Shannon McDonnell (footballer)

Shannon McDonnell
Personal information
Full nameShannon Marie McDonnell
Date of birth28 September 1984
Place of birthOrland Park, Illinois, United States
Height5 ft 4 in (1.63 m)
Playing positionMidfielder
Club information
Current team
Chicago Red Stars
Number23
Youth career
Windy City Pride
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2004–2007Illinois Fighting Illini
2004Windy City Bluez
2006Chicago Gaels
2011–Chicago Red Stars
National team
2009–Republic of Ireland10(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Shannon Marie McDonnell (born 28 September 1984) is a soccer midfielder. She is a Republic of Ireland women's national football team player. On the club level she represents WPSL outfit Chicago Red Stars, having previously played in the W-League with Windy City Bluez and Chicago Gaels.

College career

McDonnell attended Carl Sandburg High School[1] then spent four years at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, playing varsity soccer as well as studying speech and hearing sciences.[1]

Club career

While at college McDonnell played for Windy City Bluez in the 2004 W-League season.[2] She also featured for Chicago Gaels in 2006.[3]

In July 2009 McDonnell and sister Mary Therese played for the Irish national team against Mary Therese's club side Chicago Red Stars in an exhibition game at the Sports Complex at Benedictine University.[4]

Shannon signed for the Red Stars herself in June 2011, after the club left the WPS and reconstituted itself at the lower level of the WPSL. She was also hired as the club's camps director.[5]

International career

McDonnell first represented the Republic of Ireland during a summer 2009 training camp in Indiana.[6] Shannon and younger sister Mary Therese McDonnell then featured in Ireland's failed qualifying campaign for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup.[6] Their eligibility for the Irish team derived from their grandfather, who was from Foxford.[7]

Personal

She is the daughter of Ian and Jean McDonnell.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "23. Shannon McDonnell". FightingIllini.com. Retrieved 2011-04-25.
  2. "London Gryphons at Windy City Bluez 2:5". United Soccer Leagues. 2004-06-12. Retrieved 2011-04-25.
  3. "Chicago Gaels at Minnesota Lightning 5:2". United Soccer Leagues. 2006-06-21. Retrieved 2011-04-25.
  4. Mary Therese McDonnell (2009-07-09). "Mary Therese Blog: Inside the Irish National Team". WomensProSoccer.com. Retrieved 2010-09-22.
  5. Chicago Red Stars (2011-06-01). "Four More Join Chicago Red Stars For 2011 WPS Season". Box Score News. Retrieved 2011-07-18.
  6. 6.0 6.1 "Irish sisters look forward to French challenge". Football Association of Ireland. 2010-02-24. Retrieved 2010-09-22.
  7. "Senior Women Player Profiles". Football Association of Ireland. 2009-01-16. Retrieved 2010-09-22.

External links