Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Harry Kenny | ||
Date of birth | 13 April 1962 | ||
Place of birth | Dublin, Ireland | ||
Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
Playing position | Full back | ||
Club information | |||
Current team
|
Bray Wanderers (Manager) | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1978–1991 | Shamrock Rovers | 216 | (5) |
1991–1993 | Drogheda United | 35 | (0) |
1993–1994 | Crusaders | 21 | (0) |
1994–1995 | Newry Town | 2 | (0) |
National team | |||
1989 | League of Ireland XI | 1 | (0) |
Teams managed | |||
2016– | Bray Wanderers | ||
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
Harry Kenny (born 13 April 1962) is a retired Irish footballer who spent 13 seasons playing for Shamrock Rovers.
Harry, or 'H' as his friends nicknamed him, came to Milltown in September 1978, one year after Johnny Giles had been appointed player/manager. He was a number of full-time players who Giles signed up as part of the policy to develop a full-time professional set up at Milltown. Other players who were involved in the scheme at the time were Pierce O'Leary, Alan Campbell and Ritchie Bayly.
Harry made his Rovers debut on 20 December 1978 in a Leinster Senior Cup quarter final win against Dunleary Celtic at Tolka Park. His league debut came on 3 April 1979 in a 4–0 win against Cork Celtic at Milltown. Along the way to senior status Harry picked up a few honours. He was capped for the Irish schoolboys at U15, U17 and youths level.
In his only his second full season at Milltown H won the Player of the Year award Shamrock Rovers#Player of the Year Award recipients
When he became a regular in the first team, Harry proved to be quite impressive but just when everything was going very well he broke his leg against Sligo in a league game at Milltown on 11 October 1981. It was a major setback for H and it took a long time for him to return to his original form. One man's loss is another man's gain, the injury to Harry opened up an opportunity for Peter Eccles who then claimed a regular spot in defence keeping H out of the team.
In April 1983 he played for the League of Ireland XI U21s against their Italian League counterparts who included Roberto Mancini and Gianluca Vialli in their team.
Harry didn't get much of a look in in Jim McLaughlin's first season in charge, 1983/84, he only made a total of five appearances but he admitted himself it was his own fault. He stalled in renewing his contract and although he had played quite well in a few pre-season friendlies he had kept McLaughlin waiting and that led to H losing his place to Anto Whelan.