Austin Noonan

Austin Noonan

Personal information
Date of birth	16 July 1933
Place of birth	Cork, Irish Free State
Date of death	7 November 2022(2022-11-07) (aged 89)
Place of death	Cork, Ireland
Position(s)	Attacking midfield
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1953–1966	Cork Celtic
1966–1969	Cork Hibernians
International career
	League of Ireland XI
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Austin Noonan (16 July 1933 – 7 November 2022) was an Irish football player and manager who played for Cork Celtic and Cork Hibernians in the League of Ireland. He also served as manager of Cork Hibernians.

Career

Noonan first played football as a schoolboy with Maymount. Considered too small and light as a youth player, he later played with Colmcille's and Ballinlough before being selected on the Cork AUL.

Noonan signed for Evergreen United (later Cork Celtic) for the 1953–54 season.^[1] He formed a close goal-scoring partnership with Donie Leahy and, after spending much of the 1958-59 season on the sideline with a troublesome right ankle injury, was the league's overall top scorer with 27 goals the following season.^[2] Noonan was honoured by the League of Ireland XI selectors on a couple of occasions, while his other honours include Top Four Cup, Shield, Dublin City Cup and Munster Senior Cup winners' medals.^[3]

Noonan transferred to local rivals Cork Hibernians in 1966 before taking over as manager.^[4] He has the distinction of being the club's manager in 1970 when their Shield victory qualified them to play in a European competition for the first time.^[5]

Death

Noonan died on 7 November 2022, at the age of 89.^[6]

Honours

Cork Celtic

• League of Ireland Shield: 1960–61
• Dublin City Cup: 1961–62
• Top Four Cup: 1956–57, 1958–59, 1959–60
• Munster Senior League: 1955–56
• Munster Senior Cup: 1959–60, 1961–62, 1963–64

References

1. "Evergreen always up Four the cup: history of the League of Ireland Super Cup". Echo Live. 4 April 2021. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
2. "Throwback Thursday: Cork soccer clubs proved equal to European giants". Echo Live. 11 March 2021. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
3. "Austin Noonan's goal gave Cork Celtic derby glory and first national title - 60 years ago today". Irish Examiner. 23 October 2020. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
4. "Throwback Thursday: Crossing the great divide of Cork soccer with Celtic and Hibs". Echo Live. 25 February 2021. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
5. "The lost clubs: Cork Hibernians". SSE Airtricity Leeagie website. 29 August 2018. Archived from the original on 7 November 2022. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
6. "Cork soccer legend Austin Noonan dies". Echo Live. 7 November 2022. Retrieved 7 November 2022.