‘It was written in the stars': NI cheers for Lioness match winner Chloe Kelly who has Tyrone roots

Belfast Telegraph

29-07-2025

After scoring the winning goal in the 2022 final, Kelly netted the decisive spot kick in Sunday's shoot-out success against Spain.
The 27-year-old's grandfather was from the Omagh area.
Indeed, when he was Northern Ireland women's manager, Kenny Shiels made a cheeky attempt to persuade the 27-year-old to change her allegiance to the green and white army — to no avail.
Colin Nugent, one of her Tyrone relations, believes the latest triumph was 'written in the stars' after a tournament which saw England make astonishing comebacks in both their quarter-final and semi-final.
Originally from Omagh, Colin now lives in Belfast. His father, Sean, is the cousin of Brendan Kelly, Chloe's grandfather, who moved to London from Omagh.
Though he never met Kelly himself, Colin and his family would be frequently visited by Brendan when he came over from England.
'She is a distant cousin of mine. Her father and my grandfather are cousins,' he said.
'Her grandfather was Brendan Kelly from Omagh, while Sean Nugent was from Omagh as well. He lived in London and Brendan and my father were quite close.
'I don't know Chloe very well, it's her grandfather I knew and his brothers. But, it's nice to know there is a connection.
'They used to visit Omagh regularly when I lived here. I did know her grandfather.
'I watched the match, I saw a lot of the Lionesses' matches, because I am related to Chloe. It seems to have been written in the stars — she had been playing very well in the last few games.'
England fans erupted with joy as the team defended their Euros title in Sunday's final in Basel, Switzerland.
After the game finished 1-1, Kelly scored the winning spot kick in the shoot-out following two huge saves from goalkeeper Hannah Hampton.
Kelly, who plays her club football for Arsenal, also scored the winning goal in the 2022 final against Germany at Wembley.
The team landed back in the UK on Monday before heading to a reception at Downing Street hosted by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and sports minister Stephanie Peacock.
Earlier, captain Leah Williamson was seen smiling and holding the Euros trophy as the team left their hotel in Zurich.
The King said the team had the royal family's 'warmest appreciation and admiration', adding: 'The next task is to bring home the World Cup in 2027 if you possibly can'.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hailed their triumph, saying: 'The Lionesses have once again captured the hearts of the nation.'
News Catch Up - Monday 28th July
Colin, meanwhile, revealed his family's football links run deep, with his brother winning the Northern Ireland Junior Cup in the 2010s twice in a row.
'My brothers and I have always played football on an amateur level. My daughter, Sophie, was a keen footballer at a youth level. She played a lot of it and was quite good,' he revealed.
'She's at university now though and has had to stop. We are all interested in football, it has always been in the family.
'There is a sense of pride in the family that Chloe is doing so well in the England team, since we have always been a connection with the sport.
'Of course, whether I met her or not, she is still family, and it's great to see her do well.'
Two years ago, Kenny Shiels, who managed the Northern Ireland women's team from 2019 to 2023, revealed he once tried to recruit Kelly.
'I was never speaking to her directly, I made the enquiries a few years ago through the proper channels [about getting her for NI], but she didn't have the desire to play,' Shiels said, stating that he had heard about Kelly's Ulster links through his own contacts.
He noted that at that stage, Kelly wasn't often a first choice for the England team, but that Northern Ireland still seemed to be her third option, as she was also eligible to play for the Republic of Ireland, with her other grandfather hailing from Dublin.