2019 Donegal county football team season

Donegal county football team
2019 season
Manager	Declan Bonner
Stadium	MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey
NFL D2	2nd (promoted)
All Ireland SFC	Quarter-final
Ulster Championship	Winner
	← 2018 2020 →

The following is a summary of Donegal county football team's 2019 season.

Neil McGee equalled Colm McFadden's record of 173 appearances for Donegal when he came on as a second half substitute in the final round of the 2019 National Football League, a victory over Kildare.^[1] He then broke McFadden's record with his 174th appearance for his county against Meath as a substitute in the final at Croke Park, also won by Donegal.^[2]

The 2019 season started with a 0-21 to 0-11 defeat of Queen's in the 2019 Dr McKenna Cup at MacCumhail Park on 30 December 2018. Ciarán Thompson was man of the match and scored four of Donegal's points.^[3]

became an "impact sub" during the championship; this was despite him not being part of the Donegal panel at the start of the 2019 season. He was called up over the course of the McKenna Cup as Donegal were short on numbers.^[3]

Two players started all 18 matches in 2019: these were Jamie Brennan and Hugh McFadden. Niall O'Donnell played each match too, though only as a substitute in the championship meeting with Fermanagh. Paul Brennan only missed one of the eighteen games, though he began just five of these. Jason McGee played in all matches except for the 2019 National Football League fixture with Cork, which he missed due to suspension.^[3]

National Football League Division 2[]

Donegal qualified for the Division 2 Final, which they won.

Table[]

Pos	Team v	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Meath	7	6	0	1	111	84	+27	12	Advance to Division 2 Final
2	Donegal	7	5	0	2	112	94	+18	10	Advance to Division 2 Final
3	Fermanagh	7	3	2	2	69	74	−5	8
4	Kildare	7	3	1	3	87	93	−6	7
5	Armagh	7	2	2	3	101	97	+4	6
6	Clare	7	2	1	4	107	113	−6	5
7	Cork	7	2	1	4	91	112	−21	5	Relegation to Division 3
8	Tipperary	7	1	1	5	99	110	−11	3	Relegation to Division 3

Updated to match(es) played on 1 April 2019. Source: GAA.ie
Rules for classification: 1) League points; 2) Where two teams only are involved – the outcome of the meeting of the two teams in the League; 3) Score difference – subtracting the total scores against from the scores for; 4) Highest total score for; 5) Highest total goals for; 6) A play-off.

Reports[]

27 January 2019 (2019-01-27) Round 1	Clare	0-13 (13) – (16) 0-16	Donegal	Ennis	show
14:00 GMT (UTC+0)				Venue: Cusack Park
		Report		Referee: Padraig O'Sullivan (Kerry)

2 February 2019 (2019-02-02) Round 2	Donegal	1-13 (16) – (14) 0-14	Meath	Ballybofey	show
19:00 GMT (UTC+0)				Venue: MacCumhaill Park
		Report		Referee: Jerome Henry (Meath)

10 February 2019 (2019-02-10) Round 3	Tipperary	3-09 (18) – (13) 0-13	Donegal	Thurles	show
14:00 GMT (UTC+0)				Venue: Semple Stadium
		Report Report

24 February 2019 (2019-02-24) Round 4	Donegal	0-10 (10) – (13) 0-13	Fermanagh	Letterkenny	show
14:00 GMT (UTC+0)				Venue: O'Donnell Park
		Report

2 March 2019 (2019-03-02) Round 5	Donegal	1-09 (12) – (11) 0-11	Armagh	Ballybofey	show
19:15 GMT (UTC+0)				Venue: MacCumhaill Park
		Report

16 March 2019 (2019-03-16) Round 6	Cork	1-12 (15) – (22) 1-19	Donegal	Cork	show
14:00 GMT (UTC+0)				Venue: Pairc Uí Rinn
		Report

24 March 2019 (2019-03-24) Round 7	Donegal	1-20 (23) – 0-10 (10)	Kildare	Ballyshannon	show
14:00 GMT (UTC+0)				Venue: Fr Tierney Park
		Report

TG4

30 March 2019
17:00 IST (UTC+1)
Final

Report

Meath	1-15 (18) – (20) 1-17	Donegal

Croke Park, Dublin
Referee: Derek O'Mahoney (Tipperary)

2019 Ulster Senior Football Championship[]

Donegal retained the Ulster title.

