Dolphin F.C. is a former Irish

Republic of Ireland

Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

 football

Football (soccer)

Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...

 club, originally based in the Dublin suburb of Dolphin's Barn

Dolphin's Barn

Dolphin's Barn is an inner city suburb of Dublin, Ireland, situated on the Southside of the city in the Dublin 8, and partially in the Dublin 12, postal district. Its name derives from a family named Dolphyn who once owned a storehouse there. Surrounding areas include The Liberties, Inchicore,...

. They played in the League of Ireland

League of Ireland

The League of Ireland is the national association football league of the Republic of Ireland. Founded in 1921, as a league of eight clubs, it has expanded over time into a two-tiered league of 22 clubs. It is currently split into the League of Ireland Premier Division and the League of Ireland...

 between 1930 and 1937. In 1935 they were league champions. They were one of several League of Ireland teams to play home games at Tolka Park

Tolka Park

Tolka Park is an Irish football ground located in the north Dublin suburb of Drumcondra, on the northern banks of the River Tolka. It is currently the home ground of League of Ireland club Shelbourne...

.

History

Dolphins played in two successive FAI Cup

FAI Cup

The Football Association of Ireland Challenge Cup, known as the FAI Ford Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a knock-out association football competition contested annually by teams from the Republic of Ireland...

 finals in 1932 and 1933, losing both games to Shamrock Rovers

Shamrock Rovers F.C.

Shamrock Rovers Football Club are a professional football club from Dublin, Ireland. They compete in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland and are the most successful club in Irish football history. The club have won the League of Ireland title a record 17 times and the FAI Cup a record 24...

 Their 1932 team included a future dual Irish international

Dual Irish international footballers

Dual Irish international footballers are a group of Irish international footballers who, between 1908 and March 1950, played for the international teams selected by both the Irish Football Association and the Football Association of Ireland...

, Alex Stevenson

Alex Stevenson

Alexander Ernest Stevenson was an Irish footballer who played for Rangers and Everton, amongst other teams. As an international, Stevenson also played for both Ireland teams - the FAI XI and the IFA XI...

. On May 8, 1932, aged 19 and still playing for Dolphins, Stevenson made his international debut for the Irish Free State in a 2-0 away win against the Netherlands

Netherlands national football team

The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...

 On his return from the Netherlands, he signed for Rangers

Rangers F.C.

Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...

 and as part of the transfer deal Rangers played Dolphins in a friendly at Dalymount Park

Dalymount Park

Dalymount Park is an Irish football stadium situated on Dublin's Northside. It is the home of Bohemian F.C., who have played there since the early 20th century. Affectionately known as 'Dalyer' by fans, it was also historically the "home of Irish football" holding Irish internationals and FAI Cup...

. In the 1933 FAI Cup

FAI Cup

The Football Association of Ireland Challenge Cup, known as the FAI Ford Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a knock-out association football competition contested annually by teams from the Republic of Ireland...

 final Dolphins held Rovers to a 3-3 draw before losing the replay 3-0.

Dolphins enjoyed their most successful season in 1934-35, when they won both the League of Ireland

League of Ireland

The League of Ireland is the national association football league of the Republic of Ireland. Founded in 1921, as a league of eight clubs, it has expanded over time into a two-tiered league of 22 clubs. It is currently split into the League of Ireland Premier Division and the League of Ireland...

 title and the Dublin City Cup

Dublin City Cup

The Dublin City Cup is a defunct Irish football tournament which was played for by all League of Ireland sides . It ran from 1933 and ran uninterrupted until 1973. In season 1975/76 it was revived and played for by sides who did not reach the League of Ireland Cup quarter finals...

 In the same season they also finished as runners up in the League of Ireland Shield

League of Ireland Shield

The League of Ireland Shield is a defunct Irish football tournament which was introduced when the League of Ireland started in 1921 and ran uninterrupted until 1972...

 and reached the semi-final of the FAI Cup

FAI Cup

The Football Association of Ireland Challenge Cup, known as the FAI Ford Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a knock-out association football competition contested annually by teams from the Republic of Ireland...

