WHEN CAOIMHÍN KELLEHER signed for Brentford last summer, The 42detailed how he was the unanimous choice from a shortlist of three goalkeeper options for the decision-makers at the Premier League club.
Brentford have data coverage on around 85,000 players at the start of any transfer process and will usually whittle that down to up to six different possibilities for a position.
Thomas Frank was still head coach when that €21 million move from Liverpool was being completed – a deal two years in the making – but Kelleher was the number one target for technical director Lee Dykes, sporting director Phil Giles, and also goalkeeper coach Manu Sotelo.
One of the main reasons for Kelleher being such a priority was a belief that the Republic of Ireland international had the capability to make the difference when it came to those goal chances that opposition should be scoring.
Brentford’s analysis highlighted the former Liverpool man’s ability to make big saves in big moments that would relieve pressure on his team and also help deliver points.
A prime example of this was the spot kick he saved from Kylian Mbappe (low to his left) when Liverpool were 1-0 up at home to Real Madrid in the Champions League last season.
Caoimhin Kelleher denies Kylian Mbappé from the spot! 😳
As it was explained, just like the striker who will tend to score when the chips are down to find an equaliser or hit a winner, Kelleher delivers saves when the game is in the balance.
His penalty record this season has borne that out, saving three from five in the Premier League, or four from six when you take his Premier League title-winning campaign with Liverpool into consideration.
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As per Opta, that 67% ratio is “the best save rate of any goalkeeper to face 5+ spot-kicks in the competition”.
Former Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia had the best overall Premier League record with 42.9% after saving six of 14 penalties.
Kelleher has also saved two of his last four penalties for Ireland, stretching back to November 2024, most famously denying Cristiano Ronaldo with an exceptional trailing leg in a World Cup qualifier last October when the score was 0-0.
Last night’s save from Sunderland’s Enzo Le Fee was impressive in more ways than one. Not only did it prevent the away side drawing level on the hour mark, Kelleher had also been beaten from the spot by the same player earlier in the season when he dived to his right and Le Fee went low to the opposite corner.
The only other penalty taken by Le Fee in the Premier League this term was also successfully converted high into the top right corner.
This was all about judgement and anticipation, with Kelleher reading the casual run-up and standing his ground.
It was only last month that Kelleher was again unbeatable from 12 yards, although he was initially at fault for conceding the spot kick away to Wolves in the 87th minute when Brentford were leading 2-0.
He went low to his left for a comfortable save from Jorgen Strand Larsen, and it was very similar to the first save the Corkman pulled off this season.
That was back in September when Manchester United came to London and Bruno Fernandes stepped up with 15 minutes left to try and level the game at 2-2.
Caoimhin Kelleher has saved four of the six penalties he's faced in the Premier League for @BrentfordFC and @LFC 👏
Kelleher once again came out on top to help deliver his side a big three points, with captain Nathan Collins, who conceded the penalty, stating afterwards: “When he goes into a penalty shootout, I am more convinced he is going to save it than they will score.
“He has been unbelievable, since he came in he’s been part of the group, we have needed him, he has brought that security that we needed behind us, he has been top class.”
Mbappe, Ronaldo and Fernandes can all attest to that, and while he did also deny Southampton’s Adam Armstrong for Liverpool last season, the striker did convert the rebound, although it of course goes down as a successful penalty save.
Indeed, when you take into account the 14 penalties Kelleher has faced in his senior career (excluding shootouts), the 27-year-old has saved eight of them.
And when needed to go one better, you only have to flashback to the 2022 Carabao Cup final when Kelleher scored in the shootout and then watched Chelsea’s Kepa Arrizabalaga sky his attempt over the bar at Wembley.
With a World Cup play-off semi-final to come against Czechia in March, Kelleher’s heroics might just tip the scales in Ireland’s favour.
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The penalty king: How Caoimhín Kelleher is breaking new ground for a goalkeeper
WHEN CAOIMHÍN KELLEHER signed for Brentford last summer, The 42 detailed how he was the unanimous choice from a shortlist of three goalkeeper options for the decision-makers at the Premier League club.
Brentford have data coverage on around 85,000 players at the start of any transfer process and will usually whittle that down to up to six different possibilities for a position.
Thomas Frank was still head coach when that €21 million move from Liverpool was being completed – a deal two years in the making – but Kelleher was the number one target for technical director Lee Dykes, sporting director Phil Giles, and also goalkeeper coach Manu Sotelo.
One of the main reasons for Kelleher being such a priority was a belief that the Republic of Ireland international had the capability to make the difference when it came to those goal chances that opposition should be scoring.
Brentford’s analysis highlighted the former Liverpool man’s ability to make big saves in big moments that would relieve pressure on his team and also help deliver points.
A prime example of this was the spot kick he saved from Kylian Mbappe (low to his left) when Liverpool were 1-0 up at home to Real Madrid in the Champions League last season.
As it was explained, just like the striker who will tend to score when the chips are down to find an equaliser or hit a winner, Kelleher delivers saves when the game is in the balance.
His penalty record this season has borne that out, saving three from five in the Premier League, or four from six when you take his Premier League title-winning campaign with Liverpool into consideration.
As per Opta, that 67% ratio is “the best save rate of any goalkeeper to face 5+ spot-kicks in the competition”.
Former Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia had the best overall Premier League record with 42.9% after saving six of 14 penalties.
Kelleher has also saved two of his last four penalties for Ireland, stretching back to November 2024, most famously denying Cristiano Ronaldo with an exceptional trailing leg in a World Cup qualifier last October when the score was 0-0.
Last night’s save from Sunderland’s Enzo Le Fee was impressive in more ways than one. Not only did it prevent the away side drawing level on the hour mark, Kelleher had also been beaten from the spot by the same player earlier in the season when he dived to his right and Le Fee went low to the opposite corner.
The only other penalty taken by Le Fee in the Premier League this term was also successfully converted high into the top right corner.
This was all about judgement and anticipation, with Kelleher reading the casual run-up and standing his ground.
It was only last month that Kelleher was again unbeatable from 12 yards, although he was initially at fault for conceding the spot kick away to Wolves in the 87th minute when Brentford were leading 2-0.
He went low to his left for a comfortable save from Jorgen Strand Larsen, and it was very similar to the first save the Corkman pulled off this season.
That was back in September when Manchester United came to London and Bruno Fernandes stepped up with 15 minutes left to try and level the game at 2-2.
Kelleher once again came out on top to help deliver his side a big three points, with captain Nathan Collins, who conceded the penalty, stating afterwards: “When he goes into a penalty shootout, I am more convinced he is going to save it than they will score.
“He has been unbelievable, since he came in he’s been part of the group, we have needed him, he has brought that security that we needed behind us, he has been top class.”
Mbappe, Ronaldo and Fernandes can all attest to that, and while he did also deny Southampton’s Adam Armstrong for Liverpool last season, the striker did convert the rebound, although it of course goes down as a successful penalty save.
Indeed, when you take into account the 14 penalties Kelleher has faced in his senior career (excluding shootouts), the 27-year-old has saved eight of them.
And when needed to go one better, you only have to flashback to the 2022 Carabao Cup final when Kelleher scored in the shootout and then watched Chelsea’s Kepa Arrizabalaga sky his attempt over the bar at Wembley.
With a World Cup play-off semi-final to come against Czechia in March, Kelleher’s heroics might just tip the scales in Ireland’s favour.
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Brentford caoimhin keller pick your spot Premier League Republic Of Ireland Soccer