Denis 'Dinny' Allen (born 9 August 1952) is a retired Gaelic football manager and former dual player.

He played both hurling and Gaelic football with his local club Nemo Rangers and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county teams in both codes from 1972 until 1989.

He secured his first senior county championship winners' medal in 1970 as 'Nemo' trounced west Cork side Dohenys.

Allen engineered two goal chances for Ephie FitzGerald as the Cork champions sealed a 2–10 to 0–5 victory.

The club bounced back in 1987 with Allen winning his sixth county championship winners' medal.

Another All-Ireland final beckoned, this time with Roscommon champions Clan na Gael providing the opposition.

Eoin O'Mahoney's free-taking helped Nemo to victory and Allen ended his club football career with a fourth All-Ireland winners' medal.

He showed great promise as a soccer player, however, he remained in Ireland in spite of being offered the chance to play for Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest.

Two years later in 1975 Allen returned to the Cork GAA set-up, this time as a member of the senior inter-county team.

Allen was named in the left corner-forward position on the Football Team of the Century, made up of player swho never won a senior All-Ireland medal.

He was recalled to the side two years later in 1988 at the age of 36 and captured a second Munster winners' medal following a narrow 1–14 to 0–16 win over arch-rivals Kerry.

The replay proved to be a tough, controversial affair with Meath reduced to fourteen men with the sending off of Gerry McEntee.

[10] Following this result Allen contemplated retiring from inter-county football, however, after another impressive campaign with Nemo Rangers he was persuaded by Billy Morgan to stay on for another year.

1989 began well with Allen playing a key role in helping Cork to claim the National League title.

Mayo failed to score for the last nineteen minutes as Teddy McCarthy took over and gave a masterful display at midfield.

[11] Seventeen years after he first lined out for Cork Allen had finally collected a senior All-Ireland winners' medal.

In addition to his Gaelic games career, Allen played association football at both junior and League of Ireland level.