# 2021 Donegal county football team season

The following is a summary of Donegal county football team's 2021 season.

## Personnel changes

Paul Fisher departed as strength and conditioning coach and Antoin McFadden replaced him. Karl Lacey also departed from the management team. James Gallagher returned as goalkeeping coach (his second time in that role), replacing Andrew McGovern.

## Competitions
### Dr McKenna Cup

There was no McKenna Cup in 2021 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Gaelic games.

### National Football League Division 1 North

The 2021 competition was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Donegal qualified for the semi-finals.

#### Table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Donegal | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 38 | 36 | +2 | 4 | Advance to NFL semi-finals |
| 2 | Tyrone | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 37 | 34 | +3 | 3 | Advance to NFL semi-finals |
| 3 | Armagh | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 35 | 36 | −1 | 3 | Advance to a relegation playoff; losers are relegated to Division 2 |
| 4 | Monaghan | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 35 | 39 | −4 | 2 | Advance to a relegation playoff; losers are relegated to Division 2 |

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

The draw for the 2021 Ulster Championship was made on 22 April 2021.

#### Bracket

| Preliminary round | Preliminary round | Preliminary round | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final | Final |
| | | | Armagh | Armagh | 4-15 | | | | | | |
| | | | Antrim | Antrim | 0-14 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Armagh | Armagh | 2-21 | | | |
| | | | | | | Monaghan | Monaghan | 4-17 | | | |
| | | | Monaghan | Monaghan | 1-21 | | | | | | |
| | | | Fermanagh | Fermanagh | 0-14 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | Monaghan | Monaghan | 0-15 |
| | | | | | | | | | Tyrone | Tyrone | 0-16 |
| | | | Tyrone | Tyrone | 1-18 | | | | | | |
| | | | Cavan | Cavan | 0-13 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Tyrone | Tyrone | 0-23 | | | |
| | | | | | | Donegal | Donegal | 1-14 | | | |
| | | | Derry | Derry | 0-15 | | | | | | |
| Down | Down | 1-12 | Donegal | Donegal | 0-16 | | | | | | |
| Donegal | Donegal | 2-25 | | | | | | | | | |

#### Fixtures

| 11 July 2021 16:00 Quarter-final | Donegal | 0-16 - 0-15 | Derry | MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey Attendance: 0 Referee: David Coldrick (Meath) |
| 11 July 2021 16:00 Quarter-final | Paddy McBrearty (0-2f), Michael Langan and Niall O’Donnell 0-3 each, Caolan McGonagle, Jamie Brennan and Michael Murphy (0-2f) 0-2 each, Paul Brennan 0-1. | Report | Shane McGuigan 0-4 (0-2f), Ciaran McFaul 0-3, Benny Heron 0-2, Padraig Cassidy, Gareth McKinless, Conor Doherty, Conor Glass, Emmett Bradley and Niall Loughlin 0-1 each. | MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey Attendance: 0 Referee: David Coldrick (Meath) |
| 18 July 2021 13:45 IST (UTC+1) Semi-final | Tyrone | 0-23 - 1-14 | Donegal | Brewster Park, Enniskillen Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan) |
| 18 July 2021 13:45 IST (UTC+1) Semi-final | Darren McCurry (0-7, 3 frees), Kieran McGeary, Niall Sludden, Tiernan McCann (0-3 each), Mattie Donnelly (0-2), Peter Harte, Conor Meyler, Conor McKenna, Frank Burns (0-1 each), Cathal McShane (0-1 free) | Report | Paddy McBrearty (0-4, 2 frees), Caolan McGonigle (1-0), Jamie Brennan, Niall O’Donnell (0-2 each), Michael Langan (0-2, 1 free), Michael Murphy (0-2 frees), Ciaran Thompson, Peader Mogan (0-1 each) | Brewster Park, Enniskillen Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan) |

### All-Ireland Senior Football Championship

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Gaelic games, there was no back-door route into the All-Ireland Championship. Therefore, because Donegal did not win the Ulster Championship, they did not qualify for the 2021 All-Ireland Championship.

## Management team

    Confirmed in November 2017, with replacements noted:
* Manager: Declan Bonner
* Assistant manager: Paul McGonigle, not listed among November 2017 appointments
* Head coach: John McElholm
* Coach: Gary Boyle
* Selector: Stephen Rochford, replacing Karl Lacey after 2018 season but Lacey actually carried on until the end of 2020
* Goalkeeping coach: James Gallagher, after 2020 season replacing Andrew McGovern
* Strength and conditioning coach: Antoin McFadden, who after 2020 season, replaced 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
### GAA.ie Football Team of the Week

* 17 May: Shaun Patton, Neil McGee, Michael Murphy
* 24 May: Michael Langan
* 31 May: Ryan McHugh, Patrick McBrearty (McBrearty voted Footballer of the Week)
* 28 June: Ryan McHugh, Patrick McBrearty
* 12 July: Caolan McGonagle, Niall O'Donnell
* 19 July: Eoghan Bán Gallagher

### All Stars

One nomination, for Michael Langan