Death of Dublin All-Ireland winning captain Sean Doherty

July 08, 2025

A Dublin flag flies in Croke Park ©Inpho

There is sadness in Dublin football circles at the passing of Sean Doherty following a brief illness.

Aged 78, the Wicklow-born Doherty was a no-nonsense full back who won three All-Ireland SFC medals, five Leinster SFC titles, two National League and one All-Star in a glittering career. Affectionately known as ‘The Doc’ and a plumber by trade, his career coincided with a major football revival in the capital under Kevin Heffernan.

Doherty was a key part of ‘Heffo’s Army’, captaining them to a breakthrough All-Ireland SFC victory in 1974 at Galway’s expense after Dublin had spent the previous decade in the doldrums. He went on to win two more All-Ireland medals in 1976 and ’77 during an era of Dublin and Kerry dominance. He retired from the inter-county scene following Dublin’s All-Ireland final defeat to the Kingdom in 1978.

The legendary full back played his club football with Ballyboden Wanderers, Ballyboden St Enda’s and St Anne’s. He later served as joint Dublin manager along with Gerry McCaul for one season in 1989 and also managed St Anne’s.


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