Dermot O'Neill (footballer)
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Dermot O'Neill (born in 27 November 1960 in Dublin) was an Irish soccer player during the 1980s and 1990s.
He was educated at Scoil Mhuir in Marino and Ard-Scoil Rís where he excelled at Gaelic football and even made it as far as the Dublin GAA minor team. But soccer was Dermot's first love and he signed for Shamrock Rovers youth team where his brother Alan was the first choice goalkeeper. He also won caps for the Irish youth team around this time.
He then moved to Jim McLaughlin's Dundalk team where he struggled to break into the first team but at Reserve level won 2 Reserve league titles. Those performances attracted Billy Young and Dermot was soon on his way to Bohemians where he made his League of Ireland debut at Sligo on the 13th of September 1981, keeping a clean sheet. He would stay for the rest of the decade. He was to make 6 appearances in European competition for Bohs against the likes of Rangers, Dundee United and Aberdeen. He had near misses while at Dalymount Park but never managed to pick up a winners medal - winning numerous League runners-up medals and 2 FAI Cup runners up medal (1982 and 1983).
After 283 league appearances and 10 seasons at Bohs, Dermot signed for Derry City under new manager Roy Coyle. Dermot seemed destined to remain trophyless throughout his career when Derry lost the 1994 FAI Cup Final to Sligo Rovers and then lost the league on the last day of the 1994/95 season when Dundalk pipped Derry to the title. But one week after that league disaster, Dermot finally got his winners medal that his talent deserved as Derry beat Shelbourne to win the 1995 FAI Cup. Ironically that would mark the end of his career at Derry as he moved on to the Irish League with Glenavon. He won the Irish Cup in 1997 beating Cliftonville in the final. A mixed season for Glenavon followed and Dermot moved on to Ballymena United under Nigel Best. He only spent one season there and after just avoiding relegation, Dermot hung up his gloves and retired.
Dermot got back into football in 2001 when he became goalkeeping coach at Longford Town under Stephen Kenny. When Kenny moved on to Bohemians, O'Neill returned his footballing home and stayed there as goalkeeping coach till the summer of 2006 when under pressure boss Gareth Farrelly decided he was surplus to requirements. However when Pat Fenlon was appointed manager of Bohs, he brought back Dermot as goalkeeping coach for the 2008 season.
[edit] Honours
- FAI Cup
- Derry City - 1995
- Irish Cup
- Glenavon - 1997
