Liam Francis Peadar Donnelly (born 7 March 1996) is a Northern Irish footballer who plays as a midfielder for Scottish Premiership club Kilmarnock. Donnelly, who can also play as a defender, has previously played for Dungannon Swifts, Fulham, Crawley Town, Hartlepool United and Motherwell. He has also represented Northern Ireland internationally.
![]() Donnelly playing for Fulham U21s in 2015 | |||
Personal information | |||
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Full name | Liam Francis Peadar Donnelly[1] | ||
Date of birth | (1996-03-07) 7 March 1996 (age 26)[2] | ||
Place of birth | Dungannon, Northern Ireland | ||
Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[2] | ||
Position(s) | Centre-back, Right-back, Midfielder | ||
Club information | |||
Current team | Kilmarnock | ||
Number | 22 | ||
Youth career | |||
Dungannon Swifts | |||
2012–2014 | Fulham | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2011–2012 | Dungannon Swifts | 7 | (0) |
2012–2016 | Fulham | 0 | (0) |
2015 | → Crawley Town (loan) | 10 | (0) |
2016–2018 | Hartlepool United | 60 | (3) |
2018–2022 | Motherwell | 53 | (8) |
2022– | Kilmarnock | 0 | (0) |
National team‡ | |||
Northern Ireland U16 | 3 | (1) | |
Northern Ireland U17 | 14 | (1) | |
2012–2018 | Northern Ireland U21 | 24 | (5) |
2014– | Northern Ireland | 3 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13:25, 1 June 2022 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15:21, 5 July 2022 (UTC) |
Donnelly signed for Fulham as a youngster from IFA Premiership club Dungannon Swifts. Donnelly captained Fulham to the 2014 FA Youth Cup final.[3]
On 31 July 2015, Donnelly signed for Crawley Town on a one-month youth loan.[4] The loan was then extended until January 2016,[5] however he was recalled early by Fulham in October.[6]
On 19 August 2016, Donnelly signed for Hartlepool United, following his release from Fulham.[7]
On 7 June 2018, Motherwell announced the signing of Donnelly on an initial two-year contract from Hartlepool United for an undisclosed fee.[8] He scored his first goal for the club in a 3–2 victory against Livingston on the final day of the season.[9]
At the beginning of the 2019–20 season, Donnelly moved from defence into midfield,[10] and went on to score four goals in three games in the Scottish League Cup group stages, against Queen of the South,[11] Greenock Morton[12] and Annan Athletic.[13] Then in the league, he scored four goals in the opening four matches, with two against Celtic[14] and penalties against Hamilton Academical[15] and Hibernian.[16] In October 2019, Donnelly was rewarded for his early season form as he signed an extension to his contract at Fir Park, to run until summer 2022.[17]
In the opening game of the 2020–21 season, Donnelly missed a penalty as Motherwell lost 1–0 away to Ross County.[18] Following that match he picked up a knee injury in training which was initially expected to keep him out for two months,[19] however he then required surgery on the injury, ruling him out until after the new year.[20]
Donnelly made his return from injury on 14 July 2021, as a substitute in a 1–0 win away to Queen's Park in a Scottish League Cup group stage match.[21] He was released by Motherwell at the end of the 2021–22 season.
Donnelly signed a one-year contract with Kilmarnock on 5 July 2022.[22]
Donnelly made his senior Northern Ireland debut on 4 June 2014 against Chile, coming on as a substitute in the 89th minute.[23]
On 11 September 2018, Donnelly made his 22nd appearance for Northern Ireland's under-21s in a 2–1 win away to Spain, a match in which he scored from a penalty, and in doing so became the nation's record cap holder at that level.[24] He eventually finished his time with the under-21 side with 24 caps.[25]
Donnelly was recalled to the senior squad in August 2019, ahead of a friendly against Luxembourg and a Euro 2020 qualifier against Germany.[26] He came on as a substitute against Luxembourg on 5 September, earning his second cap, five years after his first.[27][28]
Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
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Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Dungannon Swifts | 2011–12[29] | IFA Premiership | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
Fulham | 2012–13[30] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2013–14[31] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
2014–15[32] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
2015–16[33] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
Crawley Town (loan) | 2015–16[33] | League Two | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
Hartlepool United | 2016–17[34] | League Two | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 0 |
2017–18[35] | National League | 28 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 3 | |
Total | 60 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 63 | 3 | ||
Motherwell | 2018–19[36] | Scottish Premiership | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
2019–20[37] | Scottish Premiership | 22 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 11 | |
2020–21[38] | Scottish Premiership | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
2021–22[39] | Scottish Premiership | 23 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 1 | |
Total | 53 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 71 | 13 | ||
Career total | 130 | 11 | 7 | 1 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 153 | 16 |
Kilmarnock F.C. – current squad | |
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