The death has taken place of former Offaly football goalkeeper Donal O’Neill.

Only in his mid-fifties, the Edenderry man was goalkeeper when the Faithful County won their one and only All-Ireland U21 football title in 1988. Offaly played an unprecedented 10 games – or 690 minutes of football – en route to lifting the Tim Clarke Cup. A marathon campaign ended with a 0-11 to 0-9 victory over Cavan at a packed Pearse Park in Longford, and Donal played a key part in their success.

Donal had the distinction of playing minor, U21 and senior as a 17-year-old in 1985. He made his Leinster SFC debut against Louth that year after injury had ruled out the legendary Martin Furlong. The deceased made his last Leinster SFC appearance against Meath three years later, after which he concentrated on his studies and became a professor of economics at Maynooth University.

 

All in Edenderry GAA were saddened to hear of the untimely passing of Donal O'Neill today. Donal was a top class goalkeeper who made his Senior debut for the club in 1984 as a 17 year old and one year later played a huge role in bringing the Dowling Cup back to Edenderry
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— Edenderry GAA (@EdenderryGAA) October 10, 2023

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