Gary O'Neill is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for League of Ireland Premier Division club Shamrock Rovers.
O'Neill moved to England as a teenager and came through the Academy at Wolverhampton Wanderers. He was signed to Port Vale and played on loan at Southport. He returned to Ireland after leaving Hereford United in 2015, at which point he signed with UCD. He spent four years with UCD, helping the club to the League of Ireland First Division title in 2018, before he moved on to Shamrock Rovers. He was named in the PFAI Team of the Year three times whilst in the second tier. He won the Premier Division in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2025. He also won the FAI Cup in 2019 and 2025, and the President of Ireland's Cup in 2022 and 2024.
Career
Early career A native of Caherslee, Tralee, County Kerry, O'Neill played for Kingdom Boys as a youth. His father, Tony, was a founding member of Tralee Dynamos. Following impressive displays in the Kennedy Cup, he joined the Academy at English Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers at Wolverhampton Wanderers. He spent four years with Wolves, where manager Mick McCarthy had an influx of Irish youngsters.
He joined Port Vale, though was released by manager Micky Adams at the end of the 2013–14 season without playing a first-team game. He spent a month on loan at Southport, playing four Conference games.
In September 2014, O'Neill joined Hereford United. He left Hereford in December 2014, when they were wound up as a club, with all league results and league appearances expunged. He was not paid his full wages.
UCD O'Neill returned to Ireland in February 2015, signing with UCD where manager Pat Devlin was a friend of his father. He obtained a degree in sports management whilst at the university. He made his senior debut for the club in a Leinster Senior Cup tie against Dundalk on 10 February 2015. O'Neill scored on his league debut, a 3–0 victory over Cobh Ramblers on 7 March 2015. He was named on the PFAI Team of the Year for 2015, alongside teammates Thomas Boyle, Robbie Benson, and Ryan Swan. He was again voted onto the PFAI Team of the Year for 2016, along teammates Maxi Kouogun and Ryan Swan, with Limerick players making up the other eight names on the teamsheet. He was named onto the PFAI Team of the Year for the First Division for a third time in 2018, alongside teammates Liam Scales, Daire O'Connor and Georgie Kelly. He also won the division's Player of the Year award. UCD secured promotion that season as champions of the First Division.
Shamrock Rovers In June 2019, O'Neill signed with Shamrock Rovers. Manager Stephen Bradley expressed his delight at the acquisition, highlighting O'Neill's fit within the team's playing style and his potential for further development. On 3 November 2019, he scored the winning penalty in the 2019 FAI Cup final in a shootout victory over Dundalk at the Aviva Stadium. He was an unused substitute in the 2021 President of Ireland's Cup final defeat to Dundalk. He did manage to play in the 2022 President of Ireland's Cup, which finished as a 1–1 draw, and converted his penalty in the 5–4 shootout victory. He went on to feature as a half-time substitution the 2024 President of Ireland's Cup, a 3–1 victory over St Patrick's Athletic. He missed 11 games of the 2024 campaign due to injury. He was not in the matchday squad for the 2025 FAI Cup final win over Cork City following a cancer diagnosis, but recorded a video message of support for his teammates in the run up to the game.
Style of play O'Neill is renowned for his exceptional passing ability, boasting a passing accuracy above 90%. In 2019, he was the only player to complete over 2,000 passes in the season, averaging 71 completed passes per game, accounting for 13% of Shamrock Rovers' total passes.
Personal life In April 2026, O'Neill revealed that he had been diagnosed with testicular cancer in October 2025 and had undergone chemotherapy treatment, with the treatment and recovery period keeping him out of action for a long-term period.
Career statistics
+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueNational CupLeague CupEuropeOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsPort Vale2013–14League One000000—0000Southport (loan)2013–14Conference40————40Hereford United2014–15Southern LeaguePremier Division000011—2031UCD2015LOI First Division253101040303432016LOI First Division27133110—3234162017LOI First Division1850011—222182018LOI First Division2793011—0031102019LOI Premier Division192—20——212Total116327162408414139Shamrock Rovers2019LOI Premier Division11051—31001922020LOI Premier Division12010—20—1502021LOI Premier Division31120—60003912022LOI Premier Division31020—131104712023LOI Premier Division28010—40003302024LOI Premier Division23010—130103802025LOI Premier Division13040—30002002026LOI Premier Division0000—000000Total1491161—442202114Career Total269332327348212435944
Honours Club
UCD League of Ireland First Division (1): 2018
Shamrock Rovers League of Ireland Premier Division (5): 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025 FAI Cup (2): 2019, 2025 President of Ireland's Cup (2): 2022, 2024
Individual PFAI First Division Team of the Year (3): 2015, 2016, 2018
References