Paddy Ambrose and Tommy Eglington

Paddy Ambrose was associated with Shamrock Rovers from 1948 to 1973,  First as a player and then as coach.  That long association began after the late Jimmy Dunne signed from junior side Clontarf.  Dunne wasted no time in putting his new young inside forward into action, including him in the team which played Transport on the 28th August 1949 in the City Cup competition.
Later, Ambrose became one of the club’s greatest ever centre forwards.  During his career at Rovers he chalked up 109 League goals, five more then Paddy Coad, a club record which still stands.  He was the leading scorer at the club in 1953/54, 1954/55, 1955/56 and 1960/61
When Rovers won the title in 1953/53, their first title for fifteen years, Paddy scored 13 goals.  His total would probably have been a great deal more had he not broken an ankle half way through the season.  Although absent for two months he came back at a crucial time and helped the team effort by scoring six goals.  His best tally was the four goals which he scored against Cork Athletic at Milltown on the 6th December in a game which the Hoops won 10-2.  The other Rovers’ scorers that day were Liam Hennessy (4) and Liam ‘Mousey’ Munroe (2) .
Paddy Ambrose won a League medal with Shamrock Rovers four times, in 1953/54, 1956/57 and 1963/64.  Even in that latter season, towards the end of his career, he still contributed 11 goals.  He played in six FAI Cup finals plus one replay and won four winner’s medals in the following years, 1955, 1956, 1962 and 1964.  In his fifth final paddy won his third winner’s medal against Shelbourne in 1962 in a game that represented a personal triumph for him. Shels had taken the lead after 33 minutes but Ambrose scored twice before half time to send Rovers on the road to victory.  Tommy Hamilton scored twice in the second half to wrap it all up for theMilltown club.

When he played for Ireland against Poland in May 1964 Paddy received an ankle injury which he spent the following summer months nursing.  He was fit to return to the Rovers team for the start of the 1964/65 season but disaster was soon to strike.  The ankle injury reoccurred after a clash with the goalkeeper in the away European Cup tie against Rapid Vienna.  After that Paddy was forced to take a back seat but continued at Milltown as a coach helping to train the reserve and youth teams.

International Caps
Ireland v England 1951 (Amateur)
Ireland v Holland 1954/55
Ireland v Norway 1954/55
Ireland v Norway 1963/64
Ireland v Poland 1963/64
Ireland v England 1963/64

Tommy Eglington

Soccer International outside left.  Born 15th Jan 1923.  After a time with Munster Victoria and Distillery (winning an FAI Jnr. Cup Medal in 1942) and a successful period at Shamrock Rovers,  winning FAI Cup Medals in ’44 and ’45 he joined Everton in July ’46.  During his eleven sparkling years at Goddison Park  he played in 394 League matches, scoring 76 league goals (once scoring 5 goals against Doncaster in 1952) and helping them to promotion from Division 2 in 1953/54.  He then spent 3 seasons at Tramere Rovers scoring 36 goals.  The Donnycarney man played at international level 6 times for Northern Ireland 1947-’49 was capped 24 times for Ireland (Eire) between 1946-’52.