Chris O'Connor (soccer)

Chris O'Connor (born 7 May 1985) is an Australian goalkeeper.[1]

Chris O'Connor
Personal information
Full name Chris O'Connor
Date of birth (1985-05-07) 7 May 1985
Place of birth Brisbane, Australia
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Gold Coast United FC
Number 40
Youth career
1991–2000 Rochedale Rovers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2003 Rochedale Rovers ? (1)
2003–2009 Bray Wanderers 147 (1)
2010–2011 Bohemians 27 (0)
2011–2012 Gold Coast United FC 3 (0)
International career
2005 Australian U-20 1 (0)
2008 Australian U-23 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

O'Connor signed for Rochedale Rovers senior team in the Brisbane's Men's League at the age of 15. He was the youngest player ever to be signed in the Queensland State League. He went on to play for Queensland at U-16 and U-19 level.

He was signed for Bray Wanderers in 2003 at age 18 and represented the Eircom League in the U-21s Four Nations Tournament in Scotland in 2004.

The PFAI named O'Connor as the goalkeeper of the year for first division in 2004 after Bray were promoted to Premier League after that season. O'Connor's form was seen as a major reason for the Bray's promotion in 2004 as he kept 15 clean sheets (a new club record) in 33 league games.

Despite his youth O'Connor remained as Bray's first choice goalkeeper throughout the majority of his stay at the Carlisle Grounds and his form was rewarded at the end of the 2009 season when he was nominated for Goalkeeper of the Year in the League of Ireland.[2] Bohs' Brian Murphy went on to win that award for the third successive year but in light of Murphy's departure from the club, Pat Fenlon brought O'Connor to Dalymount Park in time for the 2010 season.

O'Connor made an impressive competitive debut for Bohs on 13 March in the Setanta Sports Cup match against Glentoran, and was selected to feature in his first league game for the club 3 days later, away to UCD Chris spent most of the first half of the season as second choice goalkeeper for Pat Fenlon's side but regained his place midway through the season after some poor performances from Barry Murphy. Unfortunately for Chris and Bohs, they would lose the league title on goal difference.

On 23 December 2011, it was revealed that Gold Coast United FC had signed O'Connor for the glitter-strip side as an injury replacement signing for New Zealand international Goalkeeper Glen Moss.[3] On 1 February 2011 he made his A-League debut against Melbourne Victory FC.[4]

International career

Chris O'Connor made his international debut for Australia in 2005 in the U-20 side in the World Youth Cup qualifiers in the Solomon Islands.[5] After not playing for Australia for 3 years he was brought into the final U-23 Olympic selection camp in Darwin in June 2008 where he played against the Chilean U-23 side. From his performance during the camp O'Connor was selected in the 22-man squad to travel to Beijing for the Olympics.[6][7]

Honours

Bohemians

References
  1. "Hyundai A-League Week 12 Ins and Outs @ Football Australia 2011". Archived from the original on 11 January 2012. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
  2. Goalkeeper of the Year award
  3. "The time is right, says Bleiberg". footballaustralia.com.au. 23 December 2011. Archived from the original on 13 April 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
  4. "Official A-League Match centre". Archived from the original on 30 October 2011.
  5. Bray's O'Connor gets Australian call 2005
  6. Bray star earns Olympic call
  7. Olympic torch lights up for Bray ace
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