Brendan Boyle (Gaelic footballer)

Brendan Boyle
Personal information
Sport Gaelic football
Position Midfield
Club(s)
Years Club
?–?
 Ard an Rátha
Inter-county(ies)
Years County
200?–?
 Donegal

Brendan Boyle is an Irish former Gaelic footballer who played at midfield for Ard an Rátha and also for the Donegal county team.[1]

A married civil engineer and graduate of Institute of Technology, Sligo, he spent two years with a serious back injury and almost quit the game.[2] His wife Donna (née Dunnion) played for Four Masters (she was a sister of Barry Dunnion) but died following an illness at the age of 41 in February 2022, leaving him two children.[3][4]

His championship debut was in the 2002 Ulster Senior Football Championship final, a competition he would never win as a player.[5]

He made a substitute appearance for Stephen McDermott in the 2003 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship semi-final against Armagh.[6]

In 2004, he played against Armagh in the Ulster SFC final at Croke Park.[7]

He was injured in a club game and unable to play in what proved to be Brian McEniff's last game as county team manager the next day, a one-point loss to Cavan in a 2005 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Round 2 Qualifier.[8]

In 2009, he played in the Championship victory over Galway at Markievicz Park and the defeat to Cork at Croke Park.[9][10]

  1. ^ "McGrath returns as Ardara win". Donegal Democrat. 21 April 2014. Retrieved 21 April 2014. Brendan McNelis and Conor Classon extended Ardara's lead before Brendan Boyle landed an Ardara goal to send the visitors in 1–7 to 1–2 in front at half-time.
  2. ^ "CASE STUDY 2: Brendan Boyle". Irish Independent. 27 May 2009. Retrieved 27 May 2009.
  3. ^ Craig, Frank (7 July 2022). "Donna Dunnion Boyle Memorial Cup unveiled". Donegal News. p. 70. Donna sadly passed away last February following a long but brave battle with illness. However the 41-year-old wife, teacher and mum of two has left a lasting legacy — one that will now be honoured by the renaming of the top LGFA trophy in the county… Donna's husband Brendan — a former Ardara and Donegal star — thanked the county LGFA for the gesture.
  4. ^ "The death has occurred of Donna Boyle (née Dunnion)". RIP.ie. 15 February 2022.
  5. ^ Nulty, Chris (22 July 2011). "1992–2011: The best XV not to win Ulster…". Donegal News. Archived from the original on 2 April 2016. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
  6. ^ "Armagh's double still alive". Irish Independent. 1 September 2003.
  7. ^ "Awesome Armagh destroy Donegal". RTÉ Sport. 11 July 2004. Retrieved 11 July 2004. Devenney missed another good chance from a free in the 43rd minute but made no mistake four minutes later after Brendan Boyle was fouled.
  8. ^ "Last five championship meetings between Donegal and Cavan". Donegal News. 19 November 2020. p. 57.
  9. ^ "Donegal 0–14 Galway 0–13". RTÉ Sport. 25 July 2009. Retrieved 25 July 2009.
  10. ^ "Cork 1–27 Donegal 2–10". RTÉ Sport. 2 August 2009. Retrieved 2 August 2009. Michael Murphy converted an early Donegal free, but once Cork quelled the early dominance of midfielders Brendan Boyle and Kevin Cassidy, things began to happen for them.