Austin Dunne

Austin Dunne (31 July 1934 – 5 March 2007) was an Irish professional footballer who played in the League of Ireland for Limerick, and in England for Football League club Colchester United and Southern League club Tonbridge.

Austin Dunne
Personal information
Date of birth (1934-07-31)31 July 1934
Place of birth Limerick, Ireland
Date of death 5 March 2007(2007-03-05) (aged 72)
Place of death Tonbridge, Kent, England
Position(s) Wing half
Youth career
Garryowen Celtic
Limerick
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1950/1–1953 Limerick
1953–1955 Colchester United 1 (0)
1956–1962 Tonbridge
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

Austin Dunne was born in Limerick on 31 July 1934.[1] He signed for Limerick from Garryowen Celtic during the 1950–51 season,[2] began his League of Ireland career as a 16-year-old centre forward,[3] was described as "showing great promise and was proving a worthwhile addition to the side",[2] and finished that season as the club's joint top scorer in league competition, albeit with only five goals.[4] He represented Ireland in junior and youth international matches.[5]

Dunne moved to England, where he signed for Colchester United in October 1953.[6] It was 18 months before he made his first-team debut, playing at left half in a 2–1 defeat away to Gillingham in the Football League Third Division South on 9 April 1955. It was his only senior appearance.[6] He left on a free transfer at the end of the 1955–56 season for Tonbridge of the Southern League,[7] and over the next six years, scored 15 goals from 201 appearances in all competitions for the club.[8] He also demonstrated his positional versatility: as well as the forward role that began his career and his "natural" position of wing half, he was often used at centre half.[9]

Dunne was married to Anne née Englefield, whom he met while she was a student nurse at the hospital where his fractured wrist was being treated during the 1956–57 season.[9] They had three children.[10] Dunne died in Tonbridge on 5 March 2007 at the age of 72.[1]

References
  1. "Austin Dunne". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  2. Corr, Aidan, ed. (1985). The End of an Era. A history of Senior Soccer at the Markets Field 1937/1984 (PDF). Limerick: Corr & Spain. p. 21.
  3. "Sunday's game". Sligo Champion. 27 January 1951. p. 6.
  4. Ryan, Seán; Burke, Stephen (1987). The Book of Irish Goalscorers (PDF). Irish Soccer Co-op. p. 209 – via Historical-Lineups.com.
  5. Sheehan, Pat (2012). Limerick Junior Soccer Chronicles, 1912–2012. Limerick's Life. p. 11.
  6. "Players: Austin Dunne". Coludata.co.uk. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
  7. "Football season is almost with us". Kent & Sussex Courier. 13 July 1956. p. 12.
  8. Cheal, Brian. "Player statistics 1961/62" (PDF). Up There Cazaly!. No. 11. p. 11 – via Tonbridge Angels F.C.
  9. "Sportrait: Austin Dunne". Kent & Sussex Courier. 25 October 1957. p. 12.
  10. "The obituary notice of Austin Dunne". Canterbury Times. March 2007. Retrieved 27 October 2021 – via funeral-notices.co.uk.
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