# 2017 Derry Senior Football Championship

The 2017 Derry Senior Football Championship was the 94th edition of Derry GAA's premier gaelic football tournament for senior clubs in Derry Football League Division 1. The winners received the John McLaughlin Cup.
Slaughtneil were the defending champions, having won their third title in-a row by beating The Loup in the 2016 final by 2-11 to 0-6. On 24 September 2017 they won "4-in-a-row" by defeating Ballinascreen 4-12 to 1-11 in the final in Celtic Park.

## Format

Current format
The senior championship reverted to a straight knock out in 2016 and continues with minor alterations. At the end of each round, a draw was held to determine the fixtures in the next round.
In Derry, relegation or promotion within the league system determines which championship clubs compete in – Division 1 teams compete in the senior championship, Division 2 teams in the intermediate championship and Division 3 teams in the junior championship.
Previous Formats
A back-door format was used from 2009 to 2015. Four initial ‘round-robin’ groups progressing to an eight team straight knockout were used in seasons 2007 and 2008.

## Recent history of relegations and promotions
### Relegations and promotions in 2017

* After Division 1 football ended on 6 August 2017, Swatragh were 15th in the table with eight points and Banagher were 16th with six points. Swatragh were initially penalised three league points for not fielding against Coleraine which would have meant that Swatragh were relegated. The three point penalty was subsequently overturned and Banagher were relegated.
* Newbridge won Division 2 in 2017 and were promoted to Division 1 and the 2018 senior championship.

### Relegations and promotions in 2016

* Newbridge finished bottom (i.e. 16th) in Division 1 in 2016 and were relegated to Division 2.
* Glenullin won Division 2 in 2016 and were promoted to Division 1 for 2017. They applied to compete in the 2016 senior championship and were allowed to do so.

### Relegations and promotions in 2015

* Foreglen finished in the bottom two in Division 1 in 2015 and were relegated to Division 2 following their loss to Glenullin in the Division 1 relegation playoff.
* Glenullin finished in the bottom two in Division 1 in 2015 and were relegated to Division 2 following their loss to Claudy in the Division 1/Division 2 relegation/promotion playoff. Glenullin successfully applied to be allowed to play in the 2016 senior football championship.
* Greenlough won Division 2 in 2015 and were promoted to Division 1 for 2016.
* Claudy finished second in Division 2 in 2015 and were promoted to Division 1 following their victory over Glenullin in the Division 1/Division 2 relegation/promotion playoff.

## Senior Championship Draw

| First round | First round | First round | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final | Final |
| Slaughtneil | Slaughtneil | 2-14 | | | | | | | | | |
| Swatragh | Swatragh | 1-11 | Slaughtenil | Slaughtenil | 1-9 | | | | | | |
| Ballinderry | Ballinderry | 3-20 | Ballinderry | Ballinderry | 0-8 | | | | | | |
| Claudy | Claudy | 2-7 | | | | Slaughtneil | Slaughtneil | 0-13 | | | |
| Glen | Glen | 4-11 | | | | Glen | Glen | 0-6 | | | |
| Lavey | Lavey | 0-13 | Glen | Glen | 2-17 | | | | | | |
| Kilrea | Kilrea | 1-12 | Kilrea | Kilrea | 1-13 | | | | | | |
| Dungiven | Dungiven | 1-10 | | | | | | | Slaughtneil | Slaughtneil | 4-12 |
| Ballinascreen | Ballinascreen | 2-15 | | | | | | | Ballinascreen | Ballinascreen | 1-11 |
| Bellaghy | Bellaghy | 2-8 | Ballinascreen | Ballinascreen | 3-7 | | | | | | |
| Coleraine | Coleraine | 2-11 | Coleraine | Coleraine | 0-10 | | | | | | |
| Magherafelt | Magherafelt | 0-10 | | | | Ballinascreen | Ballinascreen | 0-11 | | | |
| Greenlough | Greenlough | 2-14 | | | | Greenlough | Greenlough | 0-9 | | | |
| Glenullin | Glenullin | 1-15 | Greenlough | Greenlough | 1-15 | | | | | | |
| Banagher | Banagher | 1-17 | Banagher | Banagher | 2-10 | | | | | | |
| The Loup | The Loup | 1-15 | | | | | | | | | |

