2012 Donegal Senior Football Championship

Format

There was a preliminary round. The first round involved eight two-legged ties played home and away. The eight winning clubs progressed to the quarter-finals, from which the four winning clubs progressed to the semi-finals, from which the two winning clubs progressed to the final.

The 2012 championship finished later than usual, postponed due to the senior Donegal county team's involvement in the 2012 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final, which Donegal won on 23 September 2012. The 2012 Donegal SFC got back underway a week later. With interest in Gaelic football at an all-time high after the 2012 All-Ireland SFC final, the Donegal SFC final was broadcast live nationwide on TG4.

Draw

The draw for the first round (as well as a preliminary round) was made at the RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta studios in Derrybeg.

Bracket

| score-width= 35 | RD1-team09= Cill Chartha | RD1-score09= 2-11 0-15 | RD1-team10= Malin | RD1-score10= 0-6 0-10 | RD2-team01= Gaoth Dobhair | RD2-score01= 0-7 0-7 | RD2-team02= Gleann Suilli | RD2-score02= 0-9 2-9 | RD2-team03= An Clochán Liath | RD2-score03= 0-10 1-9 | RD2-team04= Cloich Cheann Fhaola | RD2-score04= 0-7 0-9 | RD2-team05= Cill Chartha | RD2-score05= 1-8 10-1 2-5 | RD2-team06= St Eunan's | RD2-score06= 1-5 1-12 2-8 | RD2-team07= Na Cealla Beaga | RD2-score07= 0-10 0-10 1-13 | RD2-team08= Gaeil Fhanada | RD2-score08= 1-7 1-7 0-11 | RD2-team09= Glenfin | RD2-score09= 0-8 2-9 0-8 | RD2-team10= Réalt na Mara | RD2-score10= 2-10 1-11 1-11 | RD2-team11= Naomh Conaill | RD2-score11= 1-9 0-12 | RD2-team12= St Naul's | RD2-score12= 0-3 0-6 | RD2-team13= Ard an Rátha | RD2-score13= 0-7 0-11 0-5 | RD2-team14= Four Masters | RD2-score14= 0-9 1-7 0-12 | RD2-team15= St Michael's | RD2-score15= 3-19 1-15 | RD2-team16= Seán Mac Cumhaill s | RD2-score16= 1-6 1-8 | RD3-team01= Glenswilly | RD3-score01= 0-8 | RD3-team02= An Clochán Liath | RD3-score02= 2-7 | RD3-team03= St Eunan's | RD3-score03= 2-15 | RD3-team04= Na Cealla Beaga | RD3-score04= 0-7 | RD3-team05= Réalt na Mara? | RD3-score05= ? | RD3-team06= Naomh Conaill | RD3-score06= ? | RD3-team07= Four Masters | RD3-score07= 0-9 1-15 | RD3-team08= St Michael's | RD3-score08= 0-9 1-8 | RD4-team01= An Clochán Liath | RD4-score01= 0-6 | RD4-team02= St Eunan's | RD4-score02= 3-6 | RD4-team03= Naomh Conaill | RD4-score03= 0-9 | RD4-team04= Four Masters | RD4-score04= 0-6 | RD5-team01= St Eunan's | RD5-score01= 1-7 | RD5-team02= Naomh Conaill | RD5-score02= 0-9

Results

Preliminary round

First round

First leg

Second leg

Play off/ extra time

Quarter-finals

Quarter-final replay

Semi-finals

D. Gallagher (0-2, 1f), J. O'Malley (0-1), C. Thompson (0-1) S. Keeney (0-1), C. McMonagle (0-1)

Final

St Eunan's defeated Naomh Conaill in the final, held at MacCumhaill Park in Ballybofey on 4 November 2012. The decisive goal in the final was scored by young Lee McMonagle in the 50th minute of the game, following a layoff from full-forward Ross Wherity, who received the ball via a long pass from Rory Kavanagh. The teams were level on many occasions until Mark McGowan scored the winning point in freak circumstances. Brendan McDyer of opponents Naomh Conaill attempted to backpass to his goalkeeper Stephen McGrath, only for the ball to drift out for a '45'. McGowan stepped up to punish. As the game ended he was photographed celebrating—stooped, wild-eyed with open mouth, sweat-soaked, bare thighs tensed, veins throbbing, mud-stained legs apart and clenched fists turned upwards.

McDyer was still affected by his error years later.

M. McGowan 0-2 (1 '45'), R. Kavanagh 0-1, C. Gibbons 0-1 (f), S. McVeigh 0-1, C. Dunne 0-1 D. Molloy 0-2 (1f), L. Thompson 0-1, L. McLoone 0-1

Ulster Senior Club Football Championship

Main article: 2012 Ulster Senior Club Football Championship, 2012–13 All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship

As Donegal SFC winner, Eunan's progressed to the Ulster Club SFC quarter-final at Armagh's Athletic Grounds the following week, where Crossmaglen Rangers won.

References

References

1. (30 September 2012). "GAA: County Championship results".
2. (4 November 2012). "From Sam Maguire to Dr Maguire — St Eunan's and Naomh Conaill do battle in County Final".
3. McNulty, Chris. (18 February 2012). "Glenswilly-Gaoth Dobhair the stand-out tie". Donegal News.
4. (6 November 2012). "DDTV: Video highlights of St. Eunan's win in the County Final".
5. (5 November 2012). "Mark McGowan the scoring hero as St Eunan's crowned Donegal SFC champions". [[TheScore.ie]].
6. (4 November 2012). "McMonagle's goal turns the tide for Eunan's". Donegal Democrat.
7. Keys, Colm. (5 November 2012). "Eunan's survive storm". Irish Independent.
8. Keys, Colm. (5 November 2012). "Eunan's accept Glenties gift in freak finish to Donegal final". Irish Independent.
9. McNulty, Chris. (14 October 2015). "Brendan McDyer keen to banish the ghosts of 2012: 'It toughens you up, stuff like that'".
10. Keys, Colm. (12 November 2012). "Cross play it their way to thwart Eunan's". Irish Independent.