Jimmy Balfe

Name: James Balfe
Position: Full-Back

Representative Honours: Ireland: 2 Full Caps (1909-1910), 2 Amateur Caps (1906-07); Leinster Juniors: Inter-Provincial Caps.
Club Honours: (with Bohemians) Irish Cup Winner 1907/08; (with Shelbourne) Leinster Senior Cup Winner 1909.

Club Career:
Reginald .................... (Leinster Senior League)
Bohemians. 06/07-07/08 Apr-06 (Irish League)
Shelbourne .................. (Irish League)

Biography:
Jimmy Balfe was playing with Leinster Senior League side Reginald when he won inter-provincial honours against Ulster in March 1905 and January 1906, the latter match as captain. In April 1906 he guested for Bohemians in an end-of-season friendly against English giants Aston Villa and remained Dalymount Park for two seasons. While with the Bohs he played twice for Amateur Ireland, his first cap arriving in a 2-1 defeat by England at Dalyer on 15 December 1906. In 1908 he captained Bohs to their only Irish Cup success, with a 3-1 replay win over Shelbourne.

For the 1908/09 campaign Balfe had moved to Shelbourne, and it was while a Shels player that he won his only Full Ireland recognition, stepping in for the unavailable Alex Craig of Rangers, against England in 1909. Later Sam Burnison, of Distillery and Bradford City, became Ireland's recognised right-back leaving Balfe to earn just one further cap. With the Shels he also won a Leinster Cup winner's medal when Lancashire Fusiliers were defeat in the March 1909 final.

Ireland Cap Details:
13-02-1909 England. (a) L 0-4 British Championship
11-04-1910 Wales... (a) L 1-4 British Championship

Summary: 2/0. Won 0, Drew 0, Lost 2.