Billy Farrell was an Irish association footballer who played for

Shamrock Rovers Shamrock Rovers Football Club is an Irish professional Association football, football club based in Tallaght, South Dublin. The club's senior team competes in the League of Ireland Premier Division and it is List of football clubs by competit ...

and the

League of Ireland XI The League of Ireland XI, more recently referred to as the Airtricity League XI for sponsorship reasons, is the representative team of the League of Ireland, the national association football league of Ireland. For much of its history, the League ...

during the 1920s. Farrell was a prominent member of the Rovers team that won the treble in 1924–25 and was top goalscorer in the

League of Ireland The League of Ireland is a national association football Sports league, league consisting of professional clubs in the Republic of Ireland and Derry, Derry City in Northern Ireland. It is governed by the Football Association of Ireland. It was ...

on two successive seasons. He remains one of Rovers all-time leading goalscorers. Farrell was a highly regarded player, keeping a young Jimmy Dunne out of the Rovers first team. During the summer of 1926 Farrell suffered a broken thigh following a motor cycle accident and this subsequently ended his career.

Playing career

Shamrock Rovers

Together with Bob Fullam, John Fagan and

John Joe Flood John Joe Flood (2 August 1899 – 3 July 1982), also referred to as Jonjo Flood or John Flood, was an Irish footballer who played as a forward for Shelbourne, Shamrock Rovers, Leeds United and Crystal Palace. As an international, he also pl ...

, Farrell was part of a legendary

forward-line known as the "Four F's". Farrell and Fullam formed a particularly strong partnership. In the 1924–25 League of Ireland season they scored 25 and 20 goals respectively. Farrell finished the season as top goalscorer and Rovers went on to win a treble, by also winning the League of Ireland Shield and the

FAI Cup The Football Association of Ireland Senior Challenge Cup (FAI Cup), known as the Sports Direct FAI Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a knock-out association football competition contested annually by teams from the Republic of Ireland (as well as D ...

. In 1925–26, Farrell was again the league topscorer this time scoring 24 goals. He also scored in the 1925–26 FAI Cup final against Fordsons but Rovers lost 3–2.

League of Ireland XI

Between 1925 and 1926 Farrell made three appearances for the

. On 14 March 1925 Farrell played in a 2–1 home defeat against the Welsh Football League XI. His teammates on this occasion included

Ernie MacKay Ernest MacKay (7 October 1896 – November 1995) was an Irish footballer who played in an international tournament representing Ireland in 1924. Personal life MacKay was born in County Tipperary as the second son and fifth child of John and ...

, Dave Roberts and Johnny Murray. On 7 November 1925 he played again against the Welsh Football League XI in a 2–2 away draw. On 13 March 1926 he scored in 3–1 win against the

Irish League XI The Irish League representative team was the representative side of the Irish Football League, the national league for football in Northern Ireland from 1922 and, prior to that the league for Ireland. The Irish League was suspended from 1941–42 ...

Dalymount Park Dalymount Park (Irish language, Irish: ''Páirc Chnocán Uí Dhálaigh'') is a Association football, football stadium in Phibsborough on the Northside Dublin, Northside of Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is the home of Bohemian F.C., ...

. On both of the latter occasions all of the "Four F's" also featured. Bob Fullam and Flood scored in the away game against the Welsh selection. Fulham also scored against the Irish League XI.

Ireland trialist

In March 1926

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

were preparing to play

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

in a friendly. Farrell took part in trials for the team and also played for a Leinster XI against a Munster XI in an unofficial trial. He had played poorly in this interprovincial match and failed to impress the national team selectors. The day before he had scored a hat-trick while playing for

in a League of Ireland Shield game against Brideville but had picked up a hip injury in the process. Despite his prolific goalscoring record and experience playing for the

, Farrell was left out of the squad for the Italy game and was overlooked in favour of Ned Brooks and Fran Watters.

Honours

;

** 1924–25 *

**''Winners'': 1924–25 **''Runners-up'': 1925–26 * League of Ireland Shield **1924–25 ;Individual * League of Ireland Top Scorer: ** 1924–25, 1925–26

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Farrell, Billy Republic of Ireland men's association footballers Shamrock Rovers F.C. players League of Ireland XI players League of Ireland players Men's association football forwards Year of birth missing