# 2018 Donegal county football team season

The following is a summary of Donegal county football team's 2018 season.

## Personnel changes

Declan Bonner began his second spell in charge of the team. John McElholm was appointed team trainer and Gary Boyle coach. Paul Fisher led the strength and conditioning team, Ronan Doherty joined as nutritionist and Cathal Ellis was there as physiotherapist, psychologist Anthony McGrath and video analyst Chris Byrne. Karl Lacey also became part of the coaching team ahead of the 2018 season.
Nathan Mullins, son of former Dublin player Brian, played for Donegal during the 2018 season. He made his debut against Queen's in the 2018 Dr McKenna Cup.
Kevin McBrearty, who had first been called up ahead of the 2015 Dr McKenna Cup, played in the 2018 National Football League.
Goalkeeper Shaun Patton came into the team versus Kildare in the National Football League. He began training in January 2018. Peter Boyle quit in a dispute over Patton replacing him in the team. Mark Anthony McGinley, the other goalkeeper, also quit the county panel — and the sport entirely.
Eoin McHugh was not involved for the 2018 season, electing to go to Boston instead. Michael Carroll also left the panel.
Jason McGee and Niall O'Donnell both missed the 2018 championship after deciding to play for the under-20 team instead.
Karl Lacey retired at the end of the previous season.
Leo McLoone returned after voluntarily departing the previous year. Likewise Odhrán Mac Niallais. And Anthony Thompson.

## Competitions
### Dr McKenna Cup

Donegal won the McKenna Cup in 2018.

### National Football League Division 1

Fixtures for the 2018 National League were announced on 13 October 2017.

#### Table

Possible problem: 875 total for != 873 total against
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Galway | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 106 | 83 | +23 | 13 | Advance to Division 1 Final |
| 2 | Dublin | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 131 | 99 | +32 | 11 | Advance to Division 1 Final |
| 3 | Monaghan | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 106 | 100 | +6 | 10 | |
| 4 | Tyrone | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 114 | 98 | +16 | 8 | |
| 5 | Kerry | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 114 | 127 | −13 | 6 | |
| 6 | Mayo | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 94 | 110 | −16 | 5 | |
| 7 | Donegal | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 109 | 126 | −17 | 3 | Relegation to Division 2 |
| 8 | Kildare | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 101 | 130 | −29 | 0 | Relegation to Division 2 |

#### Fixtures
### Ulster Senior Football Championship

The draw for the 2018 Ulster Senior Football Championship took place on 19 October 2017. Donegal won their first Ulster title for four years.

#### Bracket

| Preliminary round | Preliminary round | Preliminary round | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final | Final |
| | | | Fermanagh | Fermanagh | 0-12 | | | | | | |
| | | | Armagh | Armagh | 0-7 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Fermanagh | Fermanagh | 1-8 | | | |
| | | | | | | Monaghan | Monaghan | 0-10 | | | |
| | | | Tyrone | Tyrone | 1-16 | | | | | | |
| | | | Monaghan | Monaghan | 1-18 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | Fermanagh | Fermanagh | 0-12 |
| | | | | | | | | | Donegal | Donegal | 2-18 |
| | | | Down | Down | 1-18 | | | | | | |
| | | | Antrim | Antrim | 0-14 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Down | Down | 1-12 | | | |
| | | | | | | Donegal | Donegal | 2-22 | | | |
| | | | Derry | Derry | 0-16 | | | | | | |
| Donegal | Donegal | 2-20 | Donegal | Donegal | 2-16 | | | | | | |
| Cavan | Cavan | 1-15 | | | | | | | | | |

