# Donegal Intermediate Football Championship

The Donegal Intermediate Football Championship (abbreviated as Donegal IFC) is an annual football competition organised by Donegal GAA.
Termon are the title holders (2024) defeating Naomh Columba in the Final.

## History

The competition has been won by 27 clubs, 13 of which have won it more than once.
Declan Bonner was player-manager of the 1989 winning team. He won the Ulster Senior Football Championship with his county in 1990, followed by another in 1992 and the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship of 1992 as well.
The most successful team to have emerged from the Donegal IFC in the 21st-century is Glenswilly. They went on to claim several SFC honours for the first time in club history (2011, 2013, 2016). Neil Gallagher, the future National Football League-winning captain and All Star of the 2012 and 2014 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, won the Donegal IFC in 2005.
The 2006 final required two replays before Cloich Cheann Fhaola defeated Gaeil Fhánada.
Initially a straight knock-out competition, a round-robin group stage was introduced in 2013.
With its 2023 title win, Na Dúnaibh became the first club to win the competition on four occasions, having previously done so in 1981, 1988 and 1993. They were joined by CLG An Tearmainn after their defeat of CLG Naomh Columba in 2024.
Men to have won this competition and to have played at senior level for their county include Paddy McConigley (2009), Michael Boyle (2012), Kevin Mulhern (2014), Jamie and Paul Brennan (2015), Frank McGlynn (2018), Stephen Griffin (2019) and Peter Boyle (2020).
Others to have played in this competition and played at senior level for their county include Michael Lynch, Niall McCready and Brian Roper.

## Honours

The winning club receives the Cathal McLaughlin Memorial Cup. The winning club is promoted to the Donegal Senior Football Championship for the following season.
The Donegal IFC winner qualifies for the Ulster Intermediate Club Football Championship. It is the only team from County Donegal to qualify for this competition. The Donegal IFC winner may enter the Ulster Intermediate Club Football Championship at either the preliminary round or the quarter-final stage.
The Donegal IFC winner — by winning the Ulster Intermediate Club Football Championship — may qualify for the All-Ireland Intermediate Club Football Championship, at which it would enter at the semi-final stage, providing it hasn't been drawn to face the British champions in the quarter-finals. The last team from County Donegal to do this was St Michael's in 2004 who went on to reach the final, losing out to Ilen Rovers of Cork.

## Winners and finalists
### Results by team

Results by team :
| # | Team | Wins | Years won | Last final lost |
| 1 | Na Dúnaibh | 4 | 1981, 1988, 1993, 2023 | 1978 |
| 1 | Termon | 4 | 1991, 2000, 2012, 2024 | — |
| 2 | Réalt na Mara | 3 | 1977, 2010, 2015 | 2009 |
| 2 | Glenfin | 3 | 1983, 2001, 2018 | 1997 |
| 2 | Naomh Muire | 3 | 1994, 1998, 2013 | — |
| 2 | Cloich Cheann Fhaola | 3 | 2006, 2014, 2021 | 2019 |
| 2 | Naomh Ultan | 2 | 1984, 2002 | 1998 |
| 2 | An Clochán Liath | 2 | 1986, 2022 | 2021 |
| 2 | Na Rossa | 2 | 1989, 1999 | 2008 |
| 2 | Milford | 2 | 1992, 2017 | 2016 |
| 2 | Buncrana | 2 | 1995, 2004 | 2014 |
| 2 | Gaeil Fhánada | 2 | 2007, 2009 | 2006 |
| 2 | St Naul's | 2 | 2011, 2019 | 2017 |
| 3 | Rosses Rovers | 1 | 1978 | — |
| 3 | Na Cealla Beaga | 1 | 1979 | — |
| 3 | Roger Casements | 1 | 1980 | — |
| 3 | Urris | 1 | 1982 | — |
| 3 | Gaoth Dobhair | 1 | 1985 | — |
| 3 | Naomh Bríd | 1 | 1987 | — |
| 3 | Naomh Conaill | 1 | 1990 | 1986 |
| 3 | Four Masters | 1 | 1996 | — |
| 3 | Carndonagh | 1 | 1997 | 2003 |
| 3 | St Michael's | 1 | 2003 | 2000 |
| 3 | Glenswilly | 1 | 2005 | — |
| 3 | Seán MacCumhaill's | 1 | 2008 | — |
| 3 | Burt | 1 | 2016 | — |
| 3 | Aodh Ruadh | 1 | 2020 | 2018 |

