Lee Desmond

Lee Desmond
Lee Desmond in 2015
Personal information
Full name Lee Desmond
Date of birth (1995-01-22) 22 January 1995 (age 29)
Place of birth Donaghmede, Dublin, Ireland
Position(s)
Team information
Current team
 Sacramento Republic
Number 4
Youth career
Malahide United
Cherry Orchard
2011–2013 Newcastle United
2013 Shelbourne
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014 Shelbourne 24 (1)
2015–2021 St Patrick's Athletic 188 (2)
2022– Sacramento Republic 74 (0)
International career
2014 Republic of Ireland U19 1 (0)
2015 Republic of Ireland U21 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 00:04, 5 November 2024 (UTC)

Lee Desmond (born 22 January 1995) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a centre back or centre midfielder for USL Championship club Sacramento Republic.

Career

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Early career

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Desmond played youth football with Malahide United, Crumlin United and Cherry Orchard before being picked up by English Premier League side Newcastle United, where he played in their youth and reserve teams. He was released by Newcastle at the end of their 2012–2013 season despite playing regularly for their development squad. Desmond joined Shelbourne in July 2013 after playing against them in a friendly while on trial with Ipswich Town and impressed Shels manager Johnny McDonnell enough for him to offer the youngster the chance to join the club. He played for the Shelbourne under 19 team for the 2013–2014 season before signing for the Shels first team in November 2013.

Shelbourne

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After standing out for the club's under 19 side, he was called up to the first team for the 2014 season as they aimed to win promotion to the League of Ireland Premier Division. Desmond became a mainstay in the first team, playing at both left-back and centre-back throughout the season. He scored his first goal in senior football on 23 May 2014 in a 1–1 draw away to Finn Harps.[1] The season ended in disappointment however as Shels failed to earn promotion as they lost out to Galway in the Semi-final of the Promotion Playoffs, although Desmond did win the Shelbourne Players' Player of the Year award after a very impressive first season in senior football.

St Patrick's Athletic

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Desmond's impressive season with Shelbourne attracted interest from Shels' Dublin rivals and FAI Cup holders, St Patrick's Athletic from the League of Ireland Premier Division. He was announced to have signed for the Saints on 11 November 2014, alongside Jason McGuinness and Ciarán Kilduff.[2] Desmond featured throughout the season for Pats, mainly at centre-back but also at left or right back in the absence of Ian Bermingham or Ger O'Brien. He started in many important games including playing in both legs of their UEFA Europa League games against Skonto Riga of Latvia.[3][4] On 19 September 2015 he started at left back in the 2015 League of Ireland Cup Final against Galway United and won his first winners medal at senior level, as the Saints won on penalties after a 0–0 draw.[5] At the club's end of season awards he was voted as Young Player of the Year by the St Pat's supporters following a brilliant debut season.[6]

Desmond's second season at Pat's proved to be a more difficult one for him, as he lost his place in the centre of defence following some errors resulting in goals for the opposition. Midway through the season, he was deployed by Liam Buckley as a defensive midfielder following poor performances by various regular choice midfielders and Desmond impressed supporters in games this role including a 4–1 win over Limerick in the 2016 League Cup Final to help the Saints retain the trophy.[7]

The 2017 season saw Pat's involved in a relegation battle, with the team bottom of the table and struggling mid-season. Having played many games as a holding midfielder in the first half of the season, Desmond was returned to centre back and formed an excellent defensive partnership with mid-season signing Jordi Balk. The team's form also picked up in the second half of the season as they managed to finish in 8th position with Desmond contributing heavily, playing in all but one of the club's 33 league games.

The 2018 season saw Desmond voted Player of the Year by the club's supporters.

Desmond made his 200th appearance for the club on 23 April 2021 in a 2–0 win over Finn Harps at Finn Park. On 28 November 2021 Desmond played the full 120 minutes of the 2021 FAI Cup Final, beating rivals Bohemians 4–3 on penalties following a 1–1 draw after extra time in front of a record FAI Cup Final crowd of 37,126 at the Aviva Stadium.[8] This would prove to be his last game for the club as he departed at the end of the season.

Sacramento Republic

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On 23 December 2021, Desmond signed for USL Championship club Sacramento Republic on a two-year deal.[9][10] Desmond made his debut for the club on 13 March 2022 in a 3–1 win over El Paso Locomotive at Heart Health Park.[11] Desmond featured in every round of the club's run to the final of the U.S. Open Cup, including wins over Major League Soccer sides San Jose Earthquakes, Sporting Kansas City and LA Galaxy.[12][13] On 7 September 2022, Desmond played in the 2022 U.S. Open Cup Final as his side were defeated 3–0 by Orlando City in front of a sold out crowd of 25,527 at the Exploria Stadium in Florida.[14] In September 2022, Desmond successfully underwent a procedure on his right leg to address lingering retrocalcaneal bursitis and achilles tendinitis, with the procedure ruling him out for the remainder of the season.[15] On 26 August 2023, he captained his team in his 300th career appearance, in a 2–0 defeat at home to Orange County.[16] On 25 September 2024, Desmond signed a new contract, extending his time with the club.[17]

