Derek O’Brien.
ONE of Tralee’s most successful soccer players ever is returning home.
After 14 seasons in the League of Ireland, Galway United legend, Derek O’Brien, is back to play one last season with, Tralee Dynamos, the club where his football journey began.
Derek holds the record for appearances by a Kerry player in the League of Ireland and also has the honour of being the first Kerryman to play in a European competition.
“I made a promise before I finished playing I’d have one more season at Tralee Dynamos,” said Derek O’Brien.
“When I was growing up, Dynamos were the best team in the town by a mile and they have always been very good to me,” said Derek.
“I know they’ve had some tough times of late, so before I finish my career I’d like to put them back at the top,” he said.
The Shanakill native has two daughters in Galway and works with Elvery Sports in the city. He will be making the commute down for Dynamos games.
Derek tasted European competition with St Patricks Athletic. In 2008 he played against a Hertha Berlin side which featured, ex Liverpool FC, player, Andriy Voronin and current Borussia Dortmund and Poland star, Łukasz Piszczek.
“So many players from Tralee could have been League of Ireland, I don’t even think I was the best player in the team underage, but I was hungrier,” said Derek.
2007 was Derek’s landmark season, when, in ‘the city of the tribes’ he won the ‘Galway United Player of The Year’.
In 2007, he was also picked alongside the best players in the domestic game when he was selected on ‘PFAI Premier Division Team of the Year.
In 2002, Derek won an senior Ireland B-Team cap playing in tournament against, England, Scotland and Wales.
In his playing career, Derek, won two League of Ireland First Division titles, one with Cork in 2011 and the other the following season with Limerick.
An experienced campaigner, the left winger has also ran out for, Sligo Rovers, Longford Town and Salthill Devon.
