| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Rory Michael Feely[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1997-01-03)3 January 1997 (age 28) | ||
| Place of birth | Brussels, Belgium | ||
| Positions | |||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Cork City | ||
| Number | 28 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Tramore AFC | |||
| Athy Town | |||
| 2014–2016 | St Patrick's Athletic | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2014–2017 | St Patrick's Athletic | 31 | (1) |
| 2018–2019 | Waterford | 62 | (4) |
| 2020 | St Patrick's Athletic | 17 | (1) |
| 2021–2022 | Bohemians | 57 | (2) |
| 2023–2025 | Barrow | 59 | (2) |
| 2025 | Crawley Town | 7 | (0) |
| 2025– | Cork City | 12 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2017 | Republic of Ireland U21 | 1 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 15:41, 12 November 2025 (UTC) | |||
Rory Michael Feely (born 3 January 1997) is an Irish professional footballer who plays forLeague of Ireland First Division clubCork City. He previous clubs areSt Patrick's Athletic where he started his professional career,Waterford,Bohemians,Barrow &Crawley Town.
Feely started playing football with Tramore AFC. He then played forAthy Town, where he represented the Kildare & District Underage League at the Kennedy Cup.[2] His performances at the Kennedy Cup earned him a move toLeague of Ireland ChampionsSt Patrick's Athletic in 2014, where he started playing with the Under 19 side.[3] His first season was a success with Pat's winning the Under 19 SSE Airtricity League with a 3–2 win overDerry City under 19's in the final atMaginn Park, with Feely getting himself on the scoresheet.[4][5] The team included several players that broke through to the Pat's first team and beyond in theLeague of Ireland andEnglish Football Leagues, includingJamie McGrath,Darragh Markey, Jack Bayly,Fuad Sule,Paul Rooney andJonathan Lunney.
Feely's first involvement with the first team atSt Patrick's Athletic came on 9 September 2014 when he came off the bench for the last 5 minutes of the2014 Leinster Senior Cup Final, which saw his side win 2–1 to claim the trophy and Feely's first medal at senior level.[6] His first senior league appearance came on 17 October 2014 when he replacedKillian Brennan in the 72nd minute of a 2–0 defeat toAthlone Town atRichmond Park.[7] He did not feature in the first team in 2015 due to his heavy involvement with the clubs Under 19's side and alsoKildare GAA Minors.[8]
His next involvement with the first team came in pre-season 2016, when managerLiam Buckley decided that he would convert Feely from aright winger to acentre back and his next appearance came in February 2016, coming off the bench in a 3–1 defeat away toBray Wanderers in theLeinster Senior Cup.[9] Feely's first career goal at senior level came on 18 April 2016, when he scored the winner in extra time away toDundalk in theLeague Cup.[10] He was an unused substitute in the2016 League of Ireland Cup Final as his side beatLimerick 4–1.[11] The2016 season saw Feely make 17 appearances across all competitions, scoring 1 goal.[12]
With Feely too old for the under 19's, the2017 season was his first season solely with the first team. His first everLeague of Ireland goal came in a 1–1 draw withGalway United on 14 April 2017, when he powered home a header from aConan Byrne corner.[13] Feely featured 23 times across the season in a young squad that was in a relegation battle right until the final day of the season, retaining their place in the division with a 1–1 draw againstDerry City atMaginn Park.[14]
Feely signed for newly promotedWaterford on 3 January 2018.[15][16] Having played a handful of games atright back forSt Patrick's Athletic the previous season,Waterford managerAlan Reynolds deemed it to be Feely's best position, making him his first choice in that position, as he made his debut on the opening night of the season in a 2–1 win overDerry City at theRSC.[17] Feely's first goal forWaterford came on 18 May 2018, scoring in a 3–6 defeat at home toLimerick.[18] He followed that up by scoring the opening goal in a 4–0 win overDerry City a week later.[19] Along with his 2 goals, Feely made 34 appearances in all competitions forWaterford in his debut season at the club, as they finished in 4th place.[12] Feely was named the club's Young Player of the Year after an excellent first season with the club for the 21 year old.[20] He signed a new one-year contract with the club on 3 December 2018.[21][22]
Feely had to wait until 13 September for his first goal of the season, helping his side to a 2–1 win overBohemians atDalymount Park.[23] The season turned out to be a disappointment for the club as they finished in 6th place, but on a personal level it was a success for Feely as he featured in 40 games, scored 2 goals and was named asWaterford's Player of the Year after another impressive year for the right back.[24]
On 19 November 2019, it was announced that Feely had resigned forSt Patrick's Athletic under new managerStephen O'Donnell.[25][26][27] He made his second debut for the club on the opening night of the season against his old sideWaterford.[28] He was sent off in aDublin derby on 28 February 2020 as his side lost 1–0 to rivalsShelbourne atTolka Park.[29] Feely scored his first goal since his return to the club on 26 September when he headed home aRobbie Benson corner kick in a 2–0 win overShelbourne atRichmond Park.[30] Feely played in all but one of the club's league and cup games over the course of the shortened season due to theCoronavirus pandemic, as his side missed out on European football on the final day of the season, finishing in 6th place.[12]
