Gary O'Neill

Gary O'Neill (born Dublin, January 30, 1982) is an Irish footballer, currently contracted to St. Patrick's Athletic F.C.

Bohemian F.C.

O'Neill, a striker, received his footballing education at Tolka Rovers, before entering the professional ranks with Bohemian F.C. in 2000.

He made his debut against Shamrock Rovers on August 14 2000 but despite regular appearances as a substitute and occasional understudy to Glen Crowe, O'Neill never established himself as a fixture in the Bohemians team during his three years at Dalymount Park, which coincided with one of the most successful epochs in the club's recent history. In May 2002, with O'Neill by now relegated to the lowest reaches of the Bohemians pecking order under manager Stephen Kenny, the striker lodged a transfer request to which the club readily acceded.

Waterford Controversy

O'Neill joined Waterford United prior to the transitional 2003 season, commanding instant adulation from the club's supporters with a series of impressive performances for the Blues. Waterford, however, were abruptly deprived of the striker's talents during the mid-season break, when O'Neill announced his sudden and premature retirement from the game. A nonplussed Jimmy McGeough, then Waterford manager, recounted that ""when he [O'Neill] rang on Monday, I got the biggest shock of my life. He said it was the hardest call he ever had to make and while he did not elaborate on his reasons for leaving, he just said his heart was not in it anymore. I tried to persuade him to change his mind and will do so again because I want him back. But I think he is gone." [Statement released to http://www.btid.tk/ website] No specific details regarding O'Neill's departure ever entered the public domain, but it was widely reported that the striker had decamped to the U.S.A.

Career at Dublin City

In 2004, O'Neill was enticed back to Ireland and to football by John Gill to spearhead Dublin City's inaugural tilt at the Premier Division. Despite City's eventual relegation (the bleak culmination of an eventful season encompassing countless vicissitudes, three separate managers and the engagement of forty-three first-team players) O'Neill attained instant and unparalleled popularity amongst City fans, being named Dublin City Supporters Club Player of the Year in November. O'Neill was the only City player to feature in all 36 league games (although he was controversially dropped for a 4-1 defeat to Shelbourne by newly-installed manager-cum-"consultant" Roddy Collins in favour of former Bohemians colleague Alex Nesovic, O'Neill did eventually participate as a substitute.)

Frequently deployed as a lone striker at Dublin City, O'Neill's indefatigable endeavour and sound technique yielded eight goals and eight assists, a haul which incorporated two memorable strikes in City's twin victories over O'Neill's former employers at Bohemians. For his sterling contribution in an ill-starred cause, O'Neill was nominated for the 2004 PFAI Player of the Year Award, an honour eventually conferred on Shelbourne's Jason Byrne.

Shelbourne

Although he was contractually bound to Dublin City for another season following their relegation from the Premier Division, the club (which had rebuffed earlier overtures from Partick Thistle for O'Neill's signature in July 2004) agreed to release him to Shelbourne F.C. in order to further his career. O'Neill was among a raft of players (including the erstwhile Bohemians trio of Colin Hawkins, Glen Crowe and Bobby Ryan) signed to augment Shelbourne's championship-winning squad of 2004. However, the new signings failed to meld into a cohesive whole and O'Neill's first team opportunities were circumscribed by manager Pat Fenlon's desire to cultivate a viable partnership between Crowe and Jason Byrne. Nonetheless, O'Neill registered a creditable tally of 7 goals from 18 appearances in the 2005 season.

O'Neill was accorded a prolonged run in the team early in the 2006 season, and vindicated Pat Fenlon's judgement with a spectacular run of goalscoring form which further endeared him to the club's supporters. However, a knee ligament injury sustained in the 1-0 June 6 victory over Derry City and O'Neill's subsequent enforced absence from the Shels line-up allowed Glen Crowe to reoccupy O'Neill's position in the forward line. O'Neill has recently regained his place in the first team (September 2006) due to the absence, through injury, of Jason Byrne.

O'Neill picked up a first medal of his career, when in November 2006, Shelbourne beat Bohemians 2-1 in Tolka Park to clinch the 2006 league title. O'Neill appeared 22 times for Shels in the league, scoring 8 times. In all competitions, O'Neill played 30 times and scored 10 goals.

O'Neill was among a number of prominent Shelbourne players (including Stuart Byrne and Ollie Cahill) to leave the financially beleaguered club upon the conclusion of the 2006 season, signing for Dublin rivals St. Patrick's Athletic on January 4 2007.

Honours

*League of Ireland Championship: 3
** Bohemians - 2000/01, 2002/03
** Shelbourne - 2006

*FAI Cup: 1
** Bohemians - 2001

External links

* [http://www.shelbournefc.ie/players.php?playerid=21 O'Neill's profile] at official Shelbourne website.

References