Bracket[]

Preliminary Round
12 May 2019

Quarter-Finals
18, 19, 25, 26 May 2019

Semi-Finals
2 & 8 June 2019

Final
23 June 2019

Cavan

1-13

Monaghan

0-12

Cavan
(R)

0-17
0-23

Armagh
(R)

1-14
0-17

Down

3-13

Armagh

2-17

Cavan

2-16

Donegal

1-24

Fermanagh

0-09

Donegal

0-15

Donegal

1-16

Tyrone

0-15

Antrim

2-09

Tyrone

1-19

Tyrone

2-23

Derry

1-13

Reports[]

BBC NI

26 May 2019
14:00 IST (UTC+1)
Quarter-Final C

Report

Fermanagh	0-09 (09) – (15) 0-15	Donegal
(HT: 0-4 – 0-5)
Pts: Ultan Kelm 2, Conall Jones 2 (2f), Ciaran Corrigan 2, Ryan Jones 1, Seán Quigley 1, Barry Mulrone 1		Pts: Patrick McBrearty 5 (2f), Jamie Brennan 4, Michael Murphy 2, Michael Langan 1, Jason McGee 1, Leo McLoone 1, Ciarán Thompson 1

Brewster Park, Enniskillen
Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan)

RTÉ
BBC NI Deferred

8 June 2019
17:00 IST (UTC+1)
Semi-Final 2

Report

Donegal	1-16 (19) – (15) 0-15	Tyrone
(HT: 1-9 – 0-5)
Gls: Jamie Brennan 1 Pts: Michael Murphy 5 (2f, 1 '45'), Jamie Brennan 3, Patrick McBrearty 3 (1f), Ryan McHugh 1, Michael Langan 1, Eoin McHugh 1, Hugh McFadden 1, Stephen McMenamin 1		Pts: Cathal McShane 4 (3f), Darren McCurry 3 (1f), Richard Donnelly 2, Kieran McGeary 2, Niall Morgan 2 (1f, 1 '45'), Michael Cassidy 1, Mattie Donnelly 1

Breffni Park, Cavan
Referee: David Gough (Meath)

RTÉ
BBC NI

23 June 2019
14:00 IST (UTC+1)
Final

Report

Cavan	2-16 (22) – (27) 1-24	Donegal
(HT: 0-5 – 0-13)
Gls: Conor Madden 1, Stephen Murray 1 Pts: Gearoid McKiernan 6 (2f), Dara McVeety 3, Conor Moynagh 1, Conor Brady 1, Oisin Pierson 1, Conor Madden 1, Cian Mackey 1, Caoimhin O'Reilly 1, Jack Brady 1		Gls: Jamie Brennan 1 Pts: Patrick McBrearty 5 (1f), Jamie Brennan 4, Michael Murphy 4 (2f), Jason McGee 2, Ciarán Thompson 2, Ryan McHugh 1, Eoghan Bán Gallagher 1, Hugh McFadden 1, Niall O'Donnell 1, Michael Langan 1, Daire Ó Baoill 1, Oisín Gallen 1

St Tiernach's Park, Clones
Referee: Conor Lane (Cork)
Attendance: 28,780

2020 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship[]

All-Ireland Quarter-Finals Group 1 table[]

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	Kerry	3	2	1	0	72	54	+18	5	Advance to semi-finals
2	Mayo	3	2	0	1	55	52	+3	4	Advance to semi-finals
3	Donegal	3	1	1	1	61	56	+5	3
4	Meath	3	0	0	3	46	72	−26	0

Updated to match(es) played on 3 August 2019. Source:^{[citation needed]}

Reports[]

