Gary Shanahan

Gary Shanahan
Shanahan in action for Galway United against Sligo Rovers in 2016
Personal information
Date of birth (1993-02-15) 15 February 1993
Place of birth Newcastle West, County Limerick
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position Winger
Youth career
Newcastle West
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012 Dundalk 22 (5)
2013 Mervue United 23 (10)
2014–2018 Galway United 136 (13)
Total 181 (28)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Gary Shanahan (born 15 February 1993) is an Irish former professional footballer who played as a winger.

Shanahan played youth football with Newcastle West before starting his professional career with Dundalk. Following a season at Mervue United, he joined Galway United where he would spend five seasons as a key player for the club.

Career

Dundalk

In January 2012, Shanahan joined League of Ireland Premier Division club Dundalk at the age of just 18, with Dundalk manager Sean McCaffrey describing Shanahan as a player with “huge potential”.[1]

On 10 April 2012, Shanahan scored a brace against Longford Town in the League of Ireland Cup.[2]

On 3 August 2012, Shanahan scored a late equalising goal for Dundalk, against Cork City,[3] which would prove crucial as Dundalk only survived in the Premier Division that season via the play-offs.

Mervue United

In February 2013, Shanahan signed for League of Ireland First Division side Mervue United.[4]

On 30 August 2013, Shanahan would score the winner in the final game between Mervue United and Salthill Devon in the League of Ireland,[5] until the two teams joined the FAI National League in 2026.[6]

On the last day of the season, Shanahan scored a brace in a 4–1 win over Waterford United which meant Mervue overtook Waterford in the league and qualified for the play-offs.[7] In the play-offs Mervue played Longford Town. After a first leg where Mervue won 1–0,[8] Longford won the second leg 2–3 and defeated Mervue on penalties.[9]

Shanahan finished the season as Mervue’s top goalscorer and the 5th highest scorer in the First Division, with 10 goals in 23 games.

Galway United

2014 season

On 18 December 2013, Shanahan joined newly formed, Galway FC ahead of the 2014 season.[10]

At the end of the season Galway made it to the play-offs, where in the first play-off they would play Shelbourne, where Shanahan would score in the first-leg at Eamonn Deacy Park as Galway would win 2–0 on the night,[11] and would go on to win the tie 4–1.[12] In the play-off final, Galway would face UCD, where Galway would win 5–1 on aggregate with Shanahan scoring in the second-leg to win promotion back to the Premier Division.[13]

2015 season

In the 2015 season, Shanahan played a key role as the once again renamed Galway United survived in the league, avoiding the relegation zone by just two points. Shanahan scored the goal that all but ensured their survival in a 1–1 draw against Bray Wanderers.[14]

In the same season Galway made it to the 2015 League of Ireland Cup final against St Patrick's Athletic, after defeating Shanahan’s former club, Dundalk on penalties in the semi-final.[15] Galway were at home in the final in which Shanahan played the entire 120 minutes as the game ended 0–0 after extra-time. It was another game that had gone to penalties, however it would not turn out as fortunate as they would lose the shoutout 3–4.[16]

2016 season

On 15 April 2016, Shanahan scored to earn Galway a draw against Cork City who would go on to finish second in the league that season.[17] Once again Shanahan played a large role, playing in every single game in the 2016 season as Galway would once again avoid relegation.[18]

2017 season

On 28 April 2017, Shanahan scored a 93rd minute winner against his former club Dundalk, to give Galway a shock victory against the team that had won the three previous Premier Division titles.[19] Later in the season Dundalk would be the ones to relegate Galway, with Galway losing 3–4 at Eamonn Deacy Park to confirm their relegation.[20]

In the 2017 season, Galway finished 10th out of 12 teams which would normally mean they had avoided relegation once again. However in that season there was a change in format which meant the bottom three teams were relegated.[21]

2018 season

Shanahan re-signed for Galway ahead of their first season back in the First Division.[22]

Despite a good start to the season,[23] manager Shane Keegan was sacked and replaced by Shanahan’s teammate Alan Murphy who became player-manager.[24][25]

Galway United finished the season in 6th failing to qualify for the play-offs, with Shanahan failing to score a single goal in what would turn out to be his final season with the club.

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[26]
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Dundalk 2012 LOI Premier Division 22531121[c]0278
Mervue United 2013 LOI First Division 231010002[d]02610
Galway United 2014 LOI First Division 22320214[e]2306
2015 LOI Premier Division 3342052—406
2016 3341020—364
2017 2522030—302
2018 LOI First Division 2300010—240
Total 13613701334216018
Career total 181281111457221336

Honours

Galway United

References

  1. ↑ "Shanahan has 'huge potential'". independent.ie. 11 January 2012. Retrieved 23 April 2026.
  2. ↑ "Dundalk and Drogheda progress in EA Sports Cup". rte.ie. 10 April 2012. Retrieved 23 April 2026.
  3. ↑ "Shanahan's strike eases Lilies' fears". independent.ie. 4 August 2012. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  4. ↑ "Gary Shanahan Galway United Player Profile". extratime.com. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  5. ↑ "Bragging rights for Mervue Utd as Shanahan goal settles it". Independent.ie. 3 September 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  6. ↑ "Salthill Devon and Mervue United confirmed as members in new FAI National League". independent.ie. 20 December 2025. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  7. ↑ "Mervue & Longford into play-off". rte.ie. 12 October 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  8. ↑ "Mervue take advantage over Longford". rte.ie. 19 October 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  9. ↑ "Longford Town's penalty shoot-out drama win over Mervue". longfordleader.ie. 30 October 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  10. ↑ "Galway FC's new squad nears completion". advertiser.ie. 30 January 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  11. ↑ "Advantage Galway in promotion play-off". rte.ie. 17 October 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  12. ↑ "Galway will face UCD in Premier Division play-off". rte.ie. 24 October 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  13. ↑ "Gary Shanahan leads Galway back to the promised land". independent.ie. 1 November 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  14. ↑ "Shanahan all but seals Galway survival". independent.ie. 16 October 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  15. ↑ "Galway shock Dundalk to reach cup final". rte.ie. 4 August 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  16. ↑ "St Pat's claim EA Sports Cup after shootout". rte.ie. 19 September 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  17. ↑ "Cork twice come from behind to snatch draw in Galway". independent.ie. 15 April 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  18. ↑ "Galway United giving local fans plenty of reasons for hope". advertiser.ie. 7 July 2023. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  19. ↑ "Shanhan strikes late as Galway stun Dundalk for first league win". rte.ie. 28 April 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  20. ↑ "Galway go down fighting in seven-goal thriller". rte.ie. 28 October 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  21. ↑ Mackey, Liam (23 December 2016). "It's three down, one up for LOI season". The Irish Examiner. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
  22. ↑ "Gary Shanahan agrees new Galway United contract". galwaybayfm.ie. 23 December 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  23. ↑ "Keegan upbeat after positive start to season". leagueofireland.ie. 15 November 2013. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  24. ↑ "Galway United part company with manager Shane Keegan". extratime.com. 18 June 2018. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  25. ↑ "Galway United appoint Alan Murphy as manager". rte.ie. 3 July 2018. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  26. ↑ https://uk.soccerway.com/player/shanahan-gary/tz3hTYaI/
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