. In 1934 and 1935 Joe Kendrick

Joe Kendrick Sr.

Joe Kendrick was an Irish footballer who played for Brooklyn F.C., Everton and Dolphins. As an international he also played for the Irish Free State. In 1924 Kendrick was member of the Irish Free State team when it made its competitive debut at Olympics Games...

 also made three international appearances for the Irish Free State while playing for Dolphins. On February 25, 1934 he was a member of the Free State team that made it’s World Cup

FIFA World Cup

The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...

 debut in a qualifier

1934 FIFA World Cup qualification

Estonia v Lithuania was not played, since neither team could qualify with a win.Sweden qualified.-Group 2:----Spain qualified.-Group 3:Italy qualified, as Greece withdrew after the first match.-Group 4:--------...

 against Belgium. Two months later in another qualifier on April 8, 1934, Kendrick also played for the Free State in a 5-2 defeat against the Netherlands

Netherlands national football team

The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...

. He made his last ever international appearance, once again, against the Netherlands, in a 5-3 defeat on December 8, 1935.

Despite finishing as league runners up in 1935-36, the following season, 1936–37, proved to be Dolphins last in the League of Ireland. They were replaced the following season by Limerick

Limerick F.C.

Limerick Football Club is an association football club based in Limerick, Ireland. The club currently play in the First Division of the League of Ireland. The first Limerick FC was founded in 1937 and has had a number of guises through its history, known at different times as Limerick FC, Limerick...

.

Honours

• League of Ireland
  League of Ireland
  The League of Ireland is the national association football league of the Republic of Ireland. Founded in 1921, as a league of eight clubs, it has expanded over time into a two-tiered league of 22 clubs. It is currently split into the League of Ireland Premier Division and the League of Ireland...
  
  
  • Winners 1934–35: 1
  • Runners Up 1935–36: 1
• Dublin City Cup
  Dublin City Cup
  The Dublin City Cup is a defunct Irish football tournament which was played for by all League of Ireland sides . It ran from 1933 and ran uninterrupted until 1973. In season 1975/76 it was revived and played for by sides who did not reach the League of Ireland Cup quarter finals...
  
  
  • Winners 1934-35: 1
• FAI Cup
  FAI Cup
  The Football Association of Ireland Challenge Cup, known as the FAI Ford Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a knock-out association football competition contested annually by teams from the Republic of Ireland...
  
  
  • Runners Up 1932, 1933: 2
• League of Ireland Shield
  League of Ireland Shield
  The League of Ireland Shield is a defunct Irish football tournament which was introduced when the League of Ireland started in 1921 and ran uninterrupted until 1972...
  
  
  • Runners Up 1934-35: 1

Notable former players

Joe Kendrick

Joe Kendrick Sr.

Joe Kendrick was an Irish footballer who played for Brooklyn F.C., Everton and Dolphins. As an international he also played for the Irish Free State. In 1924 Kendrick was member of the Irish Free State team when it made its competitive debut at Olympics Games...

 Jeremiah Robinson

Jeremiah Robinson

Jeremiah Robinson was an Irish soccer player during the 1920s and 1930s. He was also known as "Sam".Robinson was a tough defender during this era in the League of Ireland and was part of the All-Conquering Bohemians team of 1927/28 who won every trophy on offer that season - League of Ireland, FAI...

 Alex Stevenson

Alex Stevenson

Alexander Ernest Stevenson was an Irish footballer who played for Rangers and Everton, amongst other teams. As an international, Stevenson also played for both Ireland teams - the FAI XI and the IFA XI...

 Alex Massie

Alex Massie

Alex C. Massie was a Scottish international footballer of the 1920s and 1930s, who played mainly as a right-half. He was born in Possilpark, Glasgow.-Player:...