Tommy Donnelly (footballer)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Thomas Donnelly | ||
| Place of birth | Enniskillen, Fermanagh, Ireland | ||
| Playing position | Forward | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 193x–1937 | Drumcondra | ||
| 1937–1938 | Shamrock Rovers | ||
| National team | |||
| 1937–1938 | Ireland | 2 | (1) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only | |||
Tommy Donnelly is a former Irish footballer who played for Drumcondra, Shamrock Rovers and Ireland.
When Donnelly played as an international there were, in effect, two Ireland teams, chosen by two rival associations. Both associations, the Northern Ireland - based IFA and the Irish Free State - based FAI claimed jurisdiction over the whole of Ireland and selected players from the whole island. Donnelly was one of several players born in Northern Ireland who benefited from the FAI’s attempts to establish their all-Ireland influence. He made 2 appearances and scored 1 goal for the FAI XI. Together with fellow Northerner, Mick Hoy, he made his international debut in a 3-2 away defeat to Norway on October 10, 1937, in a qualifier for the 1938 World Cup.
Donnelly won his first cap while with Drumcondra and subsequently joined Shamrock Rovers. He made his second appearance for the FAI XI on September 18, 1938 in a friendly against Switzerland and scored the fourth goal in 4-0 win. The other goalscorers that day were Paddy Bradshaw and Connelly’s Rovers team mate, Jimmy Dunne. Despite getting on the score sheet against the Swiss, Donnelly later lost his place to Kevin O'Flanagan and was released by Rovers shortly afterwards.
Honours
- League of Ireland
- Winners 1937-38: 1
- League of Ireland Shield
- Winners 1937-38: 1
- Leinster Senior Cup
- Winners 1938: 1