## First round

| 11 August 2017 8:00 pm First round | Banagher | 1-17 - 1-15 | The Loup | Owenbeg Attendance: 1,113 Referee: Barry Cassidy (Bellaghy) Man of the Match: Mark Lynch |
| 11 August 2017 8:00 pm First round | Peter Hagan 0-4 (0-2f), Oisin McCloskey 1-0, Mark Lynch and Steafan McCloskey 0-3 each, Tiernan Moore, Gavin O'Neill, Conor Feeney 0-2 each, Brian Óg McGilligan 0-1 | Report | Anthony O'Neill 0-5 (0-3f), Declan McVey 0-4, Ciaran Devlin 1-1, Paul Young and Patrick Coney 0-2, Gavin Mallon 0-1 | Owenbeg Attendance: 1,113 Referee: Barry Cassidy (Bellaghy) Man of the Match: Mark Lynch |
| 12 August 2017 2:15 pm First round | Ballinascreen | 2-15 - 2-8 | Bellaghy | Glen Referee: Alan Nash (Doire Trasna) Man of the Match: Benny Heron |
| 12 August 2017 2:15 pm First round | Benny Heron 2-3 (2-0 pen, 1 '45), Shane Mulgrew 0-5 (0-3f), Carlus McWilliams 0-3, Kieran Conway 0-1, Philip Bradley 0-1, Brendan Herron 0-1, Gary Conway 0-1, | | Ruairi McElwee 2-4 (2-0 pen, 0-2f), Eoghan Brown 0-3 (0-2f), Frankie Donnelly 0-1 | Glen Referee: Alan Nash (Doire Trasna) Man of the Match: Benny Heron |
| 12 August 2017 6:15 pm First round | Kilrea | 1-12 - 1-10 | Dungiven | Owenbeg Referee: Brendan Quinn (Ballinascreen) Man of the Match: Brian Óg McAlary |
| 12 August 2017 6:15 pm First round | James Kielt 0-5 (0-4f), Niall Johnston 1-0, Brian Óg McAlary 0-2, Charlie Kielt, Denver Johnston, Benny Quigg (0-1f), Paddy McNeill, Conor Gillen 0-1 each | | Sean O'Kane 1-0, Kevin Johnston, Martin Burke (0-2f), Ryan McElhinney 0-2 each, James McNicholl, Seamus Higgins, Donal McGilligan, Feargal Higgins 0-1 each | Owenbeg Referee: Brendan Quinn (Ballinascreen) Man of the Match: Brian Óg McAlary |
| 12 August 2017 8:00 pm First round | Glen | 4-11 - 0-13 | Lavey | Owenbeg Attendance: 3,053 Referee: Peter O'Connor (Desertmatin) Man of the Match: Emmett Bradley |
| 12 August 2017 8:00 pm First round | Emmett Bradley 2-5 (0-4f), Conor Convery 1-1, Paul Gunning 1-0, Ciaran McFaul 0-2, Tiarnan Flanagan, Danny Tallon, Stevie O'Hara 0-1 each | | Cailean O'Boyle 0-8f, Declan Hughes 0-2, Shea Downey, Chrissy Henry, Niall Toner 0-1 each | Owenbeg Attendance: 3,053 Referee: Peter O'Connor (Desertmatin) Man of the Match: Emmett Bradley |
| 13 August 2017 2:15 pm First round | Greenlough | 2-14 - 1-15 | Glenullin | Banagher Referee: John Joe Cleary (Castledawson) Man of the Match: Enda Lynn |
| 13 August 2017 2:15 pm First round | Niall Loughlin 1-4 (0-2f), Matthew Bradley 1-2, Enda Lynn 0-3, Enda McNally 0-2, Brian McCallion, Niall Bradley, Caolan Diamond 0-1 each | | Neill McNicholl 0-5 (0-3f), Eoin Bradley 1-1 (1-0 pen, 0-1f), Paddy Bradley 0-3 (0-2f), Dermot O'Kane 0-2f, Chrissy Dempsey and Brian Mullan 0-1 each | Banagher Referee: John Joe Cleary (Castledawson) Man of the Match: Enda Lynn |
| 13 August 2017 4:00 pm First round | Ballinderry | 3-20 - 2-7 | Claudy | Ballinascreen Referee: Richie Donoghue (Slaughtneil) Man of the Match: Conleith Gilligan |
| 13 August 2017 4:00 pm First round | Conleith Gilligan 1-9 (0-4f), Ryan Bell 0-6, Enda Muldoon 1-1, Ryan Scott 1-0, Conor Nevin 0-2, Michael McIver and Tommy Donnelly 0-1 each | | Aaron Kerrigan 2-2 (0-2f), Martin Donaghy 0-3 (0-1f), James McClay and Odhran McCloskey 0-1 each | Ballinascreen Referee: Richie Donoghue (Slaughtneil) Man of the Match: Conleith Gilligan |
| 13 August 2017 6:15 pm First round | Slaughtneil | 2-14 - 1-11 | Swatragh | Owenbeg Referee: Adrian McGilligan (Drumsurn) Man of the Match: Christopher Bradley |
| 13 August 2017 6:15 pm First round | Shane McGuigan 1-4 (0-4f), Christopher Bradley 1-4 (1-0 pen), Paul Bradley 0-4 (0-2f). Sé McGuigan and Ronan Bradley 0-1 each | | Conor McAtamney 1-2 (1 ' 45), Francis Kearney 0-3 (0-2f), Ryan Dillon and Brian Diamond 0-2, Niall McAtamney and Michael Friel 0-1 each | Owenbeg Referee: Adrian McGilligan (Drumsurn) Man of the Match: Christopher Bradley |
| 13 August 2017 8:00 pm First round | Coleraine Eoghan Rua | 2-11 - 0-10 | Magherafelt | Owenbeg Attendance: 3,616 Referee: Daniel Mullan (Glenullin) Man of the Match: Colm McGoldrick |
| 13 August 2017 8:00 pm First round | Colm McGoldrick 2-3 (1-0 pen, 0-1f), Ruari Mooney and Ciaran McGoldrick 0-2 each, Ciaran Mullan, Liam McGoldrick, Ciaran Lagan, Stephen Coyles 0-1 each | | Shane Heavron 0-5 (0-4f), John Young and Fionntan O'Dowd 0-2 each, Emmett McGuckin 0-1 | Owenbeg Attendance: 3,616 Referee: Daniel Mullan (Glenullin) Man of the Match: Colm McGoldrick |

