Wikipedia

Niamh Fahey

Niamh Fahey (born 13 October 1987) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder or centre-back for Women's Super League[2] club Liverpool, which she captains, and the Republic of Ireland national team. She has previously played for Chelsea. Before joining Chelsea in December 2014, Fahey spent six seasons with Arsenal. She has also won national cups playing Gaelic football with Galway Ladies Football.[3] Niamh is the sister of Galway's 2001 All-Ireland-winning Gaelic football captain Gary Fahey.[4]

Niamh Fahey
Fahey with Liverpool in 2019
Personal information
Full name Niamh Fahey[1]
Date of birth (1987-10-13) 13 October 1987 (age 37)
Place of birth Galway, Ireland
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder, centre-back
Team information
Current team
 Liverpool
Number 5
Youth career
Salthill Devon
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2008 Salthill Devon
2007 → Galway (loan)
2008–2014 Arsenal 73 (2)
2015–2017 Chelsea 28 (0)
2017–2018 Bordeaux 17 (0)
2018– Liverpool 88 (5)
International career‡
2007– Republic of Ireland 111 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11:03, 18 August 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12 August 2023

Club career

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Fahey began her career with her hometown club, Salthill Devon. She progressed through the ranks alongside future international teammate Méabh De Búrca.[5] Both players helped Galway win the FAI Women's Cup in 2007. In the final against Raheny United, Fahey scored the winning penalty and also subdued the attacking threat of Raheny's Olivia O'Toole, in what RTÉ described as "a splendid individual display."[6]

She joined Arsenal Ladies in August 2008.[7] In her first season with the Gunners Fahey made 18 appearances, mostly at left full–back, as the club won a domestic treble.[5]

On 19 December 2014, Fahey signed for Chelsea L.F.C.[8]

Liverpool

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In the summer of 2018, Fahey signed for her lifelong supported club Liverpool where she has been the club captain since 2020. She stayed with the club after they were relegated on a points by points basis in the summer of 2020.[9]

In the 2021–22 FA Women's Championship season, Fahey led Liverpool to the FA Women's Championship title winning sixteen out of their twenty two league games, earning their promotion back to the FA Women's Super League. She missed only three games and also scoring two goals during the entirety of the season.[10]

After Liverpool finished seventh on their return to the top flight, Fahey then signed a contract extension ahead of the 2023-24 season.[11]

Gaelic football

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Fahey won the All-Ireland Ladies Football Championship in 2004 with Galway defeating Dublin by 3–11 to 0–9 [12] She also played in the 2005 final for Galway losing to Cork by 1–11 to 0–08.[13] in 2012 she also won the All-Ireland Ladies Intermediate Club Football Championship with London club Parnells defeating Cahir of Tipperary by 2–14 to 1–2.[14]

International career

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Fahey has won over 100 caps for the Republic of Ireland, having previously represented her country at Under-17 and Under-19 level. In March 2007, Fahey made her senior debut for Ireland in a 1–1 draw with Portugal in the opening match of the Algarve Cup.[15] After becoming a regular in the team, Fahey was named FAI Women's Senior International Player of the Year in 2008,[16] 2009[17] and 2011.[18]

In April 2013, Fahey suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury while playing for Arsenal. The 30 minutes she played for Ireland against the Basque Country in May 2014 was her first game back.[19]

On 16 February 2022, she played her 100th match for Republic of Ireland in a 2–1 win over Poland in the 2022 Pinatar Cup.[20] She scored her first ever goal for Ireland on the occasion of her 104th cap, in a 9–0 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification – UEFA Group A win over Georgia in Gori on 27 June 2022.[21]

Personal life

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Fahey grew up a life long Liverpool fan and idolised Michael Owen.

‘I was out in the garden, pretending to be Michael Owen. Most of my family are Liverpool supporters, so it was only natural for me.’

During her career, she completed her degree and masters in pharmacology as well as an MBA. Fahey has also started some of her coaching badges.[22]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played 18 May 2024[23]

Some entries may be missing or incomplete due to lack of historical statistics.

