Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Ruaridhri James Patrick Donnelly [1] | ||
Date of birth | [2] | 18 February 1992||
Place of birth | Belfast, Northern Ireland | ||
Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) [3] | ||
Position(s) | Striker | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Cliftonville | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2010–2012 | Cliftonville | 50 | (20) |
2012–2015 | Swansea City | 0 | (0) |
2014 | → Coventry City (loan) | 0 | (0) |
2015 | → Tranmere Rovers (loan) | 20 | (5) |
2015–2017 | Gillingham | 66 | (12) |
2017–2020 | Cliftonville | 65 | (28) |
2020–2024 | Glentoran | 110 | (19) |
2024 | → Newington (loan) | 10 | (5) |
2024– | Cliftonville | 0 | (0) |
International career | |||
2013 | Northern Ireland U21 | 1 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 1 February 2024 |
Ruaridhri James Patrick Donnelly (born 18 February 1992) is a Northern Irish professional footballer who plays as a striker for Cliftonville in the NIFL Premiership.
Donnelly was born in Belfast. [4] He made his Cliftonville debut on 7 September 2010, coming on as an 85th-minute substitute in a 2–0 defeat against Linfield at Windsor Park in the County Antrim Shield. He went on to make 33 league and cup appearances in the 2010–11 season, scoring 7 league goals. [5]
The 2011–12 season started well for Donnelly. In October 2011 he scored a hat-trick in a 6–2 win over Linfield in the County Antrim Shield, [6] the same opposition in the same competition as his debut a year earlier. [7] In November 2011 he scored four goals in a league match against Ballymena United in a 7–3 win to catch the eye of an unnamed Championship club. [8] [9]
His good form. continued, and he scored 13 goals in his first 18 league games of the 2011–12 season to attract interest from Arsenal and Liverpool, with the latter club's manager, Kenny Dalglish, confirming they had registered their interest. [10]
Donnelly made his final appearance for Cliftonville on 17 December 2011, in a 2–1 home defeat against Coleraine. He had scored a total of 22 goals in 54 league and cup appearances spanning two seasons.
In December 2011, Swansea City offered £100,000 for Donnelly, before Everton bid "considerably more". [11] The Welsh club then upped their bid and Donnelly agreed a three-and-a-half-year deal with Swansea on 30 December 2011 for an undisclosed fee. [12] [13] The transfer was completed on 10 January 2012, and Donnelly was given the shirt number 41.
Donnelly scored on his debut for the reserves in a 2–2 draw with Chelsea's reserves at Parc y Scarlets on 28 March 2012. [14]
Donnelly made his first senior appearance for Swansea in a League Cup fixture against Crawley Town on 25 September 2012, coming on as a substitute for Michu. [15] His full début came the next season in a Europa League play-off against Petrolul Ploiești which ended in a 2–1 defeat. [16]
On 28 May 2015, Swansea City confirmed that Donnelly had been released by the club. [17]
On 31 January 2014, Donnelly joined Coventry City on loan until the end of the 2013–14 season. [18] On 4 February 2014, it was confirmed that Donnelly had returned to Swansea City due to non-footballing personal reasons. [19]
On 6 February 2015, Donnelly was named the League Two Player of the Month for January [20] after scoring 3 goals in his first month at the club, taking Tranmere Rovers out of the relegation zone.