## Quarter-finals

| 25 August 2017 8:15 pm Quarter-final | Greenlough | 1-15 - 2-11 | Banagher | Owenbeg Attendance: 1,563 Referee: Peter O'Connor (Desertmartin) Man of the Match: Enda Lynn |
| 25 August 2017 8:15 pm Quarter-final | Enda Lynn 0-7 (0-2f), Niall Loughlin 1-3 (1 '45), Enda McNally and Caolan Diamond 0-2 each, Brian McCallion 0-1 | | Mark Lynch (0-1f) and Tiernan Moore 1-1 each, Conor Feeney 0-3, Brian Óg McGilligan and Micheal Anderson 0-2 each, Peter Hagan (0-1f) and Sean McCullagh 0-1 each | Owenbeg Attendance: 1,563 Referee: Peter O'Connor (Desertmartin) Man of the Match: Enda Lynn |
| 26 August 2017 7:30 pm Quarter-final | Slaughtneil | 1-9 - 0-8 | Ballinderry | Owenbeg Attendance: 3,805 Referee: John Joe Cleary (Castledawson) Man of the Match: Shane McGuigan |
| 26 August 2017 7:30 pm Quarter-final | Shane McGuigan 0-5 (0-1f), Sé McGuigan 1-0, Karl McKaigue, Chrissy McKaigue, Paul Bradley (0-1f), Cormac O'Doherty 0-1 each | | Conleith Gilligan 0-4f, Ryan Bell 0-2 (1 '45), Enda Muldoon (1 '45) and Raymond Wilkinson 0-1 each | Owenbeg Attendance: 3,805 Referee: John Joe Cleary (Castledawson) Man of the Match: Shane McGuigan |
| 28 August 2017 8:00 pm Quarter-final | Ballinascreen | 3-7 - 0-10 | Coleraine | Owenbeg Referee: Damien Harkin (Slaughtmanus) |
| 28 August 2017 8:00 pm Quarter-final | Shane Mulgrew 1-4 (0-3f), Benny Heron 1-2 (0-1f), Gavin McWilliams o.g. 1-0, Paul Cleary 0-1 | Report | Colm McGoldrick 0-5f, Gavin McWilliams 0-3 (0-2f), Sean Leo McGoldrick and Richard Carey 0-1 each | Owenbeg Referee: Damien Harkin (Slaughtmanus) |
| 29 August 2017 7:45 pm Quarter-final | Glen | 2-17 - 1-13 | Kilrea | Owenbeg Referee: Alan Nash (Doire Trasna) |
| 29 August 2017 7:45 pm Quarter-final | Emmet Bradley 1-4 (0-3f, 1 '45), Ciaran McFaul 1-3, Stevie O'Hara 0-5, Paul Gunning 0-3, Conor Convery 0-2 | Report | Larry Kielt 1-1 (0-1f), Brian Óg McAlary, Charlie Kielt, James Kielt (0-1f), Steven Johnston, Benny Quigg 0-2 each, Niall Johnston and Paddy McNeill 0-1 each | Owenbeg Referee: Alan Nash (Doire Trasna) |

