# 2012 Donegal Senior Football Championship

The 2012 Donegal Senior Football Championship was the 90th official edition of the Donegal GAA's premier club Gaelic football tournament for senior graded teams in County Donegal.

## 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

| Preliminary Round | Preliminary Round | Preliminary Round | First Round | First Round | First Round | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final | Final |
| | | | Gaoth Dobhair | Gaoth Dobhair | 0-7 0-7 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Gleann Suilli | Gleann Suilli | 0-9 2-9 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Glenswilly | Glenswilly | 0-8 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | An Clochán Liath | An Clochán Liath | 2-7 | | | | | | |
| | | | An Clochán Liath | An Clochán Liath | 0-10 1-9 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Cloich Cheann Fhaola | Cloich Cheann Fhaola | 0-7 0-9 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | An Clochán Liath | An Clochán Liath | 0-6 | | | |
| Cill Chartha | Cill Chartha | 2-11 0-15 | | | | | | | St Eunan's | St Eunan's | 3-6 | | | |
| Malin | Malin | 0-6 0-10 | Cill Chartha | Cill Chartha | 1-8 10-1 2-5 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | St Eunan's | St Eunan's | 1-5 1-12 2-8 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | St Eunan's | St Eunan's | 2-15 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Na Cealla Beaga | Na Cealla Beaga | 0-7 | | | | | | |
| | | | Na Cealla Beaga | Na Cealla Beaga | 0-10 0-10 1-13 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Gaeil Fhanada | Gaeil Fhanada | 1-7 1-7 0-11 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | St Eunan's | St Eunan's | 1-7 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | Naomh Conaill | Naomh Conaill | 0-9 |
| | | | Glenfin | Glenfin | 0-8 2-9 0-8 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Réalt na Mara | Réalt na Mara | 2-10 1-11 1-11 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Réalt na Mara? | Réalt na Mara? | ? | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Naomh Conaill | Naomh Conaill | ? | | | | | | |
| | | | Naomh Conaill | Naomh Conaill | 1-9 0-12 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | St Naul's | St Naul's | 0-3 0-6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | Naomh Conaill | Naomh Conaill | 0-9 | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | Four Masters | Four Masters | 0-6 | | | |
| | | | Ard an Rátha | Ard an Rátha | 0-7 0-11 0-5 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Four Masters | Four Masters | 0-9 1-7 0-12 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Four Masters | Four Masters | 0-9 1-15 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | St Michael's | St Michael's | 0-9 1-8 | | | | | | |
| | | | St Michael's | St Michael's | 3-19 1-15 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | Seán Mac Cumhaill s | Seán Mac Cumhaill s | 1-6 1-8 | | | | | | | | | |

## Results
### Preliminary round

| 5 May 2012 18:30 | Cill Chartha | 2-11 - 0-6 | Malin | Pairc Tamnaigh, Kilcar Referee: Line: J. White/A. Mullen |
| 2 June 2012 19:00 | Malin | 0-10 - 0-15 | Cill Chartha | Malin Referee: Line: J. O'Donnell/P. McKeever |

### First round
#### First leg

| 29 September 2012 17:00 | An Clochán Liath | 0-10 - 0-7 | Cloich Cheann Fhaola | Dungloe Referee: Line: M. McGlinchey/A. Boyd |
| 29 September 2012 17:00 | Gaeil Fhanada | 1-7 - 0-10 | Na Cealla Beaga | Pairc Ui Shiail, Portsalon Referee: Line: J. McGinley/B. Trearty |
| 30 September 2012 15:00 | Ard an Rátha | 0-7 - 0-9 | Four Masters | Pairc na Phiarsaigh, Ardara Referee: Line: P. McGowan/J. Brennan |
| 30 September 2012 15:00 | Réalt na Mara | 2-10 - 0-8 | Glenfin | Gaelic Park, Bundoran Referee: Line: G. O'Donnell/J. McGlanaghey |
| 30 September 2012 15:00 | Gaoth Dobhair | 0-7 - 0-9 | Gleann Suilli | Machaire Gathlan Referee: Line: L. McConigley/M. Dorrian |
| 30 September 2012 15:00 | St Eunan's | 1-5 - 1-8 | Cill Chartha | O'Donnell Park, Letterkenny Referee: Line: P. Clifford/P. McGonilge |
| 30 September 2012 15:00 | Naomh Conaill | 1-9 - 0-3 | St Naul's | Davy Brennan Memorial Park, Glenties Referee: Line: A. Mullin/R. McGonigle |
| 30 September 2012 15:00 | St Michael's | 3-19 - 1-6 | Seán Mac Cumhaills | Pairc Naomh Mícheál Referee: Line: P. McKeever/J. O'Donnell |

