Rory Donnelly
Personal information
Full name Ruaridhri James Patrick Donnelly[1]
Date of birth (1992-02-18) 18 February 1992[2]
Place of birth Belfast, Northern Ireland
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[3]
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
 Glentoran
Number 10
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2012 Cliftonville 50 (20)
2012–2015 Swansea City 0 (0)
2014 → Coventry City (loan) 0 (0)
2015 → Tranmere Rovers (loan) 20 (5)
2015–2017 Gillingham 66 (12)
2017–2020 Cliftonville 65 (28)
2020– Glentoran 103 (20)
International career
2013 Northern Ireland U21 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 1 October 2023

Ruaridhri James Patrick Donnelly (born 18 February 1992) is a Northern Irish professional footballer who plays as a striker for Glentoran.

Club career

Cliftonville

Donnelly was born in Belfast.[4] He made his Cliftonville debut on 7 September 2010, coming on as an 85th-minute substitute in a 2–0 defeat against Linfield at Windsor Park in the County Antrim Shield. He went on to make 33 league and cup appearances in the 2010–11 season, scoring 7 league goals.[5]

The 2011–12 season started well for Donnelly. In October 2011 he scored a hat-trick in a 6–2 win over Linfield in the County Antrim Shield,[6] the same opposition in the same competition as his debut a year earlier.[7] In November 2011 he scored four goals in a league match against Ballymena United in a 7–3 win to catch the eye of an unnamed Championship club.[8][9]

His good form. continued, and he scored 13 goals in his first 18 league games of the 2011–12 season to attract interest from Arsenal and Liverpool, with the latter club's manager, Kenny Dalglish, confirming they had registered their interest.[10]

Donnelly made his final appearance for Cliftonville on 17 December 2011, in a 2–1 home defeat against Coleraine. He had scored a total of 22 goals in 54 league and cup appearances spanning two seasons.

Swansea City

In December 2011, Swansea City offered £100,000 for Donnelly, before Everton bid "considerably more".[11] The Welsh club then upped their bid and Donnelly agreed a three-and-a-half-year deal with Swansea on 30 December 2011 for an undisclosed fee.[12][13] The transfer was completed on 10 January 2012, and Donnelly was given the shirt number 41.

Donnelly scored on his debut for the reserves in a 2–2 draw with Chelsea's reserves at Parc y Scarlets on 28 March 2012.[14]

Donnelly made his first senior appearance for Swansea in a League Cup fixture against Crawley Town on 25 September 2012, coming on as a substitute for Michu.[15] His full début came the next season in a Europa League play-off against Petrolul Ploiești which ended in a 2–1 defeat.[16]

On 28 May 2015, Swansea City confirmed that Donnelly had been released by the club.[17]

Coventry City (loan)

On 31 January 2014, Donnelly joined Coventry City on loan until the end of the 2013–14 season.[18] On 4 February 2014, it was confirmed that Donnelly had returned to Swansea City due to non-footballing personal reasons.[19]

Tranmere Rovers (loan)

On 6 February 2015, Donnelly was named the League Two Player of the Month for January[20] after scoring 3 goals in his first month at the club, taking Tranmere Rovers out of the relegation zone.

Gillingham

Donnelly joined Gillingham on a free transfer in 2015.[21]

On 28 April 2017, the club announced that he had "been suspended from his employment at the club with immediate effect".[22] On 15 May, it was confirmed that he had been fined £700 after being caught driving without a full licence.[23] Five days later, the club announced that Donnelly had been released at the end of his contract.[24]

Return to Cliftonville

On 29 August 2017, Donnelly returned to Cliftonville signing a three-year contract.[25]

Glentoran

On 31 January 2020, Donnelly joined East Belfast side Glentoran, signing a three-and-a-half-year contract.[26] He made his debut for the side in a 0–0 draw against Carrick Rangers in the NIFL Premiership on 14 February 2020.[27]

Donnelly started the match as Glentoran defeated Ballymena United 2–1 in the final of the 2019–20 Irish Cup. The game was the first football match in the United Kingdom to host fans since the COVID-19 outbreak, with 250 fans from each team permitted at Windsor Park.[28]

On 10 April 2021, he scored a brace in a 2–0 win over Dungannon Swifts, including a header around 40 yards from goal.[29]

International career

In November 2011, he was called up to the Northern Ireland Under-21s for the first time, but he did not feature in the match against Serbia.[30][31] In June 2013, Donnelly informed the IFA that he did not wish to be considered for selection for Northern Ireland.[32] However, he then made his under-21 debut against Denmark in August 2013[33]

