Patsy Breen

Patsy Breen was a former Gaelic footballer who played for St Martin's GAC, Desertmartin and the Derry county team between 1950 and 1960. In 1958 Breen was part of the first Derry team to win the Ulster Senior Football Championship, which finished runners-up in that year's All-Ireland Senior Football Championship.

Breen is regarded as the Desertmartin club's best-ever player. He was on the club team that won the Derry Senior Football Championship in 1953.

He usually played as right half back,

Playing career

Club Breen had little success with Desertmartin at underage level. when the first-time Ulster Champions beat Kerry in the All-Ireland semi-final 2–06 to 2–05. They met Dublin in the All-Ireland final but Derry were defeated. It has been claimed a series of poor refereeing decisions in that game cost Derry greatly. The 1950s was a decade of very high standards of football and was a very difficult era to win an All-Ireland, with the likes of Mayo, Galway, Kerry, Louth, Cavan, Meath and Dublin having very strong teams at the time Patsy's 1st anniversary Mass was celebrated on 12 April at 7.30pm in St Patrick's Church, Keenaught, Desertmartin..

He played on for Derry until 1960.

School and college

Breen attended St Pat's, Armagh.

While at St Pat's, he played Gaelic football, representing the school.

He also played football for St Mary's and QUB.

Management career Among his managerial successes are leading Ardboe O'Donovan Rossa to four Tyrone Senior Football Championship titles, including three in a row between 1971 ad 1973.

Honours

Club Derry Senior Football Championship: Winner (1): 1953 Runner up: 1951, 1952, 1959

Inter-county All-Ireland Senior Football Championship: Runner up: 1958 National Football League: Runner up: 1958-1959?? Ulster Senior Football Championship: Winner (1): 1958 Runner up: 1955, 1957