#### Second leg

| 6 October 2012 17:00 | Cloich Cheann Fhaola | 0-9 - 1-9 | An Clochán Liath | Pairc Naomh Fionnan, Falcarragh Referee: Line: L. McConaigley/M. Dorrian |
| 6 October 2012 17:00 | Na Cealla Beaga | 0-10 - 1-7 | Gaeil Fhanada | Fintra Referee: Line: M. McShane/C. Doherty |
| 6 October 2012 17:00 | St Naul's | 0-6 - 0-12 | Naomh Conaill | St Naul's Referee: Line: J. McGlanaghey/A. Mullin |
| 6 October 2012 17:00 | Seán Mac Cumhaills | 1-8 - 1-15 | St Michael's | MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey Referee: Line: J. McGinley/B. Trearty |
| 7 October 2012 15:00 | Cill Chartha | 10-1 - 1-12 | St Eunan's | Pairc Tamnaigh, Kilcar Referee: Line: A Mullin/T Gallagher |
| 7 October 2012 15:00 | Glenfin | 2-9 - 1-11 | Réalt na Mara | Pairc Ghleann Fhinne Referee: Line: C. Doherty/C. Foy |
| 7 October 2012 15:00 | Glenswilly | 2-9 - 0-7 | Gaoth Dobhair | Glenswilly Referee: Line: D. Langan/E. McFeeley |
| 7 October 2012 15:00 | Four Masters | 1-7 - 0-11 | Ard an Rátha | Four Masters Referee: Line: E. McHale/R. McCallig |

#### Play off/ extra time

| 10 October 2012 20:00 | Gaeil Fhanada | 0-11 - 1-13 | Na Cealla Beaga | MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey |
| 10 October 2012 20:00 | Glenfin | 0-8 - 1-11 | Réalt na Mara | Ard an Rátha |
| 11 October 2012 20:00 | Ard an Rátha | 0-5 - 0-12 | Four Masters | MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey |
| 11 October 2012 20:00 | Cill Chartha | 2-5 - 2-8 | St Eunan's | Naomh Muire - Convoy |

### Quarter-finals

| 13 October 2012 16:30 | Glenswilly | 0-8 - 2-7 | An Clochán Liath | O'Donnell Park, Letterkenny |
| 14 October 2012 15:45 | Glenfin | 1-10 - 0-5 | Réalt na Mara | MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey |
| 14 October 2012 15:45 | Four Masters | 0-9 - 0-9 | St Michael's | O'Donnell Park, Letterkenny |
| 14 October 2012 17:15 | St Eunan's | 2-15 - 0-7 | Na Cealla Beaga | MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey |

#### Quarter-final replay

| 18 October 2012 20:00 | Four Masters | 1-15 - 1-8 | St Michael's | MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey |

### Semi-finals

| 20 October 2012 20:00 | An Clochán Liath | 0-6 - 3-6 | St Eunan's | MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey |
| 20 October 2012 20:00 | | Report | | MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey |
| 21 October 2012 16:00 | Naomh Conaill | 0-9 - 0-6 | Four Masters | O'Donnell Park, Letterkenny Referee: M. McShane (Kilcar) |
| 21 October 2012 16:00 | D. Molloy (0-5, 1f), D. Gallagher (0-2, 1f), J. O'Malley (0-1), C. Thompson (0-1) | Report | M. Doherty (0-4, 2f, one 45), S. Keeney (0-1), C. McMonagle (0-1) | O'Donnell Park, Letterkenny Referee: M. McShane (Kilcar) |

### 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.
| 4 November 2012 16:00 | Naomh Conaill | 0-9 - 1-7 | St Eunan's | MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey Referee: R. O'Donnell |
| 4 November 2012 16:00 | L. McMonagle 1-1, M. McGowan 0-2 (1 '45'), R. Kavanagh 0-1, C. Gibbons 0-1 (f), S. McVeigh 0-1, C. Dunne 0-1 | | D. Gallagher 0-5 (3f), D. Molloy 0-2 (1f), L. Thompson 0-1, L. McLoone 0-1 | MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey Referee: R. O'Donnell |

## Ulster 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.