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20 Oct 2025

Donegal's first Ulster title of 1972 - like a Phoenix from the Flame

Peter Campbell speaks to team manager Brian McEniff to mark Donegal's great breakthrough in winning their first Ulster SFC 50 years ago this weekend and details on a player-by-player basis those who helped make the achievement possible

Josie Boyle (Aodh Ruadh)
Josie Boyle was Mr Perpetual Motion. A great capacity to be a man marker, we used to put him on PJ Flood when playing against Clanna Gael. He was so physically fit, he could cover a lot of ground. I remember a funny moment in a challenge game against Dunmore McHales in Bundoran, he was 50 yards from his own goal and kept toe tapping, going backwards looking for a man before eventually going over his own end line and conceding a '50'.

Somehow he never got the breakthrough at county level but gave great service to Ballyshannon and was a play-anywhere player for St Joseph's. Went on to be an exceptional coach with Aodh Ruadh, winning an Ulster club minor title with them in 1992, as well as many underage titles. Still very active and you could meet him on a bike anywhere. Still lives in Ballyshannon.

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