Conan Byrne

Conan Byrne

Byrne playing for St Patrick's Athletic away to Galway United in 2015.
Personal information
Full name Conan Byrne
Date of birth (1985-07-10) 10 July 1985
Place of birth Dublin, Ireland
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position Midfielder
Club information
Current team
St Patrick's Athletic
Number 7
Youth career
Swords Rovers
Home Farm
River Valley Rangers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2007 UCD 50 (3)
2008–2011 Sporting Fingal 105 (36)
2011–2012 Shelbourne 51 (15)
2013– St Patrick's Athletic 99 (34)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

† Appearances (goals)

Conan Byrne (born 10 July 1985 in Dublin), is an Irish footballer who plays as a winger for Airtricity League club St Patrick's Athletic.

Career

UCD

From Swords, Dublin, Byrne began his schoolboy days with local sides Swords Rovers and River Valley Rangers before joining UCD in 2005. With immediate effect Byrne scored prolifically for UCD's Under-21 side and eventually made his way into the UCD starting line-up as a forward. He made his League of Ireland debut in the Carlisle Grounds on 16 September 2005. In spite of scoring UCD's equaliser in his second game their 2005 League Cup final defeat to Derry City he could not replicate his underage scoring level for the senior team and drifted out of the team. He was remodelled as a right winger during the 2007 season and re-established himself in that berth since Patrick Kavanagh's departure to Birmingham City. In this role he was named UCD's Player of the Season in 2007.

Sporting Fingal

In January 2008 Byrne departed UCD to sign for newly formed League of Ireland First Division side Sporting Fingal where he also took up the position as Marketing Manager for the club. He finished his first season with 9 goals from midfield having played every game for the club and was voted the Supporters Player of the Season for the second year in succession.

In the 2009 season Byrne finished top scorer in the First Division with 21 goals and Sporting Fingal's top scorer with an outstanding 28 goals from 45 league and cup appearances. Byrne capped off a successful 2009 season securing promotion to the Premier Division with Sporting Fingal via the Play-offs and securing an FAI Cup winners medal after Sporting's 2–1 victory over Sligo Rovers in the final.[1] He had another successful season in 2010 as Sporting Fingal finished 4th in their first season in the Premier Division and participated in Fingal's UEFA Europa League ties against Portuguese Primeira Liga side C.S. Marítimo.

Prior to the start of the 2011 season doubts began to surface over the financial viability of Sporting Fingal due to the withdrawal of backer Gerry Gannon. Following the collapse of a critical sponsorship deal, Sporting Fingal announced on 10 February 2011 that the club would cease to exist leaving Byrne and 12 other contracted players without a club.[2] He played in every game bar one Leinster Senior Cup tie during Sporting Fingal's short history.

Shelbourne

On 20 February 2011, Byrne as a free-agent signed for First Division side Shelbourne.[3]

St Patrick's Athletic

Byrne's performances for Shelbourne drew interest from top clubs including St Patrick's Athletic, who he signed for in November 2012 and officially announced by the club on 20 November.[4] Byrne scored an incredible 40 yard free kick against Athlone Town in a 7–2 win, during a pre-season friendly. He continued his pre-season form into the start of the season in competitive games, setting up Kenny Browne to score a header against Bangor Celtic in the Leinster Senior Cup and Shane McFaul's winner against Drogheda United on the opening day of the 2013 League of Ireland season in front of Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trappatoni. Byrne scored his first competitive goal for the Saints on 2 April 2013 when he scored 14 minutes after coming off the bench in a 2–1 loss to Dundalk at Richmond Park. Byrne scored against his former team Shelbourne in a 4–0 win for Pats at Richmond Park on 15 April 2013. He scored again four days later live on RTÉ when Pats beat champions Sligo Rovers 2–0 to end their 100% record in the league.

Career Statistics

'Europe' includes UEFA Europa League and UEFA Champions League. 'Other' includes League of Ireland Promotion Play-Offs, Leinster Senior Cup, Setanta Sports Cup and FAI President's Cup.

Club Season League FAI Cup League Cup Europe Other Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
UCD 2005 801011101
2006 1102010140
2007 3134230385
Total 5037251626
Sporting Fingal 2008 3684011419
2009 33216333314528
2010 367531020204610
Total 1053615654205113247
Shelbourne 2011 28133210333518
2012 232311033296
Total 51156310666424
St Patrick's Athletic 2013 339311121514413
2014 3318641020634825
2015 29721301041399
2016 400000001050
Total 9934116515116413647
Career total 305883917166712716396123

Honours

Sporting Fingal

St Patrick's Athletic

References

  1. "Sligo Rovers 1–2 Sporting Fingal". RTÉ.ie (Raidió Teilifís Éireann). 22 November 2009. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  2. "Sporting Fingal cease operations". RTÉ.ie (Raidió Teilifís Éireann). 10 February 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  3. "Four New Signings for 2011". Shelbournefc.com (Shelbourne F.C.). 20 February 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
  4. http://www.stpatsfc.com/news.php?id=5251#.UKwVnodFWDQ

External links

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