Donnelly joined Gillingham on a free transfer in 2015. [21]
On 28 April 2017, the club announced that he had "been suspended from his employment at the club with immediate effect". [22] On 15 May, it was confirmed that he had been fined £700 after being caught driving without a full licence. [23] Five days later, the club announced that Donnelly had been released at the end of his contract. [24]
On 29 August 2017, Donnelly returned to Cliftonville signing a three-year contract. [25]
On 31 January 2020, Donnelly joined East Belfast side Glentoran, signing a three-and-a-half-year contract. [26] He made his debut for the side in a 0–0 draw against Carrick Rangers in the NIFL Premiership on 14 February 2020. [27]
Donnelly started the match as Glentoran defeated Ballymena United 2–1 in the final of the 2019–20 Irish Cup. The game was the first football match in the United Kingdom to host fans since the COVID-19 outbreak, with 250 fans from each team permitted at Windsor Park. [28]
On 10 April 2021, he scored a brace in a 2–0 win over Dungannon Swifts, including a header around 40 yards from goal. [29]
On 7 May 2024, it was announced that Donnelly would be one of ten players departing Glentoran upon the expiry of their contracts. [30]
Donnelly returned to Cliftonville for a third time on 16 July 2024, signing a one-year deal with the club. [31]
In November 2011, he was called up to the Northern Ireland Under-21s for the first time, but he did not feature in the match against Serbia. [32] [33] In June 2013, Donnelly informed the IFA that he did not wish to be considered for selection for Northern Ireland. [34] However, he then made his under-21 debut against Denmark in August 2013 [35]
Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Other [A] | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Cliftonville | 2010–11 | IFA Premiership | 31 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 7 |
2011–12 | IFA Premiership | 19 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 15 | |
Total | 50 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 55 | 22 | ||
Swansea City | 2012–13 [36] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
2013–14 [37] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
2014–15 [38] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
Coventry City (loan) | 2013–14 [37] | League One | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Tranmere Rovers (loan) | 2014–15 [38] | League Two | 20 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 5 |
Gillingham | 2015–16 [39] | League One | 38 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 10 |
2016–17 [40] | League One | 28 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 33 | 2 | |
Total | 66 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 75 | 12 | ||
Cliftonville | 2017–18 | NIFL Premiership | 34 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 15 |
2018–19 | NIFL Premiership | 27 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 31 | 15 | |
2019–20 | NIFL Premiership | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 3 | |
Total | 65 | 28 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 80 | 33 | ||
Career total | 201 | 65 | 7 | 3 | 13 | 3 | 11 | 1 | 232 | 72 |
Glentoran Football Club is a professional football club based in East Belfast, Northern Ireland, that plays in the NIFL Premiership. The club was founded in 1882 and has since won more than 130 major honours, making them one of the most successful teams in the world.
Crusaders Football Club is a semi-professional Northern Irish football club playing in the NIFL Premiership. The club, founded in 1898, is based in north Belfast and plays its home matches at Seaview.
David Jonathan Healy is a Northern Irish former professional footballer and now football manager who is in charge at NIFL Premiership club Linfield.
Rory Alexander McArdle is a former professional footballer. He has previously played for Sheffield Wednesday, Rochdale, Aberdeen, Bradford City and Scunthorpe United, and represented the Northern Ireland national football team.
Andrew William Smith is a former Northern Ireland international footballer and coach who is now the manager of Finnish Veikkausliiga club Haka. He had a 16-year career playing professional and semi-professional football in Northern Ireland, England, Scotland, Belgium, and Portugal. He also won 18 caps for Northern Ireland between 2003 and 2005 and one cap for the Northern Ireland B team in 2003.
Mamady Sidibé is a Malian former professional footballer who played as a forward.
Gary Hamilton is a Northern Irish footballer and former manager who plays for Mid-Ulster Football League side Hill Street FC. Hamilton was player-manager of NIFL Premiership side Glenavon from 2011 to 2023.
Matthew James Green is an English footballer who most recently played as a striker for National League South club Eastbourne Borough.
Rory Christopher Patterson is a Northern Irish footballer who plays as a forward for Belfast Celtic He also played for the Northern Ireland national team. Having played youth football for Sion Swifts, Moorfield Celtic and Townsend United, Patterson joined Rochdale in 2002 before having spells with Radcliffe Borough and Mossley.
David Howland is a Northern Irish former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. He scored 17 goals in 171 league and cup appearances in an eleven-year career in professional and semi-professional football in England and Northern Ireland.
Andrew Waterworth is a former footballer from Northern Ireland who was most recently the interim manager of the Northern Ireland women's national team.
David Gerard McDaid is an Irish professional footballer who plays for NIFL Premiership side Glenavon as a striker.
Kevin Kelbie is a Scottish former footballer.
Daniel Anthony Kearns is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder. Kearns joined Peterborough United from Dundalk in 2011 and had three separate loan spells with clubs across Northern England. He permanently joined Carlisle United after leaving Peterborough, and spent a year there before returning to Ireland, spending his later career at various clubs in the Irish Premiership and League of Ireland.
Jude Winchester is a Northern Irish semi-professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for [[st James swifts F.C.|
John Herron is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Irish Football League side Ballymena United F.C..
Navid Nasseri is an Iranian-English professional footballer who plays for Northern Premier League Division One West club Stalybridge Celtic.
Jonny Addis is a footballer from Northern Ireland who plays for Cliftonville in the NIFL Premiership.
Jay Donnelly is a Northern Irish footballer who plays for Glentoran in the NIFL Premiership. He previously played for Cliftonville and had a short spell at Belfast Celtic.