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Daniel Kelly (footballer, born 1996)
Daniel Kelly (born 21 May 1996) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a winger for League of Ireland Premier Division club Shelbourne. His previous clubs are St Patrick's CY (over 2 spells), Crumlin United, Bray Wanderers, Bohemians, Dundalk and Derry City. CareerEarly careerA native of Ringsend, County Dublin, Kelly began playing his schoolboy football with local side Cambridge Boys, then played one season of junior football with Ringsend Rovers[1] before joining Leinster Senior League side St Patrick CY at senior level in 2015.[2] He then moved to Leinster Senior League Senior Division club Crumlin United for the 2016–17 season before returning to St Patrick's CY in 2017.[3] In November 2017, he was part of the Leinster Senior League's representative side that won the 2017 Michael Ward Interprovincial Cup.[1] Bray WanderersHis form at Leinster Senior League level drew interest from League of Ireland clubs, signing for Bray Wanderers in January 2018.[1] He made his first appearance for the club on 4 February 2018, in a 3–1 loss to St Patrick's Athletic in a Leinster Senior Cup tie at the Carlisle Grounds.[4] He scored his first goal at League of Ireland Premier Division level on 23 March 2018, opening the scoring after 3 minutes in an eventual 2–1 defeat away to Bohemians at Dalymount Park.[5] He made a total of 25 appearances in all competitions[6] with the club, scoring 2 goals before departing on 11 July 2018, with the club in financial difficulty.[7][8] BohemiansOn 11 July 2018, Kelly signed for fellow League of Ireland Premier Division side Bohemians.[9] He made his debut for the club on 20 July 2018, scoring twice in a 6–0 win at home to his former side Bray Wanderers.[10][11] He scored 6 goals in 15 games in all competitions during his half-season with the club.[12] DundalkOn 22 December 2018, Kelly signed for Dundalk on a 2 year contract ahead of the 2019 season[13][14] with the club beating off competition for his signature from Bohemians, Cork City, Shamrock Rovers and EFL Championship club Bolton Wanderers for his signature.[15][16] His first goal for the club came on 4 March 2019 in a 4–0 win over Waterford at Oriel Park.[17] On 14 September 2019, he was part of the team that defeated Derry City on penalties in the 2019 League of Ireland Cup final at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium.[18] He won the first league medal of his career on 24 September 2019, as his side beat Shamrock Rovers 3–2 at Oriel Park to secure the 2019 League of Ireland Premier Division title.[19] On 4 November 2019, Kelly replaced Sean Murray from the bench in the 61st minute of the 2019 FAI Cup final as his side were defeated in a penalty shootout by Shamrock Rovers at the Aviva Stadium.[20] On 11 November 2019, he was part of the side that beat NIFL Premiership champions Linfield 6–0 at Oriel Park to win the 2019 Champions Cup.[21] On 1 October 2020, Kelly scored his sides third goal of the game in a 3–1 win over KÍ of the Faroe Islands at the Aviva Stadium to secure a Group Stage spot in the 2020–21 UEFA Europa League for his club, where they would go on to face Premier League club Arsenal, Molde of Norway and Rapid Vienna of Austria, with Kelly later describing the goal as his 'best moment in a Dundalk jersey'.[22] On 6 December 2020, Kelly replaced Michael Duffy in the 111th minute of the 2020 FAI Cup final, before assisting David McMillan's hat-trick goal in the 117th minute to seal a 4–2 win over Shamrock Rovers at the Aviva Stadium.[23] Kelly signed a new 1 year contract with the club on 23 December 2020.[24] He played in all 6 of the club's UEFA Europa Conference League fixtures in the summer of 2021 as they defeated Newtown of Wales and FCI Levadia Tallinn of Estonia before narrowly being knocked out by Vitesse Arnhem of the Dutch Eredivisie.[6] On 18 December 2021, he signed a new 2 year contract with the club.[25][26] Kelly was named League of Ireland Player of the Month for the first time in his career, for the month of May 2022.[27] He left the club on 16 November 2023, after scoring 35 goals in 158 appearances for the club over 5 seasons.[28] Derry CityKelly signed a 2 year contract with Derry City on 17 November 2023.[29] On 28 June 2024, Kelly scored his first goal for the club, in a 5–1 win over Drogheda United at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium.[30] He missed the 2024 FAI Cup final through a knee injury that required surgery, as his side were defeated 2–0 at the Aviva Stadium by Drogheda United.[31] On 18 December 2024, it was announced that Kelly had left the club by mutual consent, after making 26 appearances in all competitions during his season with the club, scoring 1 goal.[32] Kelly stated that departing the club was not a footballing decision and that it was related to having 'struggled mentally' as he found it difficult to settle in the north west, with a string of disappointing performances, coupled with the knee injury which ended his season prematurely, compounding matters.[33] ShelbourneOn 19 December 2024, Kelly returned to Dublin, signing for the previous season's League of Ireland Premier Division winners Shelbourne ahead of their 2025 season.[34] Career statistics
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