Tony Blake (Gaelic footballer)


Tony Blake is an Irish former Gaelic footballer who played for Naomh Adhamhnáin and the Donegal county team.
He attended St Eunan's College, where he played for the school team.
Donegal manager Brian McEniff called Blake onto his panel in 1991, though Blake soon departed for a career in association football. He was reserve goalkeeper for Sligo Rovers when they won a treble in the League of Ireland.
Blake made his championship debut for Donegal after Paul Callaghan sustained a groin injury during Donegal's championship win over Antrim in 1998.
Blake won a Railway Cup in 2000.
He never won the Ulster Senior Football Championship during his career. He played throughout the 2002 Ulster Senior Football Championship as Donegal advanced to the final. He also featured in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship quarter-final against Dublin. It was his best campaign and he credits the assistance of former Donegal goalkeeper Gary Walsh for his part in this.
A persistent knee injury forced him to retire from inter-county football in May 2004. Donegal's manager at the time, McEniff, said of Blake's meeting with a surgeon: "when the test results came back it showed a lot of wear and tear behind the knee cap". Blake had worn a bandage on his knee before Donegal's 2004 Dr McKenna Cup final defeat to Tyrone. McEniff said: "I noticed it that day and it became apparent that he had a problem". Paul Durcan had been deputising for Blake in the 2004 National Football League.
Since retiring, Blake has coached with Bonagee United and Naomh Colmcille.

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