Elaine O'Connor

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Elaine O'Connor
Personal information
Date of birth (1982-02-20) 20 February 1982 (age 42)[1]
Place of birth Dublin, Ireland
Height 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
Lourdes Celtic
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2003 Hofstra Pride 64 (7)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Shelbourne
St Catherine's
2004–2005 Arsenal Ladies
2005 Long Island Lady Riders
2006–2008 Long Island Fury
International career
Republic of Ireland 54
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Elaine O'Connor (born 20 February 1982) is an Irish former football midfielder. O'Connor played for clubs including Arsenal and Long Island Lady Riders and represented the Republic of Ireland at senior international level.

Club career[edit]

O'Connor took up football aged seven and played for five years at Killinarden Community School.[2] She came to prominence at Dublin Women's Soccer League club Lourdes Celtic, winning the Dublin Cup at Under-14, 16 and 18 level.[3] Spells at other Dublin clubs Shelbourne and St Catherine's followed for O'Connor.[4]

In 1999 an American soccer coach named JoAnne Wagner spotted O'Connor and signed her to Hofstra University.[5] O'Connor remained for five seasons, redshirting in 2002, and majoring in Physical Education. She also featured in the W-League for Long Island Lady Riders.[2]

In 2004 O'Connor signed for Arsenal Ladies, making her debut in an FA Women's Community Shield defeat by Charlton Athletic.[6] By 2005 O'Connor was back in America playing for Long Island Lady Riders.[7] The following season she switched to Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) outfit Long Island Fury.[8][9]

After her playing career O'Connor remained in the United States and worked as a teacher.[10]

International career[edit]

O'Connor represented Republic of Ireland at youth level,[4] then played for the senior team in the qualifying campaigns for the 2003 and 2007 FIFA Women's World Cups.[1] She also played in the Euro 2009 qualifiers.[11]

O'Connor was named Women's Senior International Player of the Year at the 2004 FAI International Football Awards.[12] She won 54 caps for Ireland.[10]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Elaine O CONNOR". FIFA. Archived from the original on 11 November 2012. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
  2. ^ a b "Elaine O'Connor #7" (PDF). Hofstra University. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 October 2012. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
  3. ^ "Elaine O'Connor (Long Island Fury)". eircom.net. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
  4. ^ a b "Women's team profiles". FAI.ie. 31 March 2006. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
  5. ^ Dylan Butler (10 September 2005). "The Pride of Ireland". BigAppleSoccer.com. Archived from the original on 10 March 2012. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
  6. ^ "Arsenal Ladies 0-1 Charlton - Report". Arsenal F.C. 11 August 2004. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
  7. ^ David Shannon (28 February 2008). "United States (Women) 2005". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
  8. ^ "TWO OF A KIND". BigAppleSoccer.com. 18 May 2006. Archived from the original on 10 March 2012. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
  9. ^ "Midfielder Elaine O'Connor". Long Island Fury FC. Archived from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 7 April 2011.
  10. ^ a b Fennessy, Paul (11 June 2020). "'It was too much for me - losing my sister, losing my dad... But I continued to play for Ireland through it all'". The42.ie. TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 17 December 2022.
  11. ^ "Elaine O'Connor". UEFA. Retrieved 4 April 2011.
  12. ^ "Kilbane's great year recognised". The Irish Independent. 7 February 2005. Retrieved 3 April 2011.
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