| Anthony Breslin | |
| Full Name: | Anthony Breslin |
| Birth Date: | 1997 2, df=y |
| Birth Place: | Dublin, Republic of Ireland |
| Position: | Left back |
| Currentclub: | St Patrick's Athletic |
| Clubnumber: | 3 |
| Youthyears1: | –2013 |
| Youthclubs1: | St Kevin's Boys |
| Youthyears2: | 2013–2016 |
| Youthclubs2: | Wolverhampton Wanderers |
| Years1: | 2016–2018 |
| Caps1: | 0 |
| Goals1: | 0 |
| Years2: | 2016 |
| Clubs2: | → Tamworth (loan) |
| Caps2: | 12 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 2019 |
| Clubs3: | Longford Town |
| Caps3: | 26 |
| Goals3: | 1 |
| Years4: | 2020–2021 |
| Clubs4: | Bohemians |
| Caps4: | 37 |
| Goals4: | 1 |
| Years5: | 2022– |
| Clubs5: | St Patrick's Athletic |
| Caps5: | 89 |
| Goals5: | 3 |
| Nationalyears1: | 2012 |
| Nationalteam1: | Republic of Ireland U15 |
| Nationalcaps1: | 1 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 0 |
| Nationalyears2: | 2012–2013 |
| Nationalteam2: | Republic of Ireland U16 |
| Nationalcaps2: | 4 |
| Nationalgoals2: | 0 |
| Nationalyears3: | 2013–2014 |
| Nationalteam3: | Republic of Ireland U17 |
| Nationalcaps3: | 8 |
| Nationalgoals3: | 0 |
| Nationalyears4: | 2015 |
| Nationalteam4: | Republic of Ireland U18 |
| Nationalcaps4: | 2 |
| Nationalgoals4: | 0 |
| Nationalyears5: | 2015 |
| Nationalteam5: | Republic of Ireland U19 |
| Nationalcaps5: | 3 |
| Nationalgoals5: | 0 |
| Club-Update: | 23:28, 4 August 2024 (UTC) |
| Ntupdate: | 01:14, 23 November 2023 (UTC) |
Anthony "Anto" Breslin (born 13 February 1997) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a defender for League of Ireland Premier Division club St Patrick's Athletic. His previous clubs are Wolverhampton Wanderers, Tamworth, Longford Town and Bohemians.
A native of Blanchardstown, Dublin, Breslin came through top Dublin academy St Kevin's Boys, before signing for the academy of Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2013.[1]
On 4 October 2016, Breslin made his first appearance in senior football when he featured in the EFL Trophy side that beat Crewe Alexandra 3–2 away from home.[2] He went on to make a total of 4 appearances in his sides 2016–17 EFL Trophy campaign.[3] On 20 May 2018, it was announced that Breslin had been released by the club following the end of his contract.[4] [5]
In August 2016, Breslin signed for National League North side Tamworth on a short-term loan deal until the end of September. He featured 12 times for the club during his loan spell.[3]
After spending time on trial at Shamrock Rovers,[6] Breslin signed for League of Ireland First Division side Longford Town in December 2018, ahead of the 2019 campaign.[7] He made his debut for the club in the first game of the season, in a 0–0 draw away to Limerick on 22 February 2019.[8] He scored his first goal of his senior career on 2 August 2019 in a 5–1 win away to Midlands rivals Athlone Town.[9] He made 27 appearances in all competitions for the club, scoring once.[3] After an impressive season with the club, he was linked with a move to League of Ireland Premier Division side Bohemians.[10] He was voted into the PFAI First Division Team of the Year by his fellow players at the end of the season.[11]
In November 2019, it was confirmed that Breslin had made the step up to the League of Ireland Premier Division by signing for Bohemians.[12] [13] His first goal for Bohs came on 22 August 2020 when he opened the scoring in a 2–0 win over St Patrick's Athletic at Dalymount Park.[14] On 27 August 2020, he made his first appearance in European football, playing the full 120 minutes as his side were beaten on penalties in their UEFA Europa League tie after a 1–1 draw away to Fehérvár of Hungary.[15] During July and August 2021, he featured in 5 of the 6 games in the club's UEFA Europa Conference League campaign, playing at home to Stjarnan of Iceland, and home & away against both F91 Dudelange of Luxembourg and PAOK of Greece.[3] He remained an unused substitute in the 2021 FAI Cup Final at the Aviva Stadium as his side were defeated by rivals St Patrick's Athletic, amidst reports that Breslin would be leaving the club.[16] Breslin confirmed his departure from the club in December 2021.[6]
On 18 December 2021, Breslin signed for St Patrick's Athletic on a 3-year contract, becoming new manager Tim Clancy's first signing for the club.[17] He made his debut for the club on 11 February 2022, in the 2022 President of Ireland's Cup against Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium, playing the full 90 minutes as his side lost 5–4 on penalties after a 1–1 draw.[18] He scored his first goal for the club on 2 September 2022, in a 2–1 win over Finn Harps at Richmond Park.[19] [20] On 6 November 2022, he scored in a 4–0 win at home to rivals Shelbourne in the final game of the season.[21] On 12 November 2023, Breslin played there full 90 minutes in the 2023 FAI Cup Final, in a 3–1 win for his side over his former club Bohemians in front of a record breaking FAI Cup Final crowd of 43,881 at the Aviva Stadium.[22] On 4 March 2024, he scored his first goal since November 2022 with a first half equaliser away to Waterford at the RSC.[23] On 17 May 2024, Breslin made his 100th appearance in all competitions for the club in a 1–0 defeat to Derry City, in what was new manager Stephen Kenny's first game in charge of the club.[24]
Breslin has represented the Republic of Ireland at under 15, under 16, under 17, under 18 and under 19 level.[25] [1]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2016–17 | EFL Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 2017–18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |||||
| Tamworth (loan) | 2016–17 | National League North | 12 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 12 | 0 | |||||
| Longford Town | 2019 | LOI First Division | 26 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 27 | 1 | ||
| Bohemians | 2020 | LOI Premier Division | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 16 | 1 | |||
| 2021 | 22 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | — | 29 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 37 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | — | 45 | 1 | |||||
| St Patrick's Athletic | 2022 | LOI Premier Division | 32 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 2 | ||
| 2023 | 36 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 0 | ||||
| 2024 | 21 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 89 | 3 | 7 | 0 | — | 10 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 109 | 3 | ||||
| Career total | 164 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 197 | 5 | |||