Billy Joyce

{{Infobox GAA player

| code = Football

| sport = Gaelic football

| image =

| name = Billy Joyce

| irish = Liam Seoige

| fullname =

| feet = 5

| inches = 11

| occupation =

| county = Galway

| province = Connacht

| club =

| cposition =

| clubs = Killererin

| clyears =

| clapps(points) =

| clcounty = 2

| clprovince = 2

| clallireland =

| counties = Galway

| icposition = Midfield

| icyears = 1969-1984

| icapps(points) =

| icprovince = 8

| icallireland = 0

| nfl = 1

| allstars = 0

| clupdate =

| icupdate =

| birth_date = {{birth year|1949}}

| birth_place = Tuam, County Galway, Ireland

| death_date = {{death date and given age|2025|03|12|75|df=y}}

| death_place = Galway, Ireland

}}

William Joyce (1949 – 12 March 2025) was an Irish Gaelic football player and manager. At club level, he played with Killererin and at inter-county level with the Galway senior football team. Joyce later served as manager at club and county levels.

Playing career

At club level, Joyce played with Killererin. After playing very little Gaelic football at juvenile and underage levels, he progressed to the club's adult team and won a Galway JFC title in 1968.{{cite news|url=https://www.hoganstand.com/county/galway/article/index/119401|title=Willie Joyce|publisher=Hogan Stand|accessdate=14 March 2025|date=13 January 1995}} Joyce later claimed Galway SFC medals in 1976 and 1978, with both of those victories being converted into Connacht Club SFC title.{{cite news|url=https://killereringaa.com/history/|title=History|publisher=Killererin GAA website|accessdate=14 March 2025|date=13 January 1995}}

At inter-county level, Joyce was overlooked for Galway's minor team. He won a Connacht JFC medal in 1969, before later lining out with the under-21 team. Joyce made his senior team debut in a Gael Linn tournament match in 1969. He was a mainstay of the team for the next 15 years and won eight Connacht SFC medals, as well as captaining the team on two occasions. Joyce was one of a number of Galway players who lost three All-Ireland finals in four seasons - 1971, 1973, 1974.{{cite news|url=https://www.balls.ie/uncategorized/343410-343410|title=Footballers Who Have Lost The Most All-Ireland Finals Without Winning One|publisher=balls.ie|accessdate=14 March 2025|date=19 August 2016}} He won a National League medal in 1981, before lining out in a fourth All-Ireland final defeat in 1983.{{cite news|url=https://www.galwaybayfm.ie/sports/galways-last-national-league-win-1981-44393|title=Galway's Last National League Win - 1981|publisher=Galway Bay FM|accessdate=14 March 2025|date=28 March 2018}}{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/terrifying-crushes-and-a-stabbing-on-hill-16-infamous-12-apostles-clash-between-dublin-and-galway-could-have-been-gaas-hillsborough/37205571.html|title=Terrifying crushes and a stabbing on Hill 16: Infamous 12 Apostles clash between Dublin and Galway could have been GAA's Hillsborough|publisher=Irish Independent|accessdate=14 March 2025|date=11 August 2018}}

Management career

Joyce's inter-county career had only ended when he became involved in inter-county management. He managed Galway's junior team to the All-Ireland JFC title in 1985, following a 4-17 to 0-04 defeat of Warwickshire in the final. He served as Galway's senior team manager for three years, during which time they won the Connacht SFC title in 1987. Joyce also served as manager at club level and guided Killererin to the Galway SFC title in 2004.{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/galway-sfc-killererin-triumph-as-joyce-makes-return/25891216.html|title=GALWAY SFC: Killererin triumph as Joyce makes return|publisher=Irish Independent|accessdate=14 March 2025|date=4 October 2004}}

Death

Joyce died in Galway on 12 March 2025, at the age of 75.{{cite news |title=Former Galway footballer Billy Joyce dies aged 75 |url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/2025/0311/1501571-former-galway-footballer-billy-joyce-dies-aged-75/ |access-date=13 March 2025 |publisher=RTE News |date=12 March 2025}}{{cite news|url=https://hoganstand.com/Article/Index/335455|title=Galway football great Billy Joyce passes away|publisher=Hogan Stand|accessdate=12 March 2025|date=4 October 2004}}