## Semi-finals

| 9 September 2017 4:45 pm Semi-final | Ballinascreen | 0-11 – 0-9 | Greenlough | Owenbeg Attendance: 4,038 Referee: Barry Cassidy (Bellaghy) Man of the Match: Carlus McWilliams |
| 9 September 2017 4:45 pm Semi-final | Shane Mulgrew 0-5 (0-3f), Barry Grant 0-2, Kieran Conway, Carlus McWilliams, Brendan Herron, Benny Heron 0-1 each | | Niall Loughlin 0-5 (0-2f), Enda Lynn 0-3 (0-2f), Niall Bradley 0-1 | Owenbeg Attendance: 4,038 Referee: Barry Cassidy (Bellaghy) Man of the Match: Carlus McWilliams |
| 10 September 2017 3:30 pm Semi-final | Slaughtneil | 0-13 - 0-6 | Glen | Páirc na gCeilteach, Doire Attendance: 4,256 Referee: Daniel Mullan (Glenullin) Man of the Match: Paul McNeill |
| 10 September 2017 3:30 pm Semi-final | Paul Bradley 0-4 (0-3f), Sé McGuigan 0-3, Shane McGuigan 0-2, Chrissy McKaigue, Patsy Bradley, Christopher Bradley, Cormac O'Doherty 0-1 each | | Emmet Bradley (0-1f, 1 '45) and Danny Tallon (0-2f) 0-2 each, Cathal Mullholland and John McCamley 0-1 each | Páirc na gCeilteach, Doire Attendance: 4,256 Referee: Daniel Mullan (Glenullin) Man of the Match: Paul McNeill |

## Final

| 24 September 2017 3:30 Final | Slaughtneil | 4-12 - 1-11 | Ballinascreen | Páirc na gCeilteach, Doire Attendance: 4,029 Referee: Daniel Mullan (Glenullin) Man of the Match: Shane McGuigan |
| 24 September 2017 3:30 Final | Shane McGuigan 2-4 (0-1f), Chrissy McKaigue and Keelan Feeney 1-0 each, Christopher Bradley 0-3, Padraig Cassidy, Paul Bradley (0-1f), Meehaul McGrath, Sé McGuigan, Ronan Bradley 0-1 each | Report | Shane Mulgrew 0-4f, Anton Kelly 1-0, Phillip Bradley and Brendan Herron 0-2 each, Benny Heron, Ronan Murphy, Barry Grant 0-1 each | Páirc na gCeilteach, Doire Attendance: 4,029 Referee: Daniel Mullan (Glenullin) Man of the Match: Shane McGuigan |

## Top Scorers

| Rank | Player | Club | Score First round | Score QF | Score SF | Score F | Total | Points |
| 1 | Shane McGuigan | Slaughneil | 1-04 | 0-05 | 0-02 | 2-04 | 3-15 | 24pts |
| 2 | Shane Mulgrew | Ballinascreen | 0-05 | 1-04 | 0-05 | 0-04 | 1-18 | 21pts |
| 3 | Emmett Bradley | Glen | 2-05 | 1-04 | 0-01 | N/A | 3-10 | 19pts |
| 4 | Niall Loughlin | Greenlough | 1-04 | 1-03 | 0-05 | N/A | 2-12 | 18pts |
| 5 | Conleith Gilligan | Ballinderry | 1-09 | 0-04 | N/A | N/A | 1-13 | 16pts |
| 5 | Benny Heron | Ballinascreen | 2-03 | 1-02 | 0-01 | 0-01 | 3-07 | 16pts |