Tommy Lonergan

A native of Dunboyne, County Meath,[1] Lonergan left his schoolboy club Cherry Orchard to join the academy of St Patrick's Athletic in March 2019, where he initially played with the U15 side, before progressing to the U17 and U19 teams over the following 3 seasons.[2] His debut season with the club was a success, as he won a league and cup double with the U15s.[3] In September/October of 2021, he started both legs of the U19s side's UEFA Youth League tie against Crvena Zvezda as his side lost 2–1 at home and 2–0 away to exit the competition.[4]

Lonergan's senior debut for the club came on 23 July 2021, when he replaced Billy King from the bench for the final 10 minutes of a 6–0 win over Bray Wanderers in the FAI Cup.[5] This proved to be his only first team playing time of the season as he remained an unused substitute on 10 occasions in the league and cup.[6]

In search of regular first team football, Lonergan signed for UCD on 21 January 2022.[7] Following an ankle fracture in pre-season, he had to wait until 19 May 2022 to make his debut, when he came off the bench in a 3–0 defeat against Shamrock Rovers at the UCD Bowl.[8] The first senior goal of his career came on 7 July 2022 in a 3–1 defeat at home to Bohemians.[9] On 29 July 2022, Lonergan scored twice in a 3–0 win at home to Cockhill Celtic in the First Round of the FAI Cup.[10] On 1 August 2022, he scored his 4th goal in 5 games in a 1–1 draw away to Drogheda United to lift his side off the bottom of the table.[11] On 26 August 2022, he scored another 2 FAI Cup goals, as his side defeated Galway United at Eamonn Deacy Park.[12] On 9 September 2022, Lonergan scored 2 goals in a vital 3–2 win at home to Dundalk, to again lift his side off the bottom of the table.[13][14] A week later he scored a consolation goal in a 4–1 loss away to Treaty United in the Quarter Final of the FAI Cup.[15] Lonergan condemned relegation rivals Finn Harps to the League of Ireland First Division on 28 October 2022, when he scored 2 second half goals in a 3–1 win at Finn Park to avoid automatic relegation for his side.[16] He scored the winning goal of the game in the 2022 Promotion/Relegation Playoff Final on 11 November 2022 as his side defeated Waterford 1–0 at Richmond Park to confirm their League of Ireland Premier Division status for 2023.[17] His form for UCD drew interest from all of the top 4 clubs, with Dundalk and St Patrick's Athletic offering him contracts, while Derry City and Shamrock Rovers were reportedly monitoring his situation.[18]

On 25 November 2022, it was announced that Lonergan would be returning to St Patrick's Athletic, signing a multi-year-contract ahead of the 2023 season and becoming manager Tim Clancy's first signing of the off season.[19] On 30 June 2023, he scored his first goals for three club, coming off the bench in the 60th minute to score 2 goals in a 7–0 win against his old club UCD at Richmond Park.[20] On 12 July 2023, Lonergan made his first appearance in European competition when he came off the bench for the final 9 minutes of a 2–1 loss against F91 Dudelange in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Europa Conference League at the Stade Jos Nosbaum, in which his cross was unsuccessfully cleared by a defender, allowing Mark Doyle to pull a goal back for his side.[21] On 15 September 2023, Lonergan scored an 85th minute winner in a 2–1 win away to Finn Harps in the FAI Cup, to earn his side a place in the Semi Final.[22] The following week Lonergan returned to the starting XI and scored twice in a 3–1 win over Dundalk at Richmond Park.[23]

St Patrick's Athletic

• FAI Cup (1): 2021