Pat O'Kelly (born 31 July 1967 in Dublin) is an Irish former

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...

defender who was a two-time

first team All-American The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed upon an amateur sports person from the United States who is considered to be one of the best amateurs in their sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an All-Am ...

at Seton Hall University. He played two seasons in the

American Professional Soccer League The American Professional Soccer League (APSL) was a professional men's soccer league with teams from the United States and later Canada. It was formed in 1990 by the merger of the third American Soccer League with the Western Soccer League. It ...

and at least four in the

USISL United Soccer League (USL), formerly known as United Soccer Leagues, is a soccer league in the United States and Canada. It organizes several men's and women's leagues, both professional and amateur. Men's leagues currently organized are the ...

. O'Kelly played for Home Farm as a youth player. He then represented Ireland at the

1985 FIFA World Youth Championship The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 ** The Internet's Domain Name System is created. ** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a ...

. In 1986, he moved to attend Seton Hall University where he played on the men's soccer team until 1989. He sits fourth on the team's career goals list with 42. He was a 1988 and 1989

. In 1990, he signed with the

Penn-Jersey Spirit Penn-Jersey Spirit played in the American Professional Soccer League in 1990 and 1991. The team's home stadium was Lions Stadium in Ewing, New Jersey, on the campus of Trenton State College (today known as the College of New Jersey). The team al ...

of the

(APSL). On March 10, 1994, he signed with the expansion North Jersey Imperials of

. In January 1996, O'Kelly attended trials with

Major League Soccer Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada ...

. This led to his selection by the MetroStars in the 10th round (99th overall) in the

1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft The MLS Inaugural Player Draft, held before Major League Soccer Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United State ...

, but he chose not to sign with the team. Instead, he signed with the Central Jersey Riptide of the

on April 25, 1996 He was selected to the 1996 USISL All Pro League Team, having scored thirteen goals. He continued with the Riptide through at least the 1997 season. In 1998, he played for the

South Jersey Barons South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþaz ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Okelly, Pat Living people 1967 births All-American college men's soccer players American Professional Soccer League players Central Jersey Riptide players Men's association football defenders Home Farm F.C. players North Jersey Imperials players Penn-Jersey Spirit players Republic of Ireland men's association footballers Seton Hall Pirates men's soccer players Ocean City Nor'easters players USISL players Association footballers from Dublin (city)