Donegal GAA

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:For more details of Donegal GAA see Donegal Senior Football Championship or Donegal Senior Hurling Championship.

Donegal GAA
Dún na nGall
Image:Donegalcrest.jpg
Irish: Dún na nGall
Province: Ulster
Nickname(s): The Tír Conaill Men
County colours: Gold and green
Ground(s): MacCumhail Park, Ballybofey
Dominant sport: Gaelic football
NFL: Division 1
NHL: Division 3
Football Championship: Sam Maguire Cup
Hurling Championship: Nicky Rackard Cup
Ladies' Gaelic football: Brendan Martin Cup
Camogie: O'Duffy Cup
Team colours Team colours Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
 
Standard colours

The Donegal County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) (Irish: Cummann Luthchleas Gael Coiste Dhún na nGall) or Donegal GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Donegal. The county board is also responsible for the Donegal inter-county teams.

Contents

[edit] History

Gaelic football is strongest in the south-west of Donegal, and in the North-west including the largest town in the county, Letterkenny and Gaoth Dobhair and in the north-east and Inishowen having more of a soccer tradition (Buncrana footballers played their football on the local golf links in the 1940s).

It was a remarkable Bundoran hotelier Brian McEniff who brought the county success as a footballer in 1972 and 1974 and as a manager in 1983 and, eventually, to the 1992 All-Ireland title. Donegal also went to an All Ireland semi-final in 2003.

In 2007, for the first time in the history of the county, the senior football team won the National League title. Donegal overcame Mayo at Croke Park on Sunday April 22, 2007 with a score line of 0-13 to 0-10. However their League form failed to translate into Championship form in 2007.

In the first round of the 2008 Ulster Senior Football Championship, despite a three point lead at half-time, Donegal (2007 League Champions) were beaten by Derry (2008 League champions) by 1-14 to 1-10, in a match played on June 1, 2008 in Ballybofey. Michael Murphy scored a penalty for Donegal in the first half.

[edit] Gaelic football

[edit] Championship

Donegal's greatest footballing accomplishment to date came on September 20, 1992 when they won the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, beating Dublin in the final 0-18 to 0-14.

However in April 2007 the team managed to break a 15 year trophy drought since winning the Sam Maguire back in 1992 by winning the National League Division 1 title. For the first time in the history of the county, the senior team won this competition. Donegal overcame Mayo at Croke Park on Sunday 22nd April 2007 with a score line of 0-13 to 0-10.

Donegal teams won Ulster championships and had finished strongly in 1972 and 1974 All Ireland semi-finals indicating a high level of fitness, but were beaten by Offaly and Galway respectively. A winning under-21 team in 1987 provided the basis for the success of the 1990s. Brian 1983 McEniff's Donegal, bolstered with the victorious 1982 under-21s, won the Ulster championship but a miskicked free let Val Daly through for Galway's clinching goal and fortunate victory five minutes from the end of the All Ireland semi-final.

Brian McEniff was serving in his second spell as Donegal manager in 1992 when he directed Donegal to the Sam Maguire cup. Donegal won the match in the minutes before half-time after Dublin went three points up and missed a penalty. Man of the match Manus Boyle scored 0-9 (four from play), Gary Walsh had a great save from Vinny Murphy at the end. Donegal contested five successive Ulster finals, one of them replayed, a unique achievement for the province. They then proceeded to contest the National League final three times in a four year period without success, playing another replay against Dublin in the process.

The squad on that day in 1992 was: G. Walsh, B. McGowan, M. Gallagher, N. Hegarty, D. Reid, M. Gavigan, J.J. Doherty, A. Molloy, B. Murray, J. McHugh, M. McHugh, J. McMullan, D. Bonner, T. Boyle, M. Boyle. Sub: B. Cunningham

[edit] League

Donegal's second greatest accomplishment was achieved on 22nd April 2007, winning the Allianz National Football League (Division 1) title. Donegal defeated Mayo, All-Ireland finalists in 2006. On-route to the final Donegal defeated Cork, Mayo, Tyrone, Dublin, Kerry, Fermanagh and Kildare while drawing with Limerick.

