Donal Leahy
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Donal Leahy | ||
| Date of birth | 31 August 1938 | ||
| Place of birth | Cork, Ireland | ||
| Date of death | 31 December 2015 (aged 77) | ||
| Playing position | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Dunbar Celtic | |||
| North End | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1956–1969 | Evergreen/ Cork Celtic F.C. | 257 | (158) |
| 1969 | Tramore Athletic | 1 | (0) |
| 1969–1970 | Limerick | 15 | (4) |
| National team | |||
| 1957–1962 | League of Ireland XI | 17 | (7) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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Donal Leahy (31 August 1938 – 31 December 2015) was an Irish footballer.
Leahy started his career as a wing-half playing with his home town club Evergreen and on 15 September 1956 scored on his debut in a 3–1 League of Ireland Shield defeat to Shamrock Rovers at Glenmalure Park.
He came to Evergreen’s notice after starring for Munster Youths against West Germany Youths at the The Mardyke in May 1956. Leahy turned down Aston Villa and Blackburn in 1957 to remain in Cork.
Manager Tommy Moroney switched him to a striking role which proved to be an inspired move as he was top scorer in the League of Ireland three seasons running from the 1956-57 League of Ireland season to the 1958-59 League of Ireland season.
Leahy scored on his Inter-League debut against the Irish League XI in March 1957. His prolific scoring rate in his debut season impressed the international selectors enough to place him on standby for the 1958 FIFA World Cup qualification tie against England national football team on 19 May 1957. Little did he know that the politics of the game dictated that he would never win that international honour.
On 3 May 1959 Leahy scored the only goal of the game as Evergreen beat Shamrock Rovers in the Top Four Cup Final at Dalymount Park to earn his first senior medal.
On 5 October 1960 he scored the League of Ireland XI's only goal in a heavy defeat to the Scottish League, an overhead kick, in front of 23,000 fans at Celtic Park.
On 21 January 1962 he scored five goals in Cork Celtic's 8–2 win over St. Patrick's Athletic at Richmond Park (football ground).
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