Finn O'Mara

Finn O'Mara
Personal information
Full name Finn George O'Mara[1]
Date of birth (1999-02-03) 3 February 1999 (age 25)[2]
Place of birth Southwark, England
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Hastings United
Youth career
Dartford
–2016 Gillingham
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2018 Gillingham 2 (0)
2017–2018 → Folkestone Invicta (loan) 15 (0)
2018–2022 Folkestone Invicta 49 (3)
2021 → Welling United (loan) 2 (0)
2021–2022 → Hastings United (loan) 6 (1)
2022–2023 Hastings United 11 (2)
2022 → Cray Valley Paper Mills (loan) 3 (0)
2023 → Herne Bay (loan) 16 (1)
2023 Erith & Belvedere 10 (0)
2023–2024 Faversham Town 16 (0)
2024 Whitstable Town 10 (1)
2024– Hastings United 0 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13:56, 23 October 2024 (UTC)

Finn George O'Mara (born 3 February 1999) is an English footballer who plays for Isthmian League Premier Division club Hastings United. He can operate as either centre-back or right-back.[3]

Career

Youth

O'Mara was born in the London Borough of Southwark and grew up in Wilmington, Kent.[2] He attended St Columba's Catholic Boys' School in Bexleyheath, London.[4] Before joining the Gillingham youth system, O'Mara was playing for Dartford, getting a trial from a family friend who happened to be a youth coach there and making it into the under-14s on account of one of the players getting tonsillitis. Having four weeks to get into the team, he managed to do it and they won the league that season, catching the attention of Gillingham where he then moved.[5]

Despite being a defender, O'Mara started out as a central midfielder in his youth.[3]

Gillingham

Promoted to the Gillingham squad from the academy in 2017,[6] 2017-18 would be the defender's first full season as a professional.[7] He made his League One debut against Blackburn Rovers on 30 September 2017 as substitute for the injured Mark Byrne.

Non-League

On 12 October 2018, O'Mara signed an 18-month contract with Isthmian League Premier Division side Folkestone Invicta, having previously had a spell on loan with the club during the previous season.[8]

In January 2021, he joined National League South side Welling United on a month-long loan deal due to the Isthmian League being suspended due to Covid.[9]

On 19 November 2021, he dropped down a division to join Isthmian League South East Division side Hastings United on a one-month loan deal, going straight into the squad for the clash with Sussex rivals Three Bridges.[10] He signed for the club on a permanent basis in January 2022.

In January 2023, he joined Herne Bay on loan[11] having spent time at Cray Valley Paper Mills earlier in the season.[12]

In July 2023, O'Mara signed for newly promoted Isthmian League South East Division club Erith & Belvedere.[13] In November 2023, he joined SCEFL Premier Division club Faversham Town.[14]

In May 2024, O'Mara joined fellow SCEFL Premier Division side Whitstable Town.[15] In October 2024, he returned to Hastings United.[16]

References

  1. ^ "EFL Released and Retained List 2016–17" (PDF). English Football League. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Finn O'Mara". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
  3. ^ a b Gills365 (16 May 2017). "First-year pro Finn O'Mara opens up on life at the Gills". Medium. Retrieved 2 August 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ "Finn O'Mara - school" (PDF). St Columba's Bexley. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 July 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
  5. ^ "The Shouting Men with Finn O'Mara". Kent Online. 23 March 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  6. ^ "Academy boys stepping up at Gillingham". Kent Online. 14 March 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  7. ^ "First-year pro Finn O'Mara opens up on life at the Gills". 16 May 2017.
  8. ^ "Finn exits Gills". Kent Online. 12 October 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  9. ^ Tucker, Craig (5 January 2021). "Welling United announce four new arrivals including Folkestone Invicta's former Gillingham defender Finn O'Mara". Kent Online. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  10. ^ Pole, Matt (19 November 2021). "Former Gillingham defender joins Hastings United on loan". Hastings Observer. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  11. ^ "New Signing: Finn O'Mara". www.hernebayfootballclub.co.uk. 20 January 2023. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  12. ^ "O'Mara Makes Millers Debut- And Sees Red". www.isthmian.co.uk. 31 October 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  13. ^ @EBTheDeres (16 July 2023). "Welcome to the Dere's Finn a former winner of the @IsthmianLeague league , the former Gillingham , Folkstone and Hastings defender is another fantastic addition to our squad #upthederes" (Tweet). Retrieved 17 July 2023 – via Twitter.
  14. ^ @FavershamTownFC (25 November 2023). "The Lilywhites can confirm the signing @finnomara from @EBTheDeres. The former Gills, Hastings and deres captain goes in to todays matchday squad vs Lordwoods FC. Welcome Finn #YourTownYourTeam" (Tweet). Retrieved 27 November 2023 – via Twitter.
  15. ^ "Welcome to The Oysters!". www.whitstabletownfc.club. 17 May 2024. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
  16. ^ "A Pilot Field double as O'Mara and Barlow return". www.isthmian.co.uk. 23 October 2024. Retrieved 23 October 2024.