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LEAGUE OF IRELAND · 3 Sep 2026

Shamrock Rovers’ Rory Gaffney Retires from Professional Football at 36

Shamrock Rovers striker Rory Gaffney has announced his retirement from football after suffering a season full of injury.

Rory Gaffney’s last domestic appearance came in last year’s FAI Cup final where he scored a brace to win Rovers the double for the first time in almost 40 years.

He ends his career with five league titles in six years and scored 37 league goals at the Hoops in 143 games, followed by many European ties with his last appearance for the club being a UEFA Conference League match in December where the Hoops lost 3-1 against Hamrun Spartans to end their European campaign. Gaffney sits fifth in the all-time list of League of Ireland goalscorers in European competitions with eight goals.

Before this season began, Gaffney underwent procedures on his Achilles abroad but due to an infection, his recovery was interrupted resulting in him not being able to return to match fitness for the new season.

Rory Gaffney had spells abroad before coming back to Ireland to play for Rovers where he played with Cambridge United, Bristol Rovers, Salford City, and Walsall.

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Rory Gaffney
Rory Gaffney Shamrock Rovers
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