Career statistics

As of 1 September 2019
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other[A] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Cliftonville 2010–11 IFA Premiership317002000337
2011–12 IFA Premiership19130032002215
Total 50200052005522
Swansea City 2012–13[34] Premier League0000100010
2013–14[35] Premier League0000001010
2014–15[36] Premier League0000000000
Total 0000101020
Coventry City (loan) 2013–14[35] League One0000000000
Tranmere Rovers (loan) 2014–15[36] League Two205000000205
Gillingham 2015–16[37] League One38101020104210
2016–17[38] League One282200030332
Total 66123020407512
Cliftonville 2017–18 NIFL Premiership34114331004115
2018–19 NIFL Premiership27150020203115
2019–20 NIFL Premiership4200004183
Total 65284351618033
Career total 201657313311123272

References

  1. ↑ "EFL: Club retained and released lists published". English Football League. 23 June 2016. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  2. ↑ "Rory Donnelly". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  3. ↑ "Rory Donnelly: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  4. ↑ "Rory Donnelly". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
  5. ↑ "R. Donnelly". Soccerway. Retrieved 22 December 2011.
  6. ↑ "Cliftonville 6–2 Linfield". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  7. ↑ "Rory Donnelly completes Swansea City move". BBC Sport. 10 January 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  8. ↑ "Ballymena Utd 3–7 Cliftonville". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  9. ↑ "Championship club wants Cliftonville striker Donnelly". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  10. ↑ "Kenny Dalglish confirms Liverpool FC's interest in Rory Donnelly". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  11. ↑ "Everton make bid for Cliftonville striker Rory Donnelly". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  12. ↑ "Swans close on Donnelly". Sky Sports. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
  13. ↑ "Swansea win Donnelly race". Sky Sports. 30 December 2011. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
  14. ↑ "Swans receive clearance for duo". swanseacity.net. 10 January 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  15. ↑ "Crawley 2 – 3 Swansea". BBC. 25 September 2012. Retrieved 25 September 2012.
  16. ↑ "Petrolul Pioesti 2–1 Swansea". BBC. 29 August 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2013.
  17. ↑ "Alan Tate, Gerhard Tremmel and Rory Donnelly among names who bid farewell to Swansea City". South Wales Evening Post. 28 May 2015. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
  18. ↑ "Sky Blues seal striker loan deal". Coventry City FC. 31 January 2014.
  19. ↑ "Rory Donnelly returns to Swansea City". Coventry City FC. 4 February 2014.
  20. ↑ "Rory Donnelly Named League 2 Player Of The Month". Tranmere Rovers F.C. 6 February 2015. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
  21. ↑ "Gills add ex-Swans striker Donnelly" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  22. ↑ "Rory Donnelly has been suspended by Gillingham". Kent Online. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  23. ↑ "Gillingham FC striker Ruaridhri 'Rory' Donnelly fined after being caught driving without a full licence in Dock Head Road, Chatham". Kent Online. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  24. ↑ "RETAINED LIST ANNOUNCED". Retrieved 24 May 2017.
  25. ↑ "Irish Premiership: Rory Donnelly makes Cliftonville return". BBC Sport. 29 August 2017. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  26. ↑ "Ruaidhri Donnelly: Glentoran sign striker from Irish Premiership rivals Cliftonville". BBC Sport. 31 January 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  27. ↑ "Glentoran 0-0 Carrick Rangers | Glentoran FC". www.glentoran.com. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  28. ↑ "Irish Cup final: Robbie McDaid wins it for Glentoran deep into extra-time after thrilling decider against Ballymena United at Windsor Park". belfasttelegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  29. ↑ "Glentoran 2-0 Dungannon Swifts". Glentoran.com. 10 April 2021.
  30. ↑ "Cliftonville star Donnelly now gunning for Serbia". The Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  31. ↑ "North. Ireland U21 vs. Serbia U21 0 – 2". Soccerway. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
  32. ↑ "McAlinden quits NI for Republic" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  33. ↑ "U21s LOSE TO DENMARK". Irish FA. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
  34. ↑ "Games played by Rory Donnelly in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  35. 1 2 "Games played by Rory Donnelly in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  36. 1 2 "Games played by Rory Donnelly in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  37. ↑ "Games played by Rory Donnelly in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  38. ↑ "Rory Donnelly | Football Stats | Gillingham | Age 25 | Soccer Base". www.soccerbase.com. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
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