Cian Byrne (footballer)

Last updated
Cian Byrne
Personal information
Full name Cian Byrne
Date of birth (2003-01-31) 31 January 2003 (age 22)
Place of birth The Liberties, Dublin, Republic of Ireland
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
Galway United (on loan from Bohemians
Number 2
Youth career
2010–2016 Lourdes Celtic
2016–2018 St Kevin's Boys
2018 Carlow-Kilkenny
2018–2022 Bohemians
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2022– Bohemians 31 (0)
2023Longford Town (loan) 20 (0)
2025–Galway United (loan) 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20:45, 25 February 2025 (UTC)

Cian Byrne (born 31 January 2003) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a defender for League of Ireland Premier Division club Galway United, on loan from Bohemians. He has also previously spent time on loan at Longford Town.

Contents

Career

Youth career

Byrne was born and raised in James Street in The Liberties, Dublin [1] and began playing his schoolboy football with Lourdes Celtic, where he remained for 6 years before joining top Dublin Academy St Kevin's Boys, remaining there for 2 seasons, then played for League of Ireland underage Academy side Carlow-Kilkenny in 2018, before signing for Bohemians Academy in August of the same year. [2] On 1 November 2022, he captained the club's under-19 side to the Enda McGuill Cup after beating St Patrick's Athletic in the final. [3]

Bohemians

Byrne made his senior debut for Bohemians on 29 July 2022 in a 3–1 win away to Finn Harps in the First Round of the FAI Cup. [4] He also featured in the next round of the cup against Lucan United, before making his league debut on 6 November 2022 in a 3–1 win over Sligo Rovers in the final game of the season. [5] On 16 December 2022, he signed his first professional contract with the club on a multi-year contract. [6]

Longford Town loan

On 23 February 2023, Byrne was loaned out to League of Ireland First Division club Longford Town to gain more first team experience. [7] He made his debut for the club the following day in a 1–1 draw away to Waterford at the RSC. [8] He made a total of 20 appearances for the club during his loan spell, before returning to Bohemians in July 2023. [9]

Return from loan

Upon his return to Bohs, he featured in 4 league games, as well as 2 FAI Cup games in the run up to the Cup Final which he was in contention to start following the suspension of Kacper Radkowski in the Semi-final. [1] [10] On 18 September 2023, Byrne played in the final of the 2022–23 Leinster Senior Cup, as his side defeated Usher Celtic 5–0 at Dalymount Park to win the trophy. [11] On 12 November 2023, he played the full 90 minute in the 2023 FAI Cup Final, as his side were defeated 3–1 by St Patrick's Athletic in front of a record FAI Cup final crowd at the Aviva Stadium. [12] On 23 February 2024, Byrne was struck by a flare thrown onto the pitch towards him by his own supporters in a game away to St Patrick's Athletic, with the flare burning a hole through his jersey and burning his arm, despite this, his manager Declan Devine refused to criticise the supporters, stating that he "will not slag my own fans". [13] [14] Despite Devine being sacked 2 games later, Byrne remained an important figure for new manager Alan Reynolds, featuring a total of 29 times in all competitions as the side avoided relegation on 19 October 2024 with a 2–0 win away to Sligo Rovers to secure 8th place. [15]

Galway United loan

On 18 February 2025, Byrne signed for fellow League of Ireland Premier Division club Galway United on loan until the end of June. [16] [17] [18] He made his debut on 21 February 2025, replacing Moses Dyer from the bench in the 71st minute of a 2–1 win over St Patrick's Athletic at Eamonn Deacy Park. [19]

Career statistics

As of match played on 21 February 2025 [20]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational Cup [a] OtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Bohemians 2022 LOI Premier Division 102030
2023 40303 [b] 0100
2024 260300 [b] 0290
2025 00001 [b] 010
Total3108040430
Longford Town (loan) 2023 LOI First Division 200200
Galway United (loan) 2025 LOI Premier Division 1010
Career Total5208040640
  1. Includes FAI Cup
  2. 1 2 3 Appearance(s) in the Leinster Senior Cup

Honours

Bohemians

References

  1. 1 2 "Late bloomer Cian Byrne emerges from behind Bohs' enemy lines to FAI Cup final stage". Irish Independent. November 10, 2023.
  2. "Cian Byrne | Stats | History | Career Details | Images | extratime.com - The Home of Irish Football - Extratime.com". www.extratime.com.
  3. "BOHEMIANS CROWNED ENDA McGUILL CUP WINNERS | Bohemian FC". bohemianfc.com.
  4. Foley, Alan (July 29, 2022). "Bohs punish Harps mistakes to march on" via www.rte.ie.
  5. "Bohemian FC 3-1 Sligo Rovers – Soccer". www.finalwhistle.ie.
  6. Doyle, Garry (December 16, 2022). "Bohs sign academy graduate Cian Byrne". The 42.
  7. "Cian Byrne Signs on loan!".
  8. "Waterford vs. Longford Town - 24 February 2023 - Soccerway". ie.soccerway.com.
  9. "Cian Byrne | Stats | History | Career Details | Images | extratime.com - The Home of Irish Football - Extratime.com". www.extratime.com.
  10. "Bohs' Cian Byrne eyes dream moment on big stage at Sports Direct Men's FAI Cup final". November 12, 2023.
  11. Dempsey, Andrew. "Bohemians secure Leinster Senior Cup crown with win over Usher Celtic". extratime.com.
  12. Cooney, Gavin (November 13, 2023). "Melia, Curtis, and Lonergan excel in FAI Cup final to show why the LOI is a young man's game". The 42.
  13. "Bohs player Cian Byrne struck by flare as they beat St Pat's". The Irish Times.
  14. "Bohs player hit by flare lucky to avoid serious injury as manager reacts". Irish Mirror. February 24, 2024.
  15. Farry, Jessica (October 19, 2024). "Bohemians secure top-flight safety with win at Sligo Rovers". The 42.
  16. Team, Media (February 18, 2025). "Cian Byrne joins Galway United on loan from Bohemians until June". Galway United.
  17. "Bohemians defender Cian Byrne moves to Galway United on loan as Kerry FC snap up senior international". www.independent.ie. February 18, 2025.
  18. "Galway confirm loan signing of Cian Byrne". RadioKerry.ie.
  19. "Galway United edge St Patrick's Athletic in thrilling encounter". The Irish Times.
  20. "Republic of Ireland - C. Byrne - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com.