| Full name | Dublin University Association Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1883 | ||
| Ground | College Park, Dublin | ||
| League | Leinster Senior League College & Universities Football League League of Ireland B Division League of Ireland U21 Division | ||
| Website | http://duafc.ucoz.com/ | ||
Dublin University Association Football Club is anIrish association football club based atTrinity College Dublin. Founded in1883, Dublin University A.F.C. is the oldest surviving association football club in theRepublic of Ireland. Their senior men's team currently competes in theLeinster Senior League. They have previously played in both theLeague of Ireland B Division and theLeague of Ireland U21 Division. The club also enters teams in theCollege & Universities Football League, theWomen's Soccer Colleges Association of Ireland League, theCollingwood Cup and theFAI Intermediate Cup. The club has previously entered teams in both theIrish Cup and theFAI Cup.
In1883 a group of formerTrinity College Dublin students formedDublin Association F.C., following a meeting in Tyrone Place, later to become Cathedral Street. Shortly after, the current students at TCD formed Dublin University A.F.C. and on 7 November 1883 the two clubs met in one of the earliest organisedassociation football games played inDublin. Dublin Association won the game 4–0. By 1890 Dublin Association was disbanded, leaving Dublin University A.F.C. as the oldest surviving association football club in theRepublic of Ireland.[1][2][3][4] On 30 November 1883 atCollege Park, Dublin University A.F.C. also played in the first ever game between aBelfast and Dublin team, losing 6–0 to Belfast Athletic. In1883–84, together with Dublin Association, they became one of the first two Dublin clubs to compete in theIrish Cup. They continued to compete in the Irish Cup between 1883–84 and1888–89, again from1893–94 to1899–1900 and then sporadically until1912–13. Their best season came in1885–86 when they reached the semi-final after scoring 18 goals without reply in the first four rounds.Ireland international, William Eames, captained the team from half-back. On 19 December 1885, Eames scored a goal in the 7–0 defeat of Clifton Park in the third round, adding three further goals in the 6–0 defeat of Banbridge in the next round. However, in the semi-final on 13 February 1886 they lost 4–0 toDistillery.[5][6][7][8][9]
On 27 October 1892 Dublin University A.F.C. became founder members of theLeinster Football Association. The LFA soon organized their own cup competition, theLeinster Senior Cup which was first played for in 1892–93. The inaugural final saw Leinster Nomads defeat Dublin University 2–1. Dublin University also played in the 1893–94 and 1894–95 finals, losing both toBohemians after replays. Dublin University also became founder members of theLeinster Senior League.[1][9]
Dublin University A.F.C. is affiliated to theIrish Universities Football Union and regularly competes in annual intervarsity competitions such as theCollingwood Cup, theFarquhar Cup, theCrowley Cup and theHarding Cup.[10] In 1914, together withUniversity College Dublin,Queen's University Belfast andUniversity College Galway, Dublin University entered the inaugural Collingwood Cup tournament.[4]However, during theFirst World War/Irish War of Independence era, the club ceased to exist and despite several attempts at a relaunch, it was not until 1939 that the club was reformed.[5] In 1947 and 1949 Dublin University shared the Collingwood Cup with QUB and UCD respectively. However the club would have to wait until 1967 before it won the Collingwood Cup outright for the first time. In the final atCollege Park they defeated QUB 1–0 with a penalty scored five minutes from the end. In 1979 with a team featuringHugo MacNeill and coached byLiam Tuohy, Dublin University won the Collingwood Cup outright for a second time. MacNeill scored twice in the final as Dublin University defeatedMaynooth University 2–0.[5][11][12][13]
In the late 1960s Dublin University rejoined theLeinster Senior League and in 1975 they were elected to theLeague of Ireland B Division. In 2005 when the B Division was reformed as theLeague of Ireland U21 Division, they remained in the new division. However the U21 Division operated as a summer league and Dublin University struggled to field teams during the summer months when the university was closed. After three years of summer football, Dublin University's senior team re-joined the Leinster Senior League in 2008–09.[5]
Dublin University play their home matches atCollege Park, Dublin. They also play at their grounds inSantry. Throughout their history, the club has also played at grounds inClontarf andGrangegorman. They have also ground shared with bothJacobs Football Club andSt Patrick's Athletic.[5]
Source:[5]
Frederick Moorhead and William Eames were the first two Dublin University players to representIreland when they played againstEngland on 28 February,1885. They were also the first twoDublin-based players to be selected for Ireland. Between 1885 and1895 nine Dublin University players were capped by Ireland in theBritish Home Championship. These includeWilloughby Hamilton who was a Dublin Association player when capped. Lewis Scott was the last Dublin University player to represent Ireland at senior international level when he played againstScotland on 30 March 1895.
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