Dundela F.C.

Dundela Football Club, nicknamed "The Duns" is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club from Belfast, currently playing in the NIFL Championship, and plays its home matches at Wilgar Park. The club's colours are green and white. The home kit has green shirts, green shorts and green socks, whilst the away kit is all red.

History

Dundela Football Club was formed in 1895 from employees of a local dairy owned by the Agnew family and members of a local harriers' club. Wilgar Park has been the home to the club since 1900. The park lies in the heartland of east Belfast, in a suburb named Strandtown. Its capacity is approximately 1,200. The venue is nicknamed "The Hen Run".

The club's greatest achievement to date came in April 1955, when it defeated Glenavon by three goals to nil at Windsor Park, Belfast in the final of the Irish Cup. It was the first time a club from the Irish Alliance won the competition.

The club's darkest hour occurred on 25 August 1995, when team captain, Michael Goddard died during a game at Stangmore Park, home of Dungannon Swifts, after being struck on the chest with the ball.

Dundela's local rivals are Harland & Wolff Welders.

2017/18-present

Dundela FC emerged victorious in the 2017/18 NIFL Premier Intermediate League, securing a notable accomplishment in the club's history.

In the subsequent 2018/19 NIFL Championship campaign, Dundela FC secured a commendable 4th-place finish. The Belfast-based football club continued to exhibit competitive prowess as it navigated the challenges of the Championship.

In the curtailed 2019/20 season The Duns finished sixth. The following season was cancelled due to the global pandemic. NIFL Championship football returned after the pandemic in the 2021/22 campaign in which Dundela finished 8th.

In the 2022/23 campaign, Dundela exhibited improvement, climbing up the table to achieve 4th place.

In April 2023, Dundela winger Aodhan Gillen died in a car accident, at the age of 22.

In 2023, the club appointed former player Stephen Gourley as manager, following the departure of Paul Harbinson.

The following season, the club would perform incredibly well, leading the NIFL Championship for much of the season, however were unable to be promoted due to issues with the pitch dimensions at Wilgar Park, an issue which will not be rectified in the near future. Such an issue emphasized the great need for stadia improvement within Northern Ireland.

Current squad

Honours

Senior honours

*Irish Cup: 1
** 1954–55

Intermediate honours

* Irish League B Division (tier 2): 9 (1 shared)
**1967–68, 1976–77 (shared), 1981–82, 1985–86, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1993–94
* Second Division/NIFL Premier Intermediate League (tier 3): 3
**1999–00, 2000–01, 2017–18
* Irish Intermediate League: 5
**1921–22, 1944–45, 1946–47, 1949–50, 1950–51
*Irish Intermediate Cup: 10
**1946–47, 1954–55, 1965–66, 1974–75, 1983–84, 1988–89, 1992–93, 1998–99, 1999–00, 2000–01
*George Wilson Cup: 4
**1964–65, 1967–68, 1971–72, 1974–75
* Steel & Sons Cup: 10
**1945–46, 1963–64, 1980–81, 1982–83, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1990–91, 1999–00, 2007–08, 2013–14
* B Division Knock-out Cup: 4
**1987–88, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1994–95
* McElroy Cup: 1
**1945–46 (shared)

Notable former players

* David Lyner
* Eric McMordie
* Billy Caskey
* Matty Burrows
* Jackie Vernon

References

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Association football clubs established in 1895
Association football clubs in Belfast
1895 establishments in Ireland
NIFL Premier Intermediate League clubs
Association football clubs in Northern Ireland