Hollywood ending for Cork’s Eoghan O’Connell as Wrexham promoted with Ryan Reynolds and Paul Rudd watching
Wrexham co-owner Ryan Reynolds (left) and Paul Rudd in the stands during the Vanarama National League match at The Racecourse Ground, Wrexham. Picture: Martin Rickett/PA Wire.
EOGHAN O’Connell’s journey with Wrexham has a Hollywood ending after the team clinched promotion back to the Football League with a 3-1 victory over Boreham Wood on Saturday evening.
The Red Dragons have been under the spotlight since they were taken over by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney with millions of people tuning in to see their quest to get out of the National League.
Their story has been told in the Disney + series ‘ ’ and people from all across the world have engaged in the exploits of O’Connell and his team-mates as they look to end a 15-year spell for the club in the fifth tier of the English football pyramid.
O’Connell moved to north Wales last January from Charlton Athletic and he was immediately put in at the centre of defence by manager Phil Parkinson.
O’Connell had an instant impact on their title ambitions as he helped reduce the number of goals that Wrexham were conceding. Before his arrival, clean sheets were a rarity and almost every win was a hard-fought victory.
This set Wrexham up for a race with Notts County for the league title, a situation that was heightened by the fact that only one team automatically goes up. The other has to go into a play-off series with six other clubs, and anything can happen.
The Red Dragons learned this the hard way as they were beaten 5-4 in extra-time by Grimsby Town last year, with The Mariners going on to achieve promotion to EFL League Two.
O’Connell’s arrival helped set up a title-deciding game on Easter Monday that saw Wrexham host Notts County at the Racecourse Stadium, with the prize a three-point cushion at the top of the table.
It was followed by over ten million people online and O’Connell helped Wrexham get a 3-2 victory.
The defender will now receive a ‘monster’ prize by the Hollywood owners, as revealed by goalkeeper Ben Foster.
"If we get promoted, they're gonna take us away somewhere with a lot of flashing lights," he said in an interview.
This is another medal around the neck of a player that first made his name known with College Corinthians and Avondale United. He moved to Celtic in 2011 and broke through into their first team in 2014 under Neil Lennon.
O’Connell was sent on loan to Cork City at the start of the 2016 season and he helped the Rebel Army win the President Cup, which was the first time that John Caulfield got the better of Dundalk.
He also spent time with Rochdale and Bury, before he joined Wrexham in January 2023 from Charlton.
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