.
  11. Web site: Senior Women Player Profiles. 2009-01-16 . Football Association of Ireland. 2010-09-22.
  12. Web site: Irish Squad set for Swiss Double Header. 2011-08-17. She Kicks. 2011-08-17.