As a midfielder, he played for Bohemians in 1990 and broke into the first team, making his league debut against Derry City on 2 September of that year.
It was not long before he was snapped up by St Johnstone,[1] after he impressed at the 1991 FIFA World Youth Championship for Ireland.
But in the 1992/93 season Alex Totten was sacked and new manager John McClelland didn't see young Dunne in his plans for the future.
But Dunne did not settle back in Phibsborough and was soon sent on Loan to Crusaders FC of Northern Ireland for his first spell at the club.
But by now "Crues" were in the second tier of Irish Football and were chasing promotion and they achieved it by winning the IFA Championship in the 2005-06 season.