For fixtures and results, see National Football League 2007.

[edit] Squad

Player Position Local Club
Paul Durkan Goalkeeper Na Ceithre Maistri
Neil McGee Left Full-Back Gaoth Dobhair
Karl Lacey Full-Back Na Ceithre Maistri
Paddy Campbell Right Full-Back Naomh Conaill
Barry Dunnion Left Half-Back Na Ceithre Maistri
Barry Monaghan Center Half-Back Na Ceithre Maistri
Paddy McConigley Right Half-Back Gaeil Fhanada
Neil Gallagher (captain) Midfield Gleann Súlaí
Kevin Cassidy Midfield Gaoth Dobhair
Brian Roper Left Half-Forward Aodh Ruadh
Ciaran Bonner Center Half-Forward Gleann Súlaí
Christy Toye Right Half-Forward Naomh Micheál
Colm McFadden Left Full-Forward Naomh Micheál
Brendan Devenney Full-Forward Naomh Adhamháin
Michael Hegarty Right Full-Forward Cill Chartha
Michael Boyle Goalkeeper An Tearmann
Eamon McGee Half-Back Gaoth Dobhair
Rory Kavanagh Midfield Naomh Adhamháin
Noel Hegarty Cill Charthan
Adrian Sweeney Full-Forward An Clochán Liath
Anthony Thompson Naomh Conaill
Leon Thompson Full-Forward Naomh Conaill
Michael Doherty Ne Ceithre Maistri
Kevin McMenamin An Tearmann
Jerry Simpson Half-Forward Carn Domhnach
Johnny McLoone Naomh Conaill
Odhran Doherty Half-Forward Bun Crannacha
Declan O'Donnell Goalkeeper Carn Domhnach
David Walsh Half Forward Naomh Brid

[edit] Management

Brian McIver stood down from the role after the teams All Ireland exit to Monaghan in the 2007 All Ireland championship. He has since been reinstated as the manager

[edit] Honours

[edit] Hurling

There are several hurling clubs in Donegal, but there has been limited inter-county success bar 3 senior and 4 junior Ulster titles, the last senior win in 1932. Donegal has a residue of pre-GAA hurling. The Burt Hibernians brought Donegal the 1906 hurling Championship, defeating Antrim by 25 points to one. Burt later played in Derry. In 1923 Donegal fielded a team of three natives augmented with guards and customs officers from hurling counties to win their second Ulster hurling Championship. When they lined out for the semi-final, wearing blue jerseys against Limerick on a cold, miserable day in Croke Park, numbers were worn by the players for the first time to help the spectators to distinguish them. They trailed 5-4 to nil at half-time and lost 7-4 to 0-1.

Donegal currently compete in Division 3 of the NHL and in the Nicky Rackard Cup. They reached the final of the 2006 Nicky Rackard Cup where they were defeated by Derry. The game was played in Croke Park with live coverage on RTÉ. It was the first time in 83 years that Donegal hurlers had played in Croke Park.

[edit] Honours

[edit] External links

Donegal GAA
Affiliated Clubs
Senior Football Championship

Aodh Ruadh (Ballyshannon) - Ardara - Buncrana - Cloughaneely - Dungloe - Fanad Gaels - Four Masters - Glenfin - Glenswilly - Gweedore - Kilcar - Killybegs - Malin - Naomh Columba - Naomh Conaill - St.Eunan's - St.Michael's - Termon

Intermediate Football Championship

Bundoran - Burt - Downings - Moville - Na Rossa - Naomh Bríd - Naomh Mhuire - Seán MacCumhaill's - St.Naul's - Urris

Junior Football Championship

Carndonagh - Letterkenny Gaels - Milford - Muff - Naomh Colmcille - Naomh Mura - Naomh Pádraig, Lifford - Naomh Ultan - Pettigo - Red Hughs,Killygordon - Robert Emmetts - St.Mary's,Convoy

Senior Hurling Championship

Aodh Ruadh (Ballyshannon) - Burt - Carndonagh - Four Masters - Seán MacCumhaill's - St.Eunan's - Setanta

Languages