Dean Delaney

Football player infobox
playername = Dean Delaney


fullname = Dean Delaney
height = 6 ft 0 in
weight = 83 kg
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1980|9|15
cityofbirth = Dublin
countryofbirth = Republic of Ireland
currentclub = Shelbourne
clubnumber =
position = Goalkeeper
youthyears =
youthclubs = Cherry Orchard
years = 1998-2000 2000-2004 2003-2004 2004-2006 2007 2008-present
clubs = Everton Port Vale → Macclesfield Town (loan) Shelbourne Waterford United Shelbourne
caps(goals) = 0 (0) 36 (0) N/A 36 (0) 30 (0) 29 (0)
pcupdate = September 25, 2008
ntupdate = 12:00, February 8, 2007 (UTC)

Dean Delaney (born September 15, 1980 in Dublin, Republic of Ireland) is an Irish footballer, currently playing for Eircom League of Ireland First Division club Shelbourne. Delaney plays as a goalkeeper.

Football career

Delaney looked to be Ireland's most promising young goalkeeper after the 1999 World Youth Championship in which he was part of the "golden generation" of Irish youth football (which included current stars Damien Duff and Robbie Keane), a side that eventually made it to the quarter finals of the competition. He was also part of the Irish UEFA Under 18 Championship winning squad of 1998. Overall he made 20 appearances for the Republic of Ireland youth teams.

However, his club career has thus far proved to be less successful. After securing a contract with English Premiership side Everton as a teenager [ [http://www.toffeeweb.com/season/97-98/youthcup.htm FA YOUTH CUP, 1997-98] → www.toffeeweb.com] , Delaney was unable to break into the first team and was eventually sold to the then Division 2 side Port Vale [ [http://www.kickinmagazine.ie/delaney1462000.htm Delaney wants to impress at Port Vale] → www.kickinmagazine.ie] . During his four seasons with Port Vale, Delaney also had a two-month stint on loan to Macclesfield Town [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/3248989.stm Transfers - November 2003] → news.bbc.co.uk] . Despite dropping two divisions in search of first-team football, Delaney struggled to find a place at Port Vale and in 2004 decided to return home to Ireland's eircom League with Shelbourne in order to play first-team football. He made his Shels league debut during a 4-2 victory against Waterford United at the RSC on June 24, 2005 [ [http://www.irishfootballonline.com/news/3065.html Shels return to winning ways] → www.irishfootballonline.com] and kept down a first-team place for a considerable amount of time. Delaney won a league winners medal with Shelbourne at the end of the 2006 season [ [http://www.shelbournefc.com/news.php?id=521 SHELS ARE CHAMPIONS] → www.shelbournefc.com] . Despite this success, he became a free agent as his contract at Shelbourne was not renewed due to Shelbourne's troubled financial situation. Prior to the 2007 season, Derry City took advantage of this and offered the keeper a trial. However Delaney did not join his former Shelbourne boss Pat Fenlon, and joined Waterford United on March 15, 2007 on a free transfer and quickly became the blues' first choice goalkeeper.

Despite Delaney's heroics throughout the season, Waterford were relegated to the First Division at the end of the 2007 season, losing to Finn Harps in a two-legged promotion/relegation playoff [ [http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2007/1123/finnharps.html Waterford 3-3 Finn Harps (agg 3-6)] → www.rte.ie] . Delaney won Waterford's overall Player of the Year award but shortly after he departed Waterford to rejoin former club Shelbourne on November 29, 2007 [ [http://www.shelbournefc.com/news.php?id=790 NEWSFLASH Dermot signs twelve for 2008] → www.shelbournefc.com] .

Music career

Known for his keen interest in music, Dean is singer–rhythm guitarist of upcoming Irish Indie band The Nippers.

Honours

*: 2"'
** 2006 - Shelbourne

References

External links

* [http://www.shelbournefc.com/players.php?playerid=2 Dean Delaney's profile at www.shelbournefc.com]