Rory Finneran

Rory Finneran (born 29 February 2008) is an Irish footballer who plays for club Blackburn Rovers. In January 2024, he became Blackburn's youngest ever player, debuting in the FA Cup third round against Cambridge United.

Career
Described as a left-footed defensive midfield player, Finneran joined the Blackburn Rovers academy at eight years-old.

Finneran was named among the match day squad for Blackburn in the EFL Championship against Bristol City in December 2023 but was an unused substitute. He made his senior debut for Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup against Cambridge United on 6 January 2024. At 15 years-old, ten months and eight days, he became Blackburn’s youngest ever debutant. However, he was not allowed to wear a kit with the main Blackburn shirt sponsor, an electronic cigarette manufacturer, due to his young age.

International career
A Republic of Ireland youth international, he first played for Ireland U15 against Cyprus U15 in 2022. He went on to play for Ireland at U16 and U17 levels, making his competitive debut in a 4-0 Euro U17 qualifying win over Armenia U17 in October 2023. He captained Ireland for the first time in a 3–1 victory over Australia U16s at the start of 2023. Finneran was named the Republic of Ireland’s under-15 player of the year in 2023.