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Paul DulinHead Coach of Drogheda United
Country:
 Ireland |
Content:
- Biography of Paul Doolin
- Shamrock Rovers
- Derry City and Portadown
- Return to Shamrock Rovers
- Coaching Career
- Family
Biography of Paul Doolin
Football Coach and Former Irish FootballerEarly Years
Paul Doolin, an Irish football coach and former professional footballer, began his career with the club "Bohemians" where he scored in his debut match on September 13, 1981. In April 1983, he played for the Irish League youth team against Italian colleagues, including Roberto Mancini and Gianluca Vialli.
Shamrock Rovers
In June 1985, Doolin signed a contract with "Shamrock Rovers" and achieved the "golden double" twice in the club, scoring 30 goals in 107 matches. In his first season with the team, he became the top scorer with 11 goals. Doolin also played six matches in European competitions and represented the Irish League national team.
Derry City and Portadown
In 1988, Doolin joined "Derry City" where he won all three domestic trophies in 1989. Over the course of two seasons, he scored 29 goals in 92 matches. He then joined "Portadown" and became the first player to win both the championship and the cup in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Return to Shamrock Rovers
In November 1991, Doolin signed another contract with "Shamrock Rovers", but his return was not successful as he only scored one goal in 21 matches. As a result, he joined "Shelbourne" where he won the FAI Cup in 1993. In August 1996, he returned to "Bohemians", then moved to "Dundalk", and later returned to "Shelbourne", helping the club win the league and cup in 2000.
Coaching Career
In 2001, while still playing, Doolin began his coaching career and became the head coach of UCD. After a successful first season, the club narrowly avoided relegation in the 2002/03 season. Doolin then became the coach of "Drogheda United" and led them to their first-ever victory in the FAI Cup (2005), as well as two Setanta Sports Cups in 2006 and 2007, defeating "Cork City" and "Linfield" in the finals respectively. He also guided the club to their first league title in 2007.
Due to the unstable financial situation of the club, Doolin left "Drogheda" and on January 13, 2009, he signed a two-year contract with "Cork City". Despite the team finishing third in the 2009 League of Ireland, Doolin resigned in November of the same year due to financial problems within the club. In September 2010, Doolin was appointed as the coach of the Republic of Ireland Under-19 national team.
