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Graham Kelly (footballer, born 1997)

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Graham Kelly
Personal information
Date of birth (1997-10-16) 16 October 1997 (age 27)[1]
Place of birth Dublin, Republic of Ireland[1]
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[2]
Position(s) Left-back
Team information
Current team
 Coleraine
Number 5
Youth career
2014–2015 Sheffield United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2017 Sheffield United 1 (0)
2016 → Stalybridge Celtic (loan) 9 (0)
2017–2018 Port Vale 0 (0)
2017 → Bradford Park Avenue (loan) 10 (1)
2018 → Southport (loan) 11 (0)
2018–2023 Larne[a] 93 (1)
2023– Coleraine 30 (0)
International career
2014–2015 Republic of Ireland U18 4 (0)
2015 Republic of Ireland U19 4 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 00:46, 14 May 2024 (UTC)

Graham Kelly (born 16 October 1997) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for NIFL Premiership club Coleraine. He has represented the Republic of Ireland at under-18 and under-19 level.

Kelly began his career at Sheffield United, where he made his senior debut in April 2016. He played on loan at Stalybridge Celtic later in the year, before he was transferred to Port Vale in June 2017. He played on loan at Bradford Park Avenue and Southport during the 2017–18 season. He joined Northern Irish side Larne in August 2018 and helped the club to win the NIFL Championship title in 2018–19 and the County Antrim Shield in the 2020–21 season. They retained the County Antrim Shield the following two seasons. Larne won the Irish League for the first time in the 2022–23 season. He joined Coleraine in June 2023.

Club career

[edit]

Sheffield United

[edit]

Kelly came through the Academy at Sheffield United to make his senior debut for the "Blades" as a late substitute for Matt Done in a 3–1 defeat to Coventry City at the Ricoh Arena on 30 April 2016.[3] He joined Stalybridge Celtic of the National League North on loan in August 2016.[4] He made ten appearances for the "Celts" over a five-week stay at Bower Fold.[5]

Port Vale

[edit]

Kelly signed a one-year contract, with the option for a second year, at newly-relegated EFL League Two club Port Vale in June 2017.[6] He said he was looking forward to working with manager Michael Brown and being reunited with former Sheffield United coach Chris Morgan.[7] On 8 September 2017, he joined National League North side Bradford Park Avenue on a one-month loan after manager Mark Bower needed cover for the injured Shane Killock, Matt Hill and Luca Havern.[8] He scored his first goal in senior football in his final appearance for Avenue, after combining well with Oli Johnson in a 2–0 win over Brackley Town at the Horsfall Stadium.[9] On 26 January 2018, he joined Kevin Davies's National League North side Southport on loan until the end of the 2017–18 season.[10] He recovered from a car accident on the M6 motorway to make a total of 11 appearances for the "Sandgrounders".[11] Upon his return to Vale Park he was informed by manager Neil Aspin that he would not be retained beyond the summer.[12]

Larne

[edit]

On 2 August 2018, Kelly joined NIFL Championship side Larne.[13] He established himself in the side as a left-sided centre-back in the club's favoured three at the back formation, as Larne went on to win the 2018–19 NIFL Championship. He made 27 appearances before the 2019–20 season was ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Ireland.[14] On 2 December 2020, he played in the County Antrim Shield as Larne held Glentoran to a 0–0 draw and then won the resulting penalty shoot-out 4–3 to win the club its first major trophy in 33 years.[15] He scored his first goal for the club on 11 December, "a stunning curler into the top corner" in a 3–1 win over Linfield at Inver Park.[16] He made 20 appearances in the 2020–21 campaign, helping Larne to finish in a UEFA Europa Conference League qualification place.[17] He signed a contract extension to keep him at the club until 2023.[18] Larne retained their County Antrim Shield title with a 1–0 win over Linfield.[19] He played 30 games in the 2021–22 season, including the 4–2 win over Glentoran at The Oval in the final of the UEFA Europa Conference League play-offs.[17][20] A third-successive County Antrim Shield title was secured with a penalty shoot-out victory over Linfield.[21] Larne won the first Irish League title of their 134-year history in the 2022–23 season.[22] He left the club at the expiry of his contract to find first-team football elsewhere.[23]

Coleraine

[edit]

Kelly signed a three-year deal with Coleraine on 14 June 2023.[24] On 7 November, he took penalties in a 44 kick long penalty shoot-out with Ballymena United, which Coleraine won 18–17.[25] He played 33 games in the 2023–24 season.[17]

International career

[edit]

Kelly won four caps for the Republic of Ireland at both under-18 and under-19 level, and scored for the under-19s against Latvia in November 2015.[26]

