William McConnell (footballer)

William McConnell was an Irish sportsman who represented Ireland in football in the years before World War I and was part of the first Irish team to win the British Home Championship outright in 1913-14. During his club career McConnell lined out for Bohemians.

William McConnell
Personal information
Full name William George McConnell[1]
Date of birth 1889
Place of birth Dublin
Playing position(s) Full Back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1910–1914 Bohemian F.C.
1914–1915 Bradford Park Avenue 4 (0)
National team
1912–1914 Ireland 6 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

McConnell lined out for Bohemians mostly at full back. McDonnell was part of the Bohemians team that lost the all Dublin Irish Cup Final of 1910-11 against Dublin rivals Shelbourne after a replay. McConnell moved to Bradford Park Avenue in the summer of 1914 who had recently been promoted to the top division of the Football League. McConnell spent a single season in Bradford and helped the team finish a credible ninth place in the league although his appearances for the first team were limited.[2]

International career

McConnell was Ireland’s right-back for the entire Home Nations campaign of 1914, when they won the title outright for the first time, Bill McConnell had a remarkable record at international level. His first game, played at left-back against Wales in 1912, resulted in a 3-2 win. The following year, installed in his favoured right-back role, he played in a 2-1 victory over England at Windsor Park – Ireland’s first success against their largest neighbours. During the 1-1 draw against Scotland in the game to secure the Championship, McConnell, himself suffering from an injury was forced to go into goal for Ireland after Fred McKee had to leave the field due to an injury.[3] McConnell, wearing a sodden goalkeeper jersey two sizes two small was at fault for the Scottish goal which looked to have robbed Ireland of victory as he rushed off his line only to be beaten by Scottish forward Joe Donnachie[4] however Linfield player Samuel Young managed to score the equalising goal

In all his six caps he finished on the losing side just once; 1-2 against Scotland in 1913. In a hard-fought and crowd-troubled match at Dalymount Park, his home ground, McConnell put in an energetic performance, and only the mis-firing forward-line denied the Irish a more favourable result. He was part of an Ireland squad which contained such notable footballers as Bill Lacey, Val Harris and Billy Gillespie however the outbreak of War and the suspension of international games meant that McConnell was not able to build on the success of 1914.[5]

Honours

Ireland

Bohemian F.C.

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References
  1. "Bill McConnell". August 30, 2007.
  2. "Bradford Park Avenue Squad 1914/15".
  3. "Ireland's greatest football team?". February 13, 2013.
  4. "Windsor's match of the century: With the Great War looming, an all-Ireland football team line up for a historic British title win" – via www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk.
  5. Moore, Cormac (2015). The Irish Soccer Split. Cork University Books. ISBN 9781782051527.
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