Rory Gaffney

Rory Nicholas Gaffney (born 23 October 1989) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a striker for Shamrock Rovers

Rory Gaffney

Gaffney playing for Bristol Rovers in April 2016
Personal information
Full name	Rory Nicholas Gaffney[1]
Date of birth	(1989-10-23) 23 October 1989[2]
Place of birth	Tuam, Ireland
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[2]
Playing position(s)	Striker
Club information
Current team	Shamrock Rovers
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2009–2011	Mervue United	59	(13)
2011–2014	Limerick	85	(29)
2015–2016	Cambridge United	6	(2)
2015–2016	→ Bristol Rovers (loan)	7	(5)
2016–2018	Bristol Rovers	93	(16)
2018–2020	Salford City	45	(11)
2019–2020	→ Walsall (Loan)	15	(1)
2020–	Shamrock Rovers	0	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 09:45, 3 January 2020 (UTC)

Career

Limerick

Gaffney started his career at League of Ireland First Division team Mervue United before joining Premier League team Limerick in July 2011.[3] He completed his studies at the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology while playing in Ireland.[4]

Cambridge United

On 25 November 2014 Gaffney agreed a move to League Two club Cambridge United when the transfer window opened. His first season was beset with injury and he made his Football League debut on 26 September 2015, replacing Conor Newton in the 81st minute in a 1–0 win against Stevenage at the Abbey Stadium providing the cross from which Cambridge scored.[5] Gaffney went on to score twice on his first start for Cambridge United in the 3–2 away win over Yeovil Town on 23 October.[6]

Bristol Rovers

On 14 January 2016, Gaffney moved permanently to League Two club Bristol Rovers after a successful loan spell. After scoring 5 goals in 7 games for the West Country Club. Gaffney ended the season with a tally of 8 league goals as he played a useful part in the club's promotion to Football League One.[7]

Gaffney scored his first goal in Sky Bet League One and his first for the club since 16 April 2016 on 1 October 2016 with his club's first goal in a dramatic 3–2 win over Northampton Town.[8] Rory scored his first goal since 10 December 2016 in the 4–2 victory over Bury [9] on 11 March 2017 in a 2–0 victory over Southend United.[10] He scored his second goal in a week scoring what would prove to be the winner in a 2–1 victory over Chesterfield taking his season total to 4 league goals.[11] Gaffney ended the season with a total of 9 goals including two in a 4–2 loss vs Peterborough United as his side narrowly missed the playoffs.[12]

Gaffney scored his first goal of the 2017–18 season to make it 3–1 in a 4–1 defeat to Peterborough United on 12 August 2017 when he headed home a Lee Brown cross at the back post.[13]

Salford City

In June 2018 he joined Salford City on a three-year contract.[14] He made his debut in the opening match of the 2018–19 season on 4 August as Salford drew 1–1 at home to Leyton Orient.[15]

Walsall (loan)

On 1 September 2019 he joined Walsall on loan for the remainder of the 2019–20 season.[16]

Shamrock Rovers

On 24 February 2020, Salford City announced they and Gaffney had mutually parted ways and he had left the club[17] and later that day signed for Shamrock Rovers.[18]

Career statistics

As of 25 February 2020

Club	Season	League			National Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Mervue United	2009[19]	League of Ireland First Division	14	3	0	0	1	0	0	0	15	3
	2010[19]		31	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	31	6
	2011[19]		14	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	14	4
	Mervue United Total		59	13	0	0	1	0	0	0	60	13
Limerick	2011[19]	League of Ireland First Division	11	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	11	0
	2012		24	10	0	0	3	0	0	0	27	10
	2013[19]	League of Ireland Premier Division	19	5	0	0	2	0	0	0	21	5
	2014[19]		31	14	0	0	1	0	0	0	32	14
	Limerick Total		85	29	0	0	6	0	0	0	91	29
Cambridge United	2014–15	EFL League Two	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	2015–16[20]		6	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	7	2
	Cambridge United Total		6	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	7	2
Bristol Rovers (loan)	2015–16[20]	EFL League Two	7	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	7	5
Bristol Rovers	2015–16[20]		17	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	17	3
	2016–17[21]	EFL League One	34	6	2	3	2	0	3[lower-alpha 1]	0	41	9
	2017–18[22]		42	7	1	0	3	0	1[lower-alpha 1]	0	48	7
	Bristol Rovers Total		100	21	3	3	5	0	4	0	120	29
Salford City	2018–19[23]	National League	43	11	3	1[lower-alpha 2]	0	0	3[lower-alpha 3]	0	49	12
	2019–20[23]	EFL League Two	2	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	3	0
	Salford City Total		45	11	3	1	1	0	3	0	52	12
Walsall (loan)	2019–20[23]	EFL League Two	15	1	3	0	0	0	4[lower-alpha 1]	0	22	1
Shamrock Rovers	2020[23]	League of Ireland Premier Division	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Career Total			310	74	10	4	13	0	11	0	345	78

