Adrian Sweeney

{{Use Irish English|date=March 2021}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}

{{Short description|Irish Gaelic footballer}}

{{Infobox GAA player

|name = Adrian Sweeney

|image =

|caption =

|nickname =

|irish =

|occupation =

|county = Donegal

|sport = Gaelic football

|code = Football

|province = Ulster

|feet = 5

|inches = 10

|club =

|clposition = Full Forward

|clubs = Dungloe
Donegal Boston
Na Rossa

|clyears = ?–?
pre-2009
2023-present

|clapps(points) =

|counties = Donegal

|icposition = Full Forward

|icyears = 1996–2008

|icapps(points) = 136 (16–292){{cite news|first=Chris|last=McNulty|url=http://www.donegalsporthub.com/numbers-stack-michael-murphy-tops-donegals-time-charts/|title=Numbers stack up as Michael Murphy tops Donegal's all-time charts|date=14 August 2018|accessdate=14 August 2018}}

|icprovince =

|icallireland =

|nfl = 1

|allstars = 1

|birth_place = County Donegal

}}

Adrian Sweeney is an Irish former Gaelic footballer who played for Dungloe and the Donegal county team.

Considered one of the finest forwards of his generation, he often played alongside Brendan Devenney for Donegal.{{cite news|first=Chris|last=Nulty|url=http://donegalnews.com/2011/07/22/1992-2011-the-best-xv-not-to-win-ulster/|title=1992–2011: The best XV not to win Ulster…|work=Donegal News|date=22 July 2011|accessdate=22 July 2011}}

Sweeney played for Donegal from 1996 to 2008, including a streak of 72 consecutive games between 1996 and 2003. He started the first game of Brian McEniff's last spell as Donegal manager, a league defeat to Galway in Tuam in February 2003, during which he scored two points (one of which was a free).{{cite news|first=Keith|last=Duggan|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/meehan-adds-spark-to-galway-attack-1.347556|title=Meehan adds spark to Galway attack|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=3 February 2003}} He won an All Star in 2003,{{cite news|url=http://hoganstand.com/donegal/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=43459|title=Adrian Sweeney — '100 not out'!|work=Hogan Stand|date=11 March 2005|accessdate=11 March 2005}} a year when Donegal made it to the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship semi-final in which he played and scored four points (including two frees).{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/armaghs-double-still-alive-25928845.html|title=Armagh's double still alive|newspaper=Irish Independent|date=1 September 2003}} He played a crucial role in the team that won the county's first National League Division 1 title in 2007.{{cite news|url=http://hoganstand.com/donegal/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=92293|title=Donegal duo return|work=Hogan Stand|date=3 April 2008|accessdate=3 April 2008}}{{cite news|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/gaa/2007/0422/1176455113695.html|title=Donegal claim the spoils|newspaper=The Irish Times|date=22 April 2007|accessdate=22 April 2007}} Sweeney won an Ulster Under-21 Football Championship in 1995.{{cite news|first=Chris|last=McNulty|url=https://donegalnews.com/2014/08/its-all-in-the-mind-for-anthony-mcgrath/|title=It's all in the mind for Anthony McGrath|work=Donegal News|date=1 August 2014|accessdate=1 August 2014|quote=Under Donal Reid's management, McGrath — on a team that included Diver, Martin Coll, Adrian Sweeney, James Ruane and Brian Roper — won an Ulster Under-21 Championship against Cavan in 1995.|archive-date=31 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171031153738/http://donegalnews.com/2014/08/its-all-in-the-mind-for-anthony-mcgrath/|url-status=dead}} However, he never won the Ulster Senior Football Championship. He did play in the 2004 Ulster final against Armagh at Croke Park.{{cite news|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/football/2004/0711/183489-armagh/|title=Awesome Armagh destroy Donegal|publisher=RTÉ Sport|date=11 July 2004|accessdate=11 July 2004|quote=That buoyed Donegal and Adrian Sweeney was unlucky to narrowly shoot wide after a free-flowing passing movement.}} He also played in the 2006 Ulster final against the same opponents at the same venue, and scored three points but lost again.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/northern_ireland/gaelic_games/5153174.stm|title=Donegal 0–09 1–09 Armagh|publisher=BBC Sport|date=9 July 2006|accessdate=9 July 2006}}

He played for Donegal Boston.{{cite news|url=http://hoganstand.com/Donegal/Article/Index/115064|title=Donegal Boston come of age|work=Hogan Stand|date=16 July 2009|accessdate=16 July 2009}}

His brother Raymond also played for Dungloe and Donegal.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/northern_ireland/2062304.stm|title=Veteran Boyle stars for Dungloe|publisher=BBC Sport|date=24 June 2002|accessdate=24 June 2002|quote=Brothers Adrian and Raymond Sweeney also impressed for Dungloe.}}