Raffaele Cretaro

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Raffaele Cretaro
Personal information
Date of birth (1981-10-15) 15 October 1981 (age 44)
Place of birth Tubbercurry, Ireland
Height 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
Position Striker
Team information
Current team
 Ballina Town
Youth career
1990–2000 Real Tubber
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2005 Sligo Rovers 145 (13)
2006 Galway United 24 (3)
2007–2009 Sligo Rovers 92 (22)
2010 Bohemians 25 (5)
2011–2018 Sligo Rovers
2019–2020 Finn Harps 40~ (3~)
2023–2024 Ballina Town
2025- Conn Rangers 2 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Raffaele Cretaro (born 15 October 1981) is an Irish footballer who plays as a striker for Conn Rangers F.C. He holds the all-time record for appearances at Sligo Rovers.[1]

Early life

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Cretaro is a native of Tubbercurry, Ireland.[2] He is of Italian descent.[3] He joined local side Real Tubber as a youth player at Under-10 level.[4] After making the Sligo/Leitrim squads at Under-16 and Under-18 level, Cretaro was recommended to Sligo Rovers.[5]

Career

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Cretaro started his career in 2000 with Irish side Sligo Rovers.[6] He made his goal-scoring debut for Sligo in a 3–0 win over Monaghan United at Gortakeegan on 3 September 2000.[7] Cretaro became a regular in the first team under Don O'Riordan and established himself as an attacking full-back who could be called upon to play in multiple positions.[5] In 2005, due to injuries in the squad, Cretaro played the season at right-back as Sligo Rovers secured the First Division title under manager Sean Connor.[5]

Despite being part of the Sligo team that won promotion to the Premier Division in 2005, Cretaro failed to agree terms on a full-time contract.[8][5] Instead he signed a part-time deal with First Division team Galway United in February 2006.[9][5][10] He started for Galway in an FAI Cup match against Athlone Town on 26 May 2006, winning a penalty for his side.[11] He scored at home against Athlone Town on 3 September 2006.[12] Cretaro made 24 league appearances for the Tribesmen and scored three times in all competitions.[6]

Cretaro returned to Sligo Rovers in 2007 after new manager, Rob McDonald, expressed an interest in signing him.[5][13] However, McDonald was sacked during pre-season and replaced as manager by Paul Cook.[13][14] Cretaro credits Cook for installing belief in the group and in 2008, the team finished fourth in the league and qualified for the 2009–10 Europa League.[13] In 2009, Cretaro had one of his most successful seasons, scoring 21 goals in all competitions as well as playing in the FAI Cup final, which Sligo lost 1–2 to Sporting Fingal.[6]

In 2010, he signed for defending champions Bohemians.[6][15] On 13 July 2010, Cretaro appeared for Bohs in the 2010–11 UEFA Champions League.[16] On 18 August 2010, he scored twice at home to Bray Wanderers.[17] He scored five league goals in total before leaving the club at the end of the season as Bohs entered a period of financial turmoil.[6]

Cretaro returned to Sligo Rovers in January 2011 for his third stint at the club.[6][18] In his first season back he scored six times in 33 league appearances as Sligo finished runners-up to Shamrock Rovers in the Premier Division. Cretaro also won his first FAI Cup medal as Sligo defeated Shelbourne on penalties in the 2011 final, with Cretaro scoring the winning penalty.[6][19] The following year, he helped them win the league.[20]

Altogether, he spent seventeen years with Sligo Rovers and, on 20 August 2018,[21] Cretaro surpassed Tony Fagan as the club’s record all-time league appearance holder.[1][22] He joined Finn Harps in 2019.[6] In 2021, he retired from League of Ireland football.[23][24]

Style of play

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Cretaro made his breakthrough as a utility player and has deputised in every position bar goalkeeper.[5] He has mainly played as a striker but can also operate as a midfielder or a full-back.[25][6]

Personal life

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Cretaro is the brother of Irish hurler Fabio Cretaro.[26][27]

Career statistics

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Club

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[28][29][30][11][31]
Club Season League FAI Cup League Cup[a] Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Sligo Rovers 2000–01 LOI First Division 25 1 1 0 3 0 — — 29 1
2001–02 LOI First Division 28 3 3 1 2 0 — — 33 4
2002–03 LOI First Division 18 3 2 0 0 0 — 5[b] 0 25 3
2003 LOI First Division 25 1 4 0 2 2 — — 31 3
2004 LOI First Division 18 4 0 0 1 0 — — 19 4
2005 LOI First Division 31 1 4 0 1 0 — — 36 1
Total 145 13 14 1 9 2 — 5 0 173 16
Galway United 2006 LOI First Division 24 3 1 0 0 0 — — 25 3
Sligo Rovers 2007 LOI Premier Division 30 1 2 0 0 0 — — 32 1
2008 LOI Premier Division 31 6 1 0 1 0 — — 33 6
2009 LOI Premier Division 31 15 7 4 3 1 2[c] 1 — 43 21
Total 92 22 10 4 4 1 2 1 — 108 28
Bohemians 2010 LOI Premier Division 25* 5 2 1 1 0 1[d] 0 2[e] 1 31 7

*extratime cites 24 appearances, finalwhistle cites 25 appearances

Honours

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Sligo Rovers

Notes

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  1. ^ Includes League of Ireland Cup
  2. ^ Appearances in LOI First Division Cup
  3. ^ Appearances in 2009–10 UEFA Europa League
  4. ^ Appearances in 2010–11 UEFA Champions League
  5. ^ Appearances in Setanta Sports Cup[32]

References

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