Josh O'Dwyer

Josh O'Dwyer
Personal information
Date of birth (2010-03-17) 17 March 2010
Place of birth Dublin, Ireland
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 FC Liefering
Number 8
Youth career
–2016 Leicester Celtic
2016–2026 Shamrock Rovers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2026 Shamrock Rovers 0 (0)
2026– FC Liefering 0 (0)
International career‡
2024–2025 Republic of Ireland U16 8 (1)
2025– Republic of Ireland U17 8 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 13:08, 1 July 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 10:22, 1 June 2026

Josh O'Dwyer (born 17 March 2010) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for 2. Liga club FC Liefering.

Club career

Born in Dublin, O'Dwyer is a youth product of Shamrock Rovers, having joined the Premier Division club from Dublin-based Leicester Celtic as a ten years old.[1][2]

Making strides with the Rovers' Under-20,[1] he appeared as one of the most gifted youngster at the club,[3][4][5][6] along the likes of Victor Ozhianvuna and Michael Noonan.[2]

O'Dwyer made his professional debut with Shamrock Rovers, starting a 3–2 away Leinster Senior Cup win over Blackrock College on 16 January 2026.[7][8][9]

In April 2026, his transfer was announced to Red Bull Salzburg in the Austrian Bundesliga,[2][3][10] set to first join the satellite club of FC Liefering in the Austrian second tier on 1 July 2026.[7][11][12]

International career

Born in Ireland, to a Polish mother,[1] O'Dwyer is a youth international for the Republic of Ireland, having captained the Republic of Ireland U16 team between 2024 and 2025.[4][5]

While still only 15, he started playing with the Republic of Ireland U17s, whom he helped qualified to the FIFA World Cup, having a pivotal role in their 7–0 beating of Slovakia in the March 2026 qualifiers.[2][3][13]

On 30 May 2026, he was first called up by Heimir Hallgrímsson to the senior Republic of Ireland squad, for a friendly away to World Cup host Canada.[1][14][15][16]

Style of play

A tall left-footed central midfielder, O'Dwyer has been described as a strong and powerful player who is comfortable with the ball at his feet.[1][3]

Career statistics

As of match played on 24 January 2026[17]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup[a] Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Shamrock Rovers 2026 LOI Premier Division 00002[b]020
FC Liefering 2026–27 2. Liga 00000000
Career total 00002020
  1. ↑ Includes FAI Cup & Austrian Cup
  2. ↑ Appearances in the Leinster Senior Cup

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 McDonnell, Daniel (30 May 2026). "16-year-old Josh O'Dwyer set for dream Canada trip with Ireland party now including seven home-based players". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 31 May 2026. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Ireland U17 international O'Dwyer to join Salzburg". Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 14 April 2026. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 McEvoy, Conor (9 April 2026). "Shamrock Rovers' teenage midfielder Josh O'Dwyer set to move to Red Bull Salzburg". The Irish Times. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  4. 1 2 O'Connor, Seán (27 February 2026). "Who are your club's top young talents aiming to light up the League of Ireland in 2026?". Irish Independent. Retrieved 31 May 2026. Central midfielder Josh O'Dwyer (15) is catching eyes too, having captained the Ireland U-16s last year. He has had interest from Bayern Munich and spent time checking out their facilities before Christmas.
  5. 1 2 Fallon, John (16 January 2026). "Ferizaj snapped up by Crawley Town, O'Dwyer on verge of Bayern Munich move". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  6. ↑ "FC Red Bull Salzburg: Rote Bullen "buhlen" um 16-jährigen Iren". Ligaportal (in Austrian German). 10 April 2026. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  7. 1 2 Pichler, Christoph (13 April 2026). "FC Liefering schnappt sich 16-jähriges Top-Talent aus Irland". Salzburger Nachrichten (in Austrian German). Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  8. ↑ "Blackrock College v Shamrock Rovers - Match Centre". extratime.com. 16 January 2026. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  9. ↑ "Blackrock College vs Shamrock Rovers". Shamrock Rovers. Archived from the original on 8 February 2026. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  10. ↑ Fitzmaurice, Aidan (13 April 2026). "Austrian giants Red Bull Salzburg win race to sign Shamrock Rovers teenager Josh O'Dwyer". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 31 May 2026. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  11. ↑ "Liefering verpflichtet irisches Mittelfeldtalent". Laola1 (in Austrian German). Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  12. ↑ "FC Liefering verpflichtet irisches Toptalent". FC Liefering (in German). 13 April 2026. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  13. ↑ Howley, Michael (1 April 2026). "Rovers and Pat's U17 players help country secure a World Cup place". The Echo. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  14. ↑ McCann, Lauren (30 May 2026). "Canada v Republic of Ireland: Josh O'Dwyer, 16, added to Irish squad for friendly with World Cup co-hosts". BBC Sport. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  15. ↑ "MNT Squad update - Healy, Leavy and O'Dwyer to travel to Canada in latest Ireland squad update". Football Association of Ireland. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  16. ↑ "'Nonsense' - Stephen Bradley hits out at Josh O'Dwyer's Ireland call". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  17. ↑ "Republic of Ireland - J. O'Dwyer - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com.
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