Philip Hughes (Irish footballer)

Football player infobox
playername = Philip Hughes


fullname = Philip Hughes
height = Height|m=1.78
nickname = "Philly, Hughesy"
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1981|9|12
cityofbirth = Dublin
countryofbirth = Republic of Ireland
currentclub = Kildare County
position = Forward
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1999-2000
2000-2001
2001-2003
2001-2002
2003
2004
2004
2005
2006-2007
2008
2008-present
clubs = Tolka Rovers
St. Francis
St. Patrick's Athletic
→ Kilkenny City (loan)
Kildare County
Dublin City
UCD
Monaghan United
Dundalk
Shelbourne
Kildare County
caps(goals) = 22 (9)
10 (3)
N/A
20 (15)
33 (10)
20 (3)
12 (3)
35 (8)
63 (27)
8 (0)
0 (0)
pcupdate = June 27 2008

Philip Hughes (born September 12 1981 in Dublin, Republic of Ireland) is an Irish soccer player currently playing for Eircom League of Ireland First Division club Kildare County. Hughes plays as a centre forward.

Career

Hughes, a talented and much travelled player, began his football career with Tolka Rovers during the 1999/2000 season, scoring 9 goals in 22 appearances. His performances at Intermediate level did not go unnoticed when he made the step up to League of Ireland football with St. Francis at the beginning of the 2000/2001 season. Hughes once again raised eyebrows at St. Francis and he was snapped up by St. Patrick's Athletic later that season.

First team opportunities at Richmond Park became difficult to obtain for Hughes resulting in his departure on loan to First Division Kilkenny City during the 2001/2002 season. This loan move made Hughes a household name in the Eircom League as he scored an outstanding 15 goals in 20 games for Kilkenny that season. His impressive form with the Buckley Park outfit saw Hughes immediately recalled to St. Patrick's Athletic for the but yet again first team opportunities were limited for Hughes.

Hughes departed St. Pats at the end of the 2002/2003 campaign to join Kildare County for the first summer soccer season of 2003 [ [http://kildarecountyfc.com/news/news-details.asp?NewsID=115 Two New Signings For Kildare County] → kildarecountyfc.com] . He became a regular in the County side that season helping them to a 5th place finish in the First Division with a contribution of 10 goals in 33 league appearances. Hughes departed County after that sole season to join Dublin City who had achieved promotion to the FAI Premier Division for the 2004 season. It was a difficult season for Hughes as scored just 3 goals in 20 appearances for the struggling Vikings and he was released along with 14 other players by new Dublin City manager Roddy Collins in a mid-season cull [ [http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2004/0815/collinsr.html Roddy swings axe at City] → www.rte.ie] . Hughes joined First Division UCD for the remainder of the 2004 season where he scored 3 goals in 12 appearances to help the Students to promotion to the Premier Division.

Hughes' next destination was First Division Monaghan United for the 2005 season [ [http://www.irishfootballonline.com/news/2468.html Monaghan add trio to squad] → www.irishfootballonline.com] . He scored 8 goals in 25 appearances that season for the Mons' before joining his former manager at Kilkenny, Kildare and Dublin City, John Gill at First Division promotion chasing Dundalk. Hughes made his Dundalk debut on the first day of the 2006 season in a 2-1 defeat away to Shamrock Rovers at Tolka Park on March 10 2006 [ [http://www.irishfootballonline.com/news/4210.html Rovers leave it late] → www.irishfootballonline.com] . Less than 3 weeks later Hughes scored his first Dundalk goals against former club UCD in a Eircom League Cup First Round tie [ [http://www.rte.ie/sport/2006/0327/dundalk.html Dundalk rally rocks UCD at Oriel Park] → www.rte.ie] . Those goals were the beginning of an incredible season for Hughes as he went on to score 21 goals that season for the Lilywhites helping them to a 2nd place finish and a play-off victory over Waterford United. Despite that victory Dundalk did not achieve promotion as they failed to qualify on criteria for the FAI's new Premier Division. Hughes' incredible 2006 season attracted interest from numerous Premier Division clubs including Bohemians [ [http://www.eleven-a-side.com/premier/irish_soccer_detail.asp?newsid=25619 Hughes linked with Bohs move] → www.eleven-a-side.com] but despite this interest, Hughes chose to remain at Dundalk for the 2007 First Division season. The 2007 campaign started brightly for Hughes and Dundalk as they set the pace in the First Division up to the mid-season point. Hughes lost form and struggled for fitness for the remainder of the season and his goal tally was a disapointing 6 goals by the end of the season. Dundalk finished in 3rd place that season and their promotion prospects were dashed after a play-off defeat away to Finn Harps [ [http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2007/1116/finnharps.html Finn Harps 2-0 Dundalk] → www.rte.ie] .

Hughes was released by Dundalk immediately after the conclusion of the 2007 season but he did not wait long to find a new club when he joined Shelbourne on November 29 2007 [ [http://www.shelbournefc.com/news.php?id=790 NEWSFLASH Dermot signs twelve for 2008] → www.shelbournefc.com] . Hughes made his Shelbourne debut in a scoreless draw against his former club Dundalk at Tolka Park on March 7 2008 [ [http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2008/0307/shelbourne_dundalk_1.html Shelbourne 0-0 Dundalk] → www.rte.ie] . Hughes once again struggled for fitness at Shelbourne and as a consequence he was restricted to mainly substitute appearances. He departed the Tolka Park club on July 14 2008 after just half a season to rejoin his former club Kildare County [ [http://www.kildarecountyfc.com/news/news-details.asp?NewsID=1051 Heavy traffic around Station Road] → www.kildarecountyfc.com] .

Honours

* "': 1
** 2004 - UCD

References

External links

* [http://www.shelbournefc.com/players.php?playerid=434 Philip Hughes' profile at www.shelbournefc.com]
* [http://www.dundalkfc.com/1stteam/PhilipHughes.html Philip Hughes' profile at www.dundalkfc.com]