### Finals listed by year

| Year | Winner | Score | Opponent | Score | Winning captain | Man of the match | Winning manager |
| 1977 | Réalt na Mara | 2-11 | Convoy | 0-11 | |
| 1978 | Rosses Rovers | 0-9 | Na Dúnaibh | 0-7 | |
| 1979 | Na Cealla Beaga | 1-8 | Glenfin | 0-8 | |
| 1980 | Roger Casements | 3-5 | Cloich Cheann Fhaola | 1-10 | |
| 1981 | Na Dúnaibh | 0-13 | Glenfin | 0-8 | |
| 1982 | Urris | 1-5 | Red Hughs | 0-7 | |
| 1983 | Glenfin | 2-10 | Na Rossa | 2-8 | |
| 1984 | Naomh Ultan | 1-5 | Cill Chartha | 0-5 | |
| 1985 | Gaoth Dobhair | 2-8 | St Naul's | 0-5 | |
| 1986 | An Clochán Liath | 0-8 | Naomh Conaill | 0-6 | |
| 1987 | Naomh Bríd | 0-6 | St Naul's | 0-5 | |
| 1988 | Na Dúnaibh | 0-6 | St Naul's | 0-5 | |
| 1989 | Na Rossa | 3-8 | Naomh Ultan | 2-8 | |
| 1990 | Naomh Conaill | 2-12 | Réalt na Mara | 2-10 | |
| 1991 | Termon | 1-15 | Réalt na Mara | 1-7 | |
| 1992 | Milford | 1-12 | Naomh Ultan | 2-8 | |
| 1993 | Na Dúnaibh | 1-13 | Na Rossa | 0-9 | |
| 1994 | Naomh Muire | 0-8 | St Naul's | 0-3 | |
| 1995 | Buncrana | 1-8 | St Naul's | 1-5 | |
| 1996 | Four Masters | 2-15 | Carndonagh | 1-5 | |
| 1997 | Carndonagh | 1-12 | Glenfin | 1-11 | |
| 1998 | Naomh Muire | 1-10 | Naomh Ultan | 2-6 | |
| 1999 | Na Rossa | 1-13 | Malin | 1-11 | |
| 2000 | Termon | 0-16 | St Michael's | 0-4 | |
| 2001 | Glenfin | 1-13 | Malin | 0-7 | |
| 2002 | Naomh Ultan | 2-4 | Buncrana | 0-8 | |
| 2003 | St Michael's | 0-18 | Carndonagh | 0-5 | |
| 2004 | Buncrana | 1-7 | St Naul's | 0-4 | |
| 2005 | Glenswilly | 1-12 | Cloich Cheann Fhaola | 1-7 | |
| 2006 | Cloich Cheann Fhaola | 1-11 | Gaeil Fhánada | 0-8 | |
| 2007 | Gaeil Fhánada | 0-10 | Réalt na Mara | 1-6 | |
| 2008 | Seán MacCumhaills | 0-10 | Na Rossa | 0-7 | |
| 2009 | Gaeil Fhánada | 2-9 | Réalt na Mara | 1-7 | |
| 2010 | Réalt na Mara | 1-8 | Cloich Cheann Fhaola | 0-9 | |
| 2011 | St Naul's | 1-5 | Naomh Columba | 0-3 | |
| 2012 | Termon | 0-11 | Aodh Ruadh | 1-7 | |
| 2013 | Naomh Muire | 1-13 | St Naul's | 1-7 | Paul "Yank" Boyle | | Danny O'Donnell |
| 2014 | Cloich Cheann Fhaola | 0-15 | Buncrana | 0-8 | | | Joe McGarvey |
| 2015 | Réalt na Mara | 4-17 | Naomh Colmcille | 0-4 | Tommy Hourihan | Shane McGowan Team of the Year | Brian Gavigan |
| 2016 | Burt | 2-11 | Milford | 1-12 | Martin Donaghey | Paul McHugh | Ronan McLaughlin |
| 2017 | Milford | 2-11 | St Naul's | 0-12 | Paddy Peoples | Gary Merritt | Danny O'Donnell |
| 2018 | Glenfin | 1-10 | Aodh Ruadh | 0-7 | Gerard Ward | Gerard Ward | Liam Breen |
| 2019 | St Naul's | 1-10 | Cloich Cheann Fhaola | 0-10 | Stephen Griffin | Kevin Mulhern | Barry Meehan |
| 2020 | Aodh Ruadh | 2-14 | Cloich Cheann Fhaola | 1-12 | Johnny Gethins & Nathan Boyle | Nathan Boyle | Barry Ward |
| 2021 | Cloich Cheann Fhaola | 3-4 / 1-11 | An Clochán Liath | 0-13 / 0-5 | Mark Harley | Jason McGee | Michael Lynch |
| 2022 | An Clochán Liath | 1-8 | Naomh Columba | 0-4 | Conor O'Donnell | Darren Curran | Dessie Gallagher |
| 2023 | Na Dúnaibh | 1-11 | Malin | 0-9 | Ben McNutt | Johnny McGroddy | Kevin 'Cookie' Gallagher |
| 2024 | Termon | 0-14 | Naomh Columba | 0-8 | Ricky Gallagher | Jamie Grant | Caolan 'Jaffa' McDaid |