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Europe[c] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Arsenal 2008–09 Women's Premier League 16 2 1 0 3 0 — 20 2
2009–10 Women's Premier League 21 0 1 0 3 0 6 0 31 0
2011 Women's Super League 13 0 1 0 0 0 7 0 21 0
2012 Women's Super League 12 0 0 0 3 0 8 0 23 0
2013 Women's Super League 0 0 3 0 1 0 6 1 10 1
2014 Women's Super League 11 0 1 0 5 1 — 17 1
Total 73 2 7 0 15 1 27 1 122 4
Chelsea 2015 Women's Super League 14 0 2 0 3 0 — 19 0
2016 Women's Super League 12 0 2 0 1 0 4 0 19 0
2017 Women's Super League 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 4 0
Total 28 0 4 0 4 0 6 0 42 0
Bordeaux 2017–18 D1 Féminine 17 0 0 0 — — 17 0
Liverpool 2018–19 Women's Super League 17 0 3 0 3 1 — 23 1
2019–20 Women's Super League 13 0 2 1 3 0 — 18 1
2020–21 Women's Championship 19 3 1 0 3 0 — 23 3
2021–22 Women's Championship 19 2 2 0 3 0 — 24 2
2022–23 Women's Super League 12 0 1 0 3 0 — 16 0
2023–24 Women's Super League 8 0 2 0 1 0 — 11 0
2024–25 Women's Super League 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 0
Total 88 5 11 1 16 1 — 115 7
Career total 169 5 22 1 29 2 33 1 243 9
  1. ^ Includes Women's FA Cup, Coupe de France féminine
  2. ^ Includes WSL Cup/Women's League Cup, Women's National League Cup
  3. ^ Includes UEFA Women's Champions League

International

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Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Republic of Ireland 2007 7 0
2008 15 0
2009 5 0
2010 6 0
2011 4 0
2012 10 0
2014 5 0
2015 9 0
2016 8 0
2017 4 0
2018 7 0
2019 8 0
2020 4 0
2021 7 0
2022 7 1
Total 106 1
Scores and results list Republic of Ireland's goals first. Score column indicates score after each Fahey goal. Updated as of 5 May 2023.
International goals scored by Niamh Fahey
No. Cap Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition Ref.
1 104 27 June 2022 Tengiz Burjanadze Stadium, Gori   Georgia 2–0 9–0 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup Qual. [24]

Honours

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2011, 2012 2015 FA WSL
2008–09, 2009–10
2021–22
2008–09, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–2015
2011, 2012, 2013
2008–09, 2014–15
2004
2012

References

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  1. ^ "FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 – Squad List: Republic Of Ireland (IRL)" (PDF). FIFA. 11 July 2023. p. 25. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  2. ^ "Reds complete signing of defensive midfielder Fahey". Liverpool Ladies FC. Retrieved 14 July 2018.
  3. ^ "Senior Women Player Profiles". Football Association of Ireland. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
  4. ^ Barry, Brian (25 September 2020). "Niamh Fahey: Liverpool captain and All-Ireland winner with Galway". Sky Sports. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  5. ^ a b Kieran Beckles (24 August 2009). "Irish stars prepare for World Cup qualifying". The Sport Review. Retrieved 7 April 2011.
  6. ^ "Galway League 1–0 Raheny United". Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 14 October 2007. Archived from the original on 4 December 2008. Retrieved 7 April 2011.
  7. ^ "19. Niamh Fahey". Arsenal F.C. Archived from the original on 22 August 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
  8. ^ "Ladies sign new defender". chelseafc.com. 19 December 2014. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  9. ^ "Liverpool Women: Niamh Fahey signs new contract with relegated WSL club". BBC Sport. 9 June 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  10. ^ "Liverpool promoted to WSL after clinching Championship title". BBC Sport. 3 April 2022. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  11. ^ "Liverpool FC Women captain Niamh Fahey signs new contract". Liverpool Football Club. 13 June 2023. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  12. ^ https://ladiesgaelic.ie/galway-ladies-win-in-outstanding-final/, [bare URL]
  13. ^ "Mulcahy shoots the rebels to historic title treble". 3 October 2005.
  14. ^ "Sheridan kicks Parnells into history". Independent.ie. 10 December 2012.
  15. ^ "Portugal 1–1 1 Ireland". Soccerscene.ie. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
  16. ^ "19th eircom/FAI International Award winners announced". Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 8 February 2009. Archived from the original on 11 August 2010. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
  17. ^ "FAI International Football Award winners announced". FAI.ie. 8 August 2010. Archived from the original on 23 August 2010. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
  18. ^ "2012 Three FAI International Award Winners Announced". FAI.ie. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  19. ^ Ryan, Seán (8 June 2014). "Fahey hopes for rub of green after return from cruciate injury". Irish Independent. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  20. ^ "Niamh Fahey on 100 caps and 'dream' FA Cup fixture". Liverpool F.C. 26 February 2022.
  21. ^ Duffy, Emma (28 June 2022). "'She's only 17-years-old, but I hope that everybody has seen how talented she is'". The42.ie. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  22. ^ Gallegher, Mark (16 July 2023). "'I was in the garden pretending to be Michael Owen' – Niamh Fahey ready to fulfil World Cup dream". Extra.ie. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  23. ^ "England – R. Williams – Profile with news, career statistics and history – Soccerway".
  24. ^ "Georgia 0–9 WNT". FAI. 27 June 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
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