Mattie Clarke

Clarke was a product of Drumcondra. He played for his country at youth level against England in 1938. Shortly after he joined Shamrock Rovers where he spent 12 seasons as a defender.^[4] However, he joined Rovers as a striker and scored a hat-trick in one of his first games for the club. He went on to appear in five FAI Cup with Rovers, winning four of them.^[5][4] He played nine times for the League of Ireland XI while at Glenmalure Park.

He won his one and only senior cap for Ireland on 10 May 1950 in a 5–1 defeat to Belgium in Brussels.

In the 1950–51 season Clarke was awarded a testimonial for his twelve years service at Milltown. He then moved to Dundalk, where he won another FAI Cup medal.^[5] He signed for Waterford United in August 1954.^[6]

By 1960, Clarke was working as a commercial traveller and football coach, having previously worked for the Guinness Brewery.^[7][8] On 6 January 1960, Clarke was killed when the car he was driving crashed into a gate pier near county council roadworks. He was survived by his wife Ellen and his four children.^[7]

Following his death, a testimonial match in his memory was held in Tolka Park in November 1960.^[9]

His son Jackie also played football, including for Shamrock Rovers and Celtic F.C..^[5]

• Paul Doolan; Robert Goggins. The Hoops. ISBN 0-7171-2121-6.