14 July 2019 (2019-07-14) Phase 1	Donegal	2-19 (25) – (16) 1-13	Meath	Ballybofey	show
14:00 IST (UTC+1)		(HT: 1-9 – 0-8)		Venue: MacCumhaill Park
	Gls: Patrick McBrearty 1, Oisín Gallen 1 Pts: Patrick McBrearty 6 (2f), Michael Murphy 3 (1 '45'), Jamie Brennan 3, Ryan McHugh 2, Oisín Gallen 1, Niall O'Donnell 1, Michael Langan 1, Jason McGee 1, Eoin McHugh 1	Report	Gls: Mickey Newman 1 (1p) Pts: Bryan McMahon 0-3, Mickey Newman 2 (1f), Cillian O'Sullivan 2, Bryan Menton 2, James Conlon 1, James McEntee 1, Shane McEntee 1, Darragh Campion 1	Referee: Conor Lane (Cork) TV: Sky Sports

21 July 2019 (2019-07-21) Phase 2	Kerry	1-20 (23) – (23) 1-20	Donegal	Dublin	show
16:00 IST (UTC+1)		(HT: 0-10 – 0-9)		Venue: Croke Park
	Gls: Paul Geaney 1 Pts: Paul Geaney 4, Sean O'Shea 4 (3f), David Clifford 3 (1f), Stephen O’Brien 3, Killian Spillane 3, Tom O’Sullivan 1, Jason Foley 1, Paul Murphy 1	Report	Gls: Michael Murphy 1 (1p) Pts: Michael Murphy 7 (4f), Patrick McBrearty 5 (3f), Ryan McHugh 2, Oisín Gallen 2, Michael Langan 2, Jason McGee 1, Niall O’Donnell 1	Referee: Paddy Neilan (Roscommon) TV: RTÉ

3 August 2019 (2019-08-03) Phase 3	Mayo	1-14 (17) – (13) 1-10	Donegal	Castlebar	show
18:00 IST (UTC+1)		(HT: 1-7 – 0-4)		Venue: MacHale Park
	Gls: Cillian O’Connor 1 Pts: Cillian O’Connor 4 (4f), Paddy Durcan 3, James Carr 2, Andy Moran 2, Jason Doherty 1, Chris Barrett 1, Kevin McLoughlin 1	Report	Gls: Michael Murphy 1 (1p) Pts: Michael Murphy 4 (2f) Paddy McBrearty 2, Niall O’Donnell 2, Daire Ó Baoill 2	Referee: David Gough (Meath) Attendance: 27,369 TV: Sky Sports

Awards[]

Footballer of the Year[]

Michael Murphy^[4]

References[]

^ Branigan, Peter (24 March 2019). "Murphy masterclass fires Donegal back to top flight". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 24 March 2019. Neil McGee was introduced to equal the Donegal appearances record of Colm McFadden on 173.
^ "Record breaking Neil McGee on a memorable night at Croke Park". Highland Radio. 31 March 2019. Retrieved 31 March 2019. The Gaoth Dobhair full back broke the record for Donegal appearances on Saturday as he was launched from the bench in the first half to take to the field for the 174th time in a Donegal shirt…
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c Ferry, Ryan (9 August 2019). "A–Z of Donegal's 2019 season". Donegal News. pp. 68–9.
^ "County Awards Night — Saturday November 23rd". 14 November 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2019.

"Rampant Donegal set new standard in Ulster", analysis by Martin Clarke for BBC Sport

[1] Branigan, Peter (24 March 2019). "Murphy masterclass fires Donegal back to top flight". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 24 March 2019. Neil McGee was introduced to equal the Donegal appearances record of Colm McFadden on 173.

[2] "Record breaking Neil McGee on a memorable night at Croke Park". Highland Radio. 31 March 2019. Retrieved 31 March 2019. The Gaoth Dobhair full back broke the record for Donegal appearances on Saturday as he was launched from the bench in the first half to take to the field for the 174th time in a Donegal shirt…

[dn_a–z-3] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c Ferry, Ryan (9 August 2019). "A–Z of Donegal's 2019 season". Donegal News. pp. 68–9.

[4] "County Awards Night — Saturday November 23rd". 14 November 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2019.

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