Although primarily a Gaelic footballer during his school years, Peter Desmond began playing soccer in the Army with the Southern Command (Eire). He represented the League of Ireland against the Irish League in 1948–49 and joined Middlesbrough the following season. Desmond was part of the famous Ireland victory over England at Goodison Park in September 1949, where Con Martin’s penalty resulted from Desmond being fouled.He also played in World Cup qualifying matches in September and October 1949, earning four international caps. Desmond joined Southport for a four-figure fee and scored on his début but struggled to replicate his international form consistently. He drifted into non-League football, ending his career with an ICI Works team in the Middlesbrough Wednesday League. Desmond died of a heart attack while on holiday in a caravan in Devon.

Profile reproduced with Permission from:
The Sandgrounders: The Complete League History of Southport F. C., by Michael Braham and Geoff Wilde (Palatine Books, 1995). ISBN 978-1-874181-14-9