Career statistics

[edit]
As of match played 6 May 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season Division League National Cup League Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Sheffield United 2015–16[27] League One 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
2016–17[28] League One 0 0 0 0 0 0 1[b] 0 1 0
Total 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0
Stalybridge Celtic (loan) 2016–17[17][29] National League North 9 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 10 0
Port Vale 2017–18[30] League Two 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Bradford Park Avenue (loan) 2017–18[17] National League North 10 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 11 1
Southport (loan) 2017–18[17] National League North 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 0
Larne 2018–19[17] NIFL Championship 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
2019–20[17] NIFL Premiership 25 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 27 0
2020–21[17] NIFL Premiership 19 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 20 1
2021–22[17] NIFL Premiership 28 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 30 0
2022–23[17] NIFL Premiership 21 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 24 0
Total[a] 93 1 8 0 2 0 0 0 103 1
Coleraine 2023–24[17] NIFL Premiership 30 0 0 0 2 0 1[c] 0 33 0
2024–25[17] NIFL Premiership 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 30 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 33 0
Career total 154 2 10 0 4 0 2 0 180 2
  1. ^ a b League statistics for Larne in the 2018–19 campaign not known.
  2. ^ Appearance in the EFL Trophy
  3. ^ Appearance in the Scottish Challenge Cup

Honours

[edit]

Larne

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "FootballSquads - Port Vale - 2017/2018". www.footballsquads.co.uk. Retrieved 1 February 2021.
  2. ^ "FootballSquads – Port Vale – 2017/2018". www.footballsquads.co.uk. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  3. ^ "Coventry City 3–1 Sheffield United". BBC Sport. 30 April 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  4. ^ "Three of United's development squad will spend a month out on-loan in non-league in a bid for regular first-team football". sufc.co.uk. 16 August 2016. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  5. ^ "Stalybridge Celtic – Official Site – Player Profile Graham Kelly". www.stalybridgeceltic.co.uk. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  6. ^ Baggaley, Mike (22 June 2017). "Port Vale sign Sheffield United left back Graham Kelly". Stoke Sentinel. Archived from the original on 22 June 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  7. ^ Baggaley, Mike (22 June 2017). "Kelly targets Port Vale first team after Sheffield United move". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  8. ^ "Kelly Joins Bradford On Loan". Bradford Park Avenue Community Football Club. 9 September 2017. Archived from the original on 28 September 2017. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  9. ^ "A game of two halves as excellent Avenue see off Brackley". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. 21 November 2017. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  10. ^ "Graham Kelly joins Southport on loan". port-vale.co.uk. 26 January 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  11. ^ Baggaley, Michael (26 March 2018). "Port Vale defender Graham Kelly okay after motorway accident". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
  12. ^ "Port Vale: Neil Aspin releases 10 players from struggling League Two club". BBC Sport. 8 May 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  13. ^ "Latest News | Larne Football Club". www.larnefootballclub.co.uk. Archived from the original on 3 August 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  14. ^ "Irish Premiership: Season curtailed and mathematical formula to decide final standings". BBC. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  15. ^ Hanna, Gareth (2 December 2020). "Larne win County Antrim Shield to end 33 year trophy wait as hometown man Jeff Hughes nets decisive penalty". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
  16. ^ Fullerton, Darren (11 December 2020). "Larne edge four points clear at top of league table". BelfastLive. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  17. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Graham Kelly at Soccerway
  18. ^ Fullerton, Darren (2 January 2021). "From facing Joe Cole to the Irish League, Kelly's loving life at Larne". BelfastLive. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  19. ^ a b Sterling, Mark (11 January 2022). "Co Antrim Shield: Impressive Larne see off Linfield in gripping final to retain trophy". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  20. ^ "LARNE COMEBACK SECURES EURO DREAM AGAIN!". NI Football League. 13 May 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  21. ^ a b "Larne win Shield after injury-delayed shootout". BBC Sport. 17 January 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  22. ^ a b "Larne secure historic first Irish League title". BBC Sport. BBC. 14 April 2023.
  23. ^ McNabb, Johnny (20 May 2023). "Larne to lose the services of Graham Kelly and Fuad Sule after trophy laden five-year spell at Inver Park". Belfast News Letter. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
  24. ^ McNabb, Johnny (14 June 2023). "Coleraine land 'impressive' Graham Kelly as Bannsiders seal the deal for former Larne defender". News Letter. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  25. ^ Crawford, Steven (8 November 2023). "Coleraine penalty shootout win 'one of the maddest' matches says Graham Kelly". Belfast Live. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  26. ^ "Welcome To Port Vale – Graham Kelly". port-vale.co.uk. 22 June 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  27. ^ "Games played by Graham Kelly in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  28. ^ "Games played by Graham Kelly in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  29. ^ "Stalybridge Celtic – Official Site – Player Profile Graham Kelly". www.stalybridgeceltic.co.uk. Retrieved 8 April 2017.
  30. ^ "Games played by Graham Kelly in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2017.
  31. ^ "Co Antrim Shield final result: Larne beat Glentoran on penalties". BBC Sport. 2 December 2020. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
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