#### Fixtures

* BBC deferred
* 13 May 2018 (2018-05-13) 4:00 pm Preliminary Round
* Report
| Donegal | 2-20 (26) – (18) 1-15 | Cavan |
| (HT: 1-10 – 1-06) |||
| Gls: R. McHugh 1, C. Mulligan 1 Pts: M. Murphy 6 (3f), P. McBrearty 4, C. Thompson 3, M. Langan 3, J. Brennan 2, C. Ward 1, L. McLoone 1 | | Gls: C. O'Reilly 1 Pts: G. McKiernan 7 (2f), C. O'Reilly 3 (3f), C. Mackey 2 (1f), N. Murray 1, B. Magee 1, A. Cole 1 |
* Páirc MacCumhaill, Ballybofey Referee: David Gough (Meath) Attendance: 9,612
* BBC deferred
* 27 May 2018 (2018-05-27) 4:00 pm Quarter-Final D
* Report
| Derry | 0-16 (16) – (22) 2-16 | Donegal |
| (HT: 0-07 – 1-10) |||
| Pts: E Bradley 8 (5f), M Lynch 5 (4f), J Kielt 2, N Toner 1 | | Gls: H McFadden 1, C Mulligan 1 Pts: P McBrearty 8 (3f), L McLoone 3, M Murphy 2 (1 ’45), R McHugh 2, J Brennan (0-01) |
* Celtic Park, Derry Referee: Maurice Deegan (Laois) Attendance: 9,356
* BBC deferred
* 10 June 2018 (2018-06-10) 4:00 pm Semi-Final 2
* Report
| Down | 1-12 (15) – (28) 2-22 | Donegal |
| (HT: 0-07 – 1-12) |||
| Gls: N Donnelly 1 Pts: D O’Hare 4 (3f), C Harrison 4, C Maginn 2, C Mooney 1, N Donnelly 1 | | Gls: L McLoone 1, J Brennan 1 Pts: P McBrearty 6 (3f), M Murphy 5 (3f), J Brennan 3, P Brennan 2, R McHugh 2, C Ward 1, C Thompson 1, S McMenamin 1, M McHugh 1 |
* St Tiernach's Park, Clones Referee: Anthony Nolan (Wicklow) Attendance: 12,051
* RTÉ BBC
* 24 June 2018 2:00pm Ulster Final
* Report
| Fermanagh | 0-12 (12) – (24) 2-18 | Donegal |
| (HT: 0-05 – 2-07) |||
| Pts: Sean Quigley 5 (5f), Seamus Quigley 3 (1f), B Mulrone 1, E Donnelly 1, C Jones 1, C Corrigan 1 | | Gls: EB Gallagher 1, R McHugh 1 Pts: M Murphy 4 (3f), C Thompson 3 (1f), P Brennan 2, P McGrath 1, EB Gallagher 1, O MacNiallais 1, M Langan 1, P McBrearty 1, J Brennan 1, M McHugh 1, D O’Connor 1 |
* St. Tiernach's Park, Clones Referee: David Gough (Meath) Attendance: 28,150

### All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
#### Quarter-finals Group 2 table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Dublin | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 74 | 52 | +22 | 6 | Advance to semi-finals |
| 2 | Tyrone | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 73 | 51 | +22 | 4 | Advance to semi-finals |
| 3 | Donegal | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 52 | 57 | −5 | 2 | |
| 4 | Roscommon | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 53 | 92 | −39 | 0 | |

#### Fixtures
## Management team

    Confirmed in November 2017:
* Manager: Declan Bonner
* Assistant manager: Paul McGonigle, not listed among November 2017 appointments
* Head coach: John McElholm
* Coach: Gary Boyle
* Selector: Karl Lacey until end of 2018 season but Lacey actually carried on until the end of 2020
* Goalkeeping coach: Andrew McGovern
* Strength and conditioning coach: Paul Fisher
* Nutritionist: Ronan Doherty
* Team physician: Kevin Moran
* Physio: Cathal Ellis
* Psychology and performance manager: Anthony McGrath, previously involved with the minor team
* Video analysis: Chris Byrne
* Logistics: Packie McDyre
* Kitman: Barry McBride

## Awards
### Player of the Year

Eoghan Bán Gallagher

### GAA.ie Football Team of the Week

* 29 January: Patrick McBrearty
* 12 February: Patrick McBrearty
* 26 February: Ryan McHugh, Patrick McBrearty
* 14 May: ?
* 28 May: ?
* 11 June: Paul Brennan, Ryan McHugh, Jamie Brennan
* 25 June: Eoghan Bán Gallagher, Ryan McHugh, Michael Murphy; McHugh nominated for Footballer of the Week
* 23 July: ?
* 6 August: ?

### Donegal News Sports Personality of the Month

Eoghan Bán Gallagher: June

### The Irish News Ulster All Stars

Eoghan Bán Gallagher (first appearance), Michael Murphy (sixth appearance) and Ryan McHugh (fourth appearance) were all included.

### The Sunday Game Team of the Year

The Sunday Game selected Eoghan Bán Gallagher at left corner-back on its Team of the Year.

### All Stars

Ryan McHugh won an All Star. Eoghan Bán Gallagher and Michael Murphy were also nominated.
| Pos. | Player | Team | Appearances |
| GK | Rory Beggan | Monaghan | 1 |
| RCB | Jonny Cooper | Dublin | 2 |
| FB | Colm Cavanagh | Tyrone | 2 |
| LCB | Pádraig Hampsey | Tyrone | 1 |
| RWB | Karl O'Connell | Monaghan | 1 |
| CB | James McCarthy | Dublin | 3 |
| LWB | Jack McCaffrey | Dublin | 3 |
| MD | Brian Fenton$^{FOTY}$ | Dublin | 3 |
| MD | Brian Howard | Dublin | 1 |
| RWF | Paul Mannion | Dublin | 2 |
| CF | Ciarán Kilkenny | Dublin | 3 |
| LWF | Ryan McHugh | Donegal | 2 |
| RCF | David Clifford | Kerry | 1 |
| FF | Conor McManus | Monaghan | 3 |
| LCF | Ian Burke | Galway | 1 |

#### County breakdown

* Dublin = 7
* Monaghan = 3
* Tyrone = 2
* Kerry = 1
* Donegal = 1
* Galway = 1