International career

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Desmond was called up to the Republic of Ireland under-21s shortly after he signed for St Patrick's Athletic alongside fellow centre back Sean Hoare. Desmond, along with fellow St Patrick's Athletic teammates Conor Kearns and Shane Griffin, was called up to train with the Republic of Ireland senior squad on 31 August 2020, in what was new manager Stephen Kenny's first training session with the squad.[18]

Career statistics

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As of match played on 2 November 2024[19]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup[a] League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Shelbourne 2014 LOI First Division 24 1 2 0 1 0 — 3[b] 0 30 1
St Patrick's Athletic 2015 LOI Premier Division 24 0 2 0 3 0 2[c] 0 4[d] 0 35 0
2016 17 0 4 0 4 0 0[c] 0 0[e] 0 25 0
2017 32 0 2 0 3 0 — 0[e] 0 37 0
2018 36 0 2 0 1 0 — 3[e] 0 42 0
2019 31 1 2 0 1 0 2[c] 0 0[e] 0 36 1
2020 18 0 0 0 — — — 18 0
2021 30 1 3 0 — — — 33 1
Total 188 2 15 0 12 0 4 0 7 0 226 2
Sacramento Republic 2022 USL Championship 21 0 7 0 — — 0[f] 0 28 0
2023 22 0 1 0 — — 3[g] 0 26 0
2024 31 0 3 0 — — 1[h] 0 35 0
Total 74 0 11 0 — — 4 0 89 0
Career total 286 3 28 0 13 0 4 0 14 0 345 3
  1. ^ Includes FAI Cup & U.S. Open Cup
  2. ^ 2 appearances in the League of Ireland promotion/relegation playoffs & 1 appearance in the Leinster Senior Cup
  3. ^ a b c Appearances in the UEFA Europa League
  4. ^ 1 appearance in the President's Cup & 3 appearances in the Leinster Senior Cup
  5. ^ a b c d Appearances in the Leinster Senior Cup
  6. ^ Appearances in the 2022 USL Championship Playoffs
  7. ^ Appearances in the 2023 USL Championship Playoffs
  8. ^ Appearance in the 2024 USL Championship playoffs

Honours

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St Patrick's Athletic

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "Extratime.com - Extratime.ie - Live Updates - 2014 League of Ireland First Division - Finn Harps -v- Shelbourne". www.extratime.com.
  2. ^ "Saints Sign Trio!". www.stpatsfc.com.
  3. ^ "Extratime.com - Extratime.ie - Live Updates - 2015/16 Europa League First Qualifying Round - Skonto Riga -v- St. Patrick's Athletic". www.extratime.com.
  4. ^ "Europa League report: St. Patrick's Athletic 0-2 Skonto Riga". ExtraTime.com.
  5. ^ "EA Sports Cup Final Report: Galway United 0 - 0 St Patrick's Athletic (St Pats win 4 - 3 on penalties)". ExtraTime.com.
  6. ^ "2015 Awards Night Winners". www.stpatsfc.com.
  7. ^ "Saints surge late on to lift EA Sports Cup". 17 September 2016 – via www.rte.ie.
  8. ^ Leahy, Ed (28 November 2021). "Benson spot on as Saints beat Bohs to lift the FAI Cup" – via www.rte.ie.
  9. ^ "IRISH INTERNATIONAL LEE DESMOND ADDED TO REPUBLIC FC ROSTER FOR 2022 SEASON". 23 December 2021 – via www.sacrepublicfc.com.
  10. ^ Cooney, Gavin (24 December 2021). "Long-serving defender Lee Desmond leaves St Pat's". The42.
  11. ^ Diallo, Raf (26 March 2022). "Desmond's California dreamin' after Sacramento start" – via www.rte.ie.
  12. ^ "Lee Desmond aiming to add US Open Cup final glory to last year's FAI Cup success with St Pat's". 7 September 2022.
  13. ^ Cooney, Gavin (28 July 2022). "Ex-LOI defenders help Sacramento to unlikely place in US Open Cup final". The42.
  14. ^ "Orlando City Crowned 2022 U.S. Open Cup Champions".
  15. ^ "Medical Update: Lee Desmond".
  16. ^ "RECAP: Sacramento Republic FC 0 – 2 Orange County SC".
  17. ^ https://www.sacrepublicfc.com/news/2024/09/25/republic-fc-re-signs-lee-desmond-nick-ross/
  18. ^ "Saints Trio Train With Ireland Squad". www.stpatsfc.com.
  19. ^ "Republic of Ireland - L. Desmond - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". ie.soccerway.com.
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