On 5 January 2021, it was announced that Feely had signed for one of his brotherKevin's former clubs,Bohemians, ahead of the2021 season.[31] Feely scored his first goal for the club in the2021 FAI Cup Final at theAviva Stadium, as his side lost to his old clubSt Patrick's Athletic.[32]
On 5 January 2023, Feely signed a one-and-a-half-year contract withEnglish Football League clubBarrow.[33] He went onto score his first goal for the club on 20 April 2024, in a 4–2 league defeat toDoncaster Rovers.[34] On 1 May 2024, the club included Feely on their released list following the expiration of his contract.[35] However, on 18 June 2024 it was announced Feely had signed a new one-year deal withBarrow, following a change in management at the club.[36] On 22 October 2024, Feely scored in a 1–1 draw againstNotts County atHolker Street.[37] On 7 September 2024, Barrow's goalkeeperPaul Farman was sent-off in the 42nd minute of a 1–1 draw at home toSwindon Town, and with no goalkeeper on the bench, Feely played in goal for the remained of the match, using skills honed in hisGaelic football days, pulled off a string of several saves before eventually being beaten by a 99th-minute equaliser.[38][39] On 26 November 2024, Feely captained Barrow to victory in the 2024Lancashire Senior Cup final, scoring his penalty as Barrow defeatedBurnley in a penalty shootout, in what was the club's first silverware in the competition since 1955.[40]
On 28 January 2025, Feely signed forEFL League One clubCrawley Town on a one-year-contract for an undisclosed fee.[41] He made 7 appearances for the club in the remained of the season.[42]
On 23 July 2025,League of Ireland Premier Division sideCork City announced that they had signed Feely from Crawley for an undisclosed fee, with his long-term contract commencing on 1 July.[43][44] On 9 November 2025, he was part of the starting 11 in the2025 FAI Cup final as his side were beaten 2–0 byShamrock Rovers at theAviva Stadium.[45] He made a total of 15 appearances in all competitions by the end of the 2025 season, as the club were relegated to theLeague of Ireland First Division by finishing bottom of the league.[46]
Feely was born inBrussels, Belgium, with his family living there in the 1990s while his father had a job there. When he was three years old, the family moved back to Ireland, living inTramore,County Waterford. While living inTramore, Feely attendedWaterford matches and was also a ball boy on occasion. The family later moved toAthy,County Kildare.[8]
Feely playedGaelic football growing up, progressing fromAthy GAA to county level withKildare GAA at Minor level, all while playing forSt Patrick's Athletic at Under 19 level.[8] He starred in the2015 Leinster Minor Football Championship againstLongford GAA atCroke Park, winning 2–15 to 1–9.[47]
Rory's brotherKevin Feely is a former professional footballer who played withBohemians,Charlton Athletic,Carlisle United,AFC Wimbledon andNewport County,[48] before retiring in 2015 to return to full time education as well as playingGaelic football withKildare GAA.
While playingGaelic football withKildare GAA at Minor level, Feely was a teammate of futureNormal People starring actor,Paul Mescal.[49]
Feely made one appearance for theRepublic of Ireland U21s, playing in a friendly againstRepublic of Ireland Amateurs on 11 February 2017.[50]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| St Patrick's Athletic | 2014 | LOI Premier Division | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2015 | LOI Premier Division | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2016 | LOI Premier Division | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 17 | 1 | |
| 2017 | LOI Premier Division | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 3[c] | 0 | 23 | 1 | ||
| Total | 31 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 42 | 2 | ||
| Waterford | 2018 | LOI Premier Division | 30 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 34 | 2 | |
| 2019 | LOI Premier Division | 32 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 2[d] | 0 | 40 | 2 | ||
| Total | 62 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 74 | 4 | |||
| St Patrick's Athletic | 2020 | LOI Premier Division | 17 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 18 | 1 | |||
| Bohemians | 2021 | LOI Premier Division | 30 | 0 | 5 | 1 | — | 4[e] | 0 | — | 39 | 1 | ||
| 2022 | LOI Premier Division | 27 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 29 | 2 | ||||
| Total | 57 | 2 | 7 | 1 | – | 4 | 0 | — | 68 | 3 | ||||
| Barrow | 2022–23 | League Two | 10 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 10 | 0 | ||||
| 2023–24 | League Two | 30 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 2[f] | 0 | 33 | 1 | ||
| 2024–25 | League Two | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 2[g] | 0 | 23 | 1 | ||
| Total | 59 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | 66 | 2 | |||
| Crawley Town | 2024–25 | League One | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 7 | 0 | ||||
| Cork City | 2025 | LOI Premier Division | 12 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 17 | 0 | |||
| Career Total | 245 | 10 | 19 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 292 | 12 | ||
St Patrick's Athletic
Barrow
Individual