Declan Bonner

Declan Bonner (born 11 August 1965) is an Irish Gaelic footballer and manager. He currently manages the Donegal county team and plays as goalkeeper for Na Rossa.

Declan Bonner
Personal information
Sport Gaelic football
Position Right Corner Forward
Born (1965-08-11) 11 August 1965
Dungloe, Ireland
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Club(s)
Years Club
1979–
 Na Rossa
Inter-county(ies)
Years County
1984–1995
 Donegal
Inter-county titles
Ulster titles 2
All-Irelands 1
NFL 0
All Stars 0

Bonner maintains prominent media roles in his native county, such as with Highland Radio.[1] He contributes a column called "[Making] No Bones About It[!]", which features on the inside back cover of the weekly Donegal News.

Playing career

Bonner plays for his local club Na Rossa. He is considered their "most famous son".[2] He made his senior debut for his club at the age of 14 in 1979.[3][4] He played his fortieth season in 2019 as an emergency goalkeeper.[3][4]

Bonner played inter-county for the Donegal county football team.[5] It was he who scored the final point in Donegal's defeat of Dublin in the 1992 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final.[6] Within five years of this All-Ireland title, he was forced to retire from the (inter-county) game due to injury.[6]

Management career

Bonner became player-manager with Na Rossa at the age of 23, his first managerial appointment.[7] He did so having gone to the United States in 1988 and, having returned late, Donegal manager Tom Conaghan did not include him in the county panel for the following year.[7] Bonner led Na Rossa to the 1989 Donegal Intermediate Football Championship, while also playing for them.[7] Bonner's brothers Sean, Michael and Donal were also part of that Na Rossa team, while his brother Aidan — a minor — was a substitute.[7] Brian McEniff took over as Donegal manager again at the end of 1989.[7] McEniff recalled Bonner to the county team.[7] Bonner would not manage Na Rossa again for some time.[7]

Bonner went on to manage Donegal (1997–2000),[8][9] beginning on his 32nd birthday and within four weeks of retirement.[10][6] He led Donegal to an Ulster Final against Derry in 1998 — Joe Brolly put paid to that with a few kisses to the crowd.[6]

Bonner managed Gaoth Dobhair to the 2006 Donegal Senior Football Championship title.[11] He also coached Carl McHugh at Na Rossa.[12] He has also managed An Clochán Liath.[13] He managed his club Na Rossa to the 2008 IFC final but they lost to Séan MacCumhaills by three points (he was not playing for them at the time).[14]

Bonner sought a joint managerial position with the senior footballers alongside Charlie Mulgrew in 2008 but both ultimately lost out to John Joe Doherty.[15]

He won the U-16 Buncrana Cup in 2012.[13]

In mid-2013, Bonner was appointed manager of the Donegal minor team.[13] Bonner managed the Donegal minor team to the 2014 Ulster title; then to a first ever All-Ireland Final, against Kerry.[16]

Bonner was appointed manager of the Donegal under-21 team in 2015.[17] He managed the under-21 team to an Ulster Championship in 2017. While managing the Donegal under-21 team, Bonner was linked with the vacant Cavan senior post in October 2016.[18]

On 22 September 2017, he was reappointed manager of the senior team on a three-year term, succeeding Rory Gallagher.[19]

He led his county to the 2018 and 2019 Ulster Senior Football Championships.[3]

While managing Donegal, he returned to line out for his club at JFC level, notably making saves while playing as goalkeeper when his team's regular goalkeeper transferred to New York.[2][3][4]

Honours

Player

Manager

References
  1. "The Highland Radio commentary for the All-Ireland Football Final". Balls.ie. 24 September 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  2. McNulty, Chris (28 September 2019). "Declan Bonner to the fore as Na Rossa reach Junior semi-finals". Retrieved 28 September 2019.
  3. McNulty, Chris (21 September 2019). "Declan Bonner plays as Na Rossa reach Junior quarter-finals". Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  4. "Donegal boss Bonner on life as a 54-year-old goalkeeper". RTÉ Sport. 24 September 2019. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  5. Foley, Alan (8 January 2009). "The heroes of '92 - Where are they now?". Donegal Democrat. Archived from the original on 18 December 2015. Retrieved 8 January 2009.
  6. Harrington, Pat (31 August 2014). "Inside Back: Where are they now? and Have Your Say". Sunday Independent. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  7. Bonner, Declan (23 April 2020). "You need that glimmer of hope". Donegal News. p. 55.
  8. Keys, Colm (1 October 2008). "Bonner in the running for return to Donegal". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 1 October 2008.
  9. "Galway blow as Fallon to switch codes". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. 11 February 1998. Donegal also selected their team last night, and they handed league debuts to Martin Bonnar from Na Rossa, home club of new manager Declan Bonner, and John Haran of St Eunan's, Letterkenny.
  10. McNulty, Chris (29 June 2014). "Darach O'Connor leads Donegal's new generation – on and off the field". Donegal News. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
  11. "Gweedore cash in as smash and grab raid sinks Eunan's". Irish Independent. Independent News & Media. 16 October 2006. Retrieved 16 October 2006.
  12. "McBrearty looking for time off". Hogan Stand. 25 January 2013. Retrieved 25 January 2013. 1992 Donegal All-Ireland winner Declan Bonner coached McHugh in the Na Rossa GAA set-up.
  13. "Declan Bonner announced as the new Donegal minor manager". Donegal Daily. 2 July 2013. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  14. Ferry, Ryan (3 October 2019). "Gaels target historic final berth". Donegal News. p. 73. It's 11 years since Na Rossa last contested a county final, but they are hoping to qualify for the Junior 'A' Championship decider this Saturday when they take on Letterkenny Gaels. In 2008, Na Rossa reached the Intermediate final but lost by three points in the final against MacCumhaills.
  15. "Doherty ratified as new Donegal manager". Irish Examiner. 4 November 2008. Retrieved 4 November 2008.
  16. "Donegal go through to first ever minor football final". Irish Examiner. Thomas Crosbie Holdings. 31 August 2014. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  17. Forker, Mark (3 September 2015). "Declan Bonner appointed new Donegal U21 manager". Donegal Daily. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
  18. "Declan Bonner linked with Cavan but Donegal U21's is priority". Highland Radio. 5 October 2016. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
  19. "Donegal confirm the appointment of Ulster minor and U21 winning manager". The42.ie. 22 September 2017. Archived from the original on 25 November 2017. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
Sporting positions
Preceded by
P. J. McGowan		 Donegal Senior Football Manager
1997–2000		 Succeeded by
Mickey Moran
Preceded by
Rory Gallagher		 Donegal Senior Football Manager
2017–present		 Succeeded by
Incumbent
Preceded by
Maxi Curran		 Donegal Under-21 Football Manager
2015-2017		 Succeeded by
Gary McDaid
Preceded by
Stephen Friel		 Donegal Minor Football Manager
2013-2015		 Succeeded by
Shaun Paul Barrett
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