1. Appearances in the EFL Trophy
2. Includes appearance and goal in FA Cup qualifying match against Marine[24]
3. 1 appearance in the FA Trophy and 2 appearances in the National League playoffs

Honours

Limerick

• League of Ireland First Division: 2012[25]

Bristol Rovers

• Football League Two third-place promotion: 2015–16[26]

Salford City

• National League play-offs: 2019[27]

References

1. "The Football League Limited: Club list of registered players as at 16th May 2015" (PDF). The Football League. 16 May 2015. p. 68. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
2. "Rory Gaffney". 11v11. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
3. "Limerick FC is delighted to announce that Rory Gaffney (Mervue United) has signed with the Club". 30 July 2011. Retrieved 27 October 2015.
4. "Interview: Rory Gaffney – From GMIT to the Theatre of Dreams". 14 April 2015. Retrieved 27 October 2015.
5. "Cambridge United 1–0 Stevenage". BBC Sport. 26 September 2015. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
6. "Cambridge United: Rory Gaffney to push himself after dream return". BBC Sport. 26 October 2015. Retrieved 27 October 2015.
7. "Top Scorers – Bristol Rovers – Football – BBC Sport". BBC Sport.
8. "ROVERS GET ALL THREE POINTS IN FANTASTIC GAME AT NORTHAMPTON TOWN". mobile.bristolrovers.co.uk. 1 October 2016. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
9. "Bristol Rovers 4–2 Bury – BBC Sport". BBC Sport. 10 December 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
10. "Bristol Rovers 2 Southend United 0: Darrell Clarke's side go nine unbeaten in Sky Bet League One". Bristol Post. 11 March 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
11. "Bristol Rovers 2 Chesterfield 1: Rovers bounce back from Bury defeat to keep play-off hopes alive". Bristol Post. 18 March 2017. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
12. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/teams/bristol-rovers/top-scorers
13. "Bristol Rovers 1–4 Peterborough United". BBC Sport. 12 August 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
14. "Salford City: Devante Rodney and Rory Gaffney join the Ammies". BBC Sport. 15 June 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
15. "Salford City 1–1 Leyton Orient". BBC Sport. 3 August 2018. Retrieved 4 August 2018.
16. https://www.extratime.ie/articles/23577/former-limerick-striker-rory-gaffney-joins-walsall-on-loan-from-salford-city/
17. "Rory Gaffney leaves the club". Salford City F.C. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
18. "Rory Gaffney is a Hoop!". Shamrock Rovers. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
19. Rory Gaffney at Soccerway. Retrieved 21 September.
20. "Games played by Rory Gaffney in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
21. "Games played by Rory Gaffney in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
22. "Games played by Rory Gaffney in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
23. Rory Gaffney at Soccerway
24. https://salfordcityfc.co.uk/matches/marine-v-salford-city-emirates-fa-cup-q4-20101819/
25. "Ireland 2012". www.rsssf.com. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
26. Anderson, John, ed. (2016). Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2016–2017. London: Headline Publishing Group. pp. 90–91. ISBN 978-1-4722-3395-0.
27. Rindl, Josef (11 May 2019). "AFC Fylde 0–3 Salford City". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 May 2019.

External links

• Rory Gaffney at Soccerbase