{{Short description|Irish Gaelic football player}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}} {{Use Hiberno-English|date=June 2022}} {{Infobox Gaelic games player | sport = Gaelic football | image = | name = Danny Nugent | irish = | birth_place = Drogheda, County Louth | birth_date = 1947 | feet = | inches = | occupation = | nickname = | counties = Louth | province = | clyears = 1966-1987 | icposition = half-back | clubs = Newtown Blues | icyears = 1967-1977 }}
'''Danny Nugent''' is a retired Irish Gaelic footballer who played as a defender for the Louth senior football team and for his club Newtown Blues. He also played inter-provincial football for Leinster.
==Playing career== His inter-county career began with the Louth junior side in 1966 while still a teenager. He was a member of the team that defeated Kildare in the final of the Leinster Junior Football Championship,<ref>{{cite news |title=1966 was last win for the Louth men|work=Drogheda Independent |date=18 July 1997}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.ie/frontpage/special-night-for-men-of-66/26906765.html |title=Special night for men of 66|work=The Argus |date=27 September 2006}}</ref> scoring the decisive goal in a two-point win.<ref>{{cite news |title=Kildare's second-raters go down fighting|work=The Nationalist and Leinster Times |date=12 August 1966}}</ref> Later that year Nugent won his first Louth Senior Football Championship medal when Newtown Blues beat Cooley Kickhams in the county final at St Brigid's Park.<ref>{{cite news|title=Pen Pictures Of The Newtown Blues |work=Drogheda Independent|date=27 August 1966}}</ref> He was team captain in the 1970 county decider when the Drogheda side overcame St Mary's by three points.<ref>{{cite news|title=They led Blues to glory|work=Drogheda Independent|date=9 February 1977}}</ref>
Nugent lined out at right half-back against Dublin in the quarter-final of the 1973 Leinster Championship, as Louth beat the Metropolitans by 1–08 to 0-09.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dundalkdemocrat.ie/news/sport/419241/who-remembers-the-day-louth-last-defeated-dublin-in-the-leinster-championship.html|title=Who remembers the day Louth last defeated Dublin in the Leinster Championship?|work=Dundalk Democrat|date=24 May 2019}}</ref> At the end of the year he received the Louth GAA Player of the Year award<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hoganstand.com/county/louth/article/index/67721|title=Players of the year |work=Hogan Stand|date=20 November 2002}}</ref> and was nominated for an All-Star.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dundalkdemocrat.ie/news/home/1354614/inside-track-all-star-scheme-has-stood-the-test-of-time.html|title=All-Star scheme has stood the test of time|work=Dundalk Democrat|date=24 November 2023}}</ref> Two years later he was captain of the county side that beat Meath by 0–15 to 1–09 in the opening round of the 1975 provincial championship.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/news/wee-county-will-have-to-bridge-31-year-gap/27099555.html|title=Wee County will have to bridge 31-year gap|work=Drogheda Independent|date=10 May 2006}}</ref>
==Later years== In retirement Nugent filled the role of county team selector, assisting Louth managers Mickey Whelan<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dundalkdemocrat.ie/news/sport/545570/revolutionary-mickey-whelan-coached-louth-as-well-as-clans-and-dundalk-fc-to-success.html|title=Revolutionary Mickey Whelan coached Louth, as well as Clans and Dundalk FC to success|work=Dundalk Democrat|date=26 May 2020}}</ref> and Frank Lynch.<ref>{{cite news|title=Niall Of The Many Sports|work=Dundalk Democrat|date=10 September 1988}}</ref> At club level he was a selector under manager Davy Byrne when Newtown Blues won the Louth SFC title in 1988.<ref>{{cite news|title=Medals Instead Of Money|work=Dundalk Democrat|date=10 September 1988}}</ref>
In 1992 a Louth team of retired over-40s footballers reached the final of the All-Ireland Masters Championship. Nugent featured at left corner-back as Mayo won on a scoreline of 3–09 to 0-09.<ref>{{cite news|title=Masters crash|work=Drogheda Independent|date=25 September 1992}}</ref>
Since his playing days ended he has held the roles of chairman, secretary, minor team mentor and youth officer for Newtown Blues.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/news/newtown-blues/26959222.html|title=NEWTOWN BLUES|work=Drogheda Independent|date=14 December 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Special occasion for the Louth champions|work=Drogheda Independent|date=20 February 1987}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Blues awards|work=Drogheda Independent|date=23 February 1996}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Blues bid for first title in 20 years|work=Drogheda Independent|date=8 September 1995}}</ref>
==Honours== ;Newtown Blues * '''Louth Senior Football Championship''' (7): 1966, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1974, 1981, 1986<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dundalkdemocrat.ie/news/home/944328/joe-carroll-darver-centre-a-monument-to-louth-gaa.html|title=Joe Carroll: Darver Centre a monument to Louth GAA|work=Drogheda Independent|date=}}</ref> * '''Cardinal O'Donnell Cup''' (5): 1969, 1977, 1981, 1984, 1986 * '''Old Gaels/ACC Cup''' (3): 1966, 1970, 1986
;Wolfe Tones * '''Louth Minor Hurling Championship''' (1): 1964<ref>{{cite news|title=Tones Retain Minor Hurling Crown|work=Dundalk Democrat|date=17 October 1964}}</ref> * '''Louth Minor Hurling League''' (1): 1964<ref>{{cite news|title=Tones Minors Take Hurling Title|work=Drogheda Independent|date=28 November 1964}}</ref>
;Louth * '''Leinster Junior Football Championship''' (1): 1966
;Leinster * '''Railway Cup''' (1): 1974<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dundalkdemocrat.ie/news/sport/527998/inside-track-the-days-when-dundalk-fc-lads-played-for-the-loi-and-louth-stars-for-leinster.html|title=The days when Dundalk FC lads played for the LOI and Louth stars for Leinster|work=Dundalk Democrat|date=21 March 2020}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-sports}} {{succession box|title=Louth Senior Football Captain|before=Frank Clarke|after=Jim Thornton|years=1971}} {{succession box|title=Louth Senior Football Captain|before=Leslie Toal|after=Benny Gaughran|years=1975}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nugent, Danny}} Category:Living people Category:1947 births Category:Louth inter-county Gaelic footballers Category:Newtown Blues Gaelic footballers Category:Leinster inter-provincial Gaelic footballers Category:Sportspeople from Drogheda Category:20th-century Irish sportsmen