Sunday, 25 May: Ulster Championship, quarter-final (Celtic Park)
Derry 0-11 DONEGAL 1-11
Donegal trailed by two points at half-time but eventually saw off favourites Derry in the Ulster quarter-final.
Division 1 league finalists Derry led by 0-6 to 0-4 at the interval but Donegal moved in front thanks to Leo McLoone’s goal in the third quarter. It was vintage Donegal in the second period as they packed the defence and frustrated the Oak Leafers, who reduced the gap from six points to two but couldn’t find the room to manufacture a late goal.
Karl Lacey shadowed Derry’s star forward Mark Lynch to good effect while Michael Murphy kicked over a thunderous sideline ball on the 45-metre line in the second-half.
Sunday, 22 June: Ulster Championship, semi-final (St. Tiernan’s Park)
DONEGAL 3-16 Antrim 0-12
Donegal’s ‘moving quarter’ once again propelled them to victory after a goal apiece from Leo McLoone and young Darach ‘Jigger’ O’Connor after half-time sealed the win.
They initially found it difficult to break down a defensive Antrim unit. After Neil Gallagher was forced to withdraw through injury on 15 minutes, Antrim gained a foothold in midfield thanks to a couple of fine fetches in the air by captain Niall McKeever.
They went in level at 0-7 each at the turnaround but by the time McLoone and O’Connor’s netted, Donegal found themselves nine points to the good.
Odhran MacNiallais completed a fine display with four points from play, while Dermot ‘Brick’ Molloy announced his arrival off the bench with 1-1 – completing the rout with a stoppage time goal.
Sunday, 20 July: Ulster Championship, final (St. Tiernan’s Park)
Monaghan 1-9 DONEGAL 0-15
Jim McGuinness won his third Ulster title in four years by dethroning holders Monaghan in the Clones decider.
In the process of avenging their defeat at this stage last year, Donegal claimed their first Ulster championship victory over the Farney Men in 31 years.
A 31,192 sell-out crowd in St. Tiernan’s Park was treated to a defensive game not for the faint hearted. Ryan McHugh was awarded man-of-the-match in a wonderful display as MacNiallais was extremely impressive from wing-forward.
Paddy McBrearty, dropped for the game, climbed off the bench to kick three points and seal the Tir Chonaill victory.
Saturday, 09 August: All-Ireland Series, quarter-final (Croke Park)
DONEGAL 1-12 Armagh 1-11
McBrearty was the hero once again as his 69th minute winning point booked Donegal’s meeting with Dublin in the All-Ireland semi-final.
The Ulster champions were in danger of suffering a shock exit when Paul Grimley’s underdogs lead with three minutes to go but Donegal showed terrific poise and confidence to eek out the win.
The scored just six points from play in a tight, tactical battle. MacNiallais’s 23rd minute goal helped Donegal to a 1-05 to 0-06 lead at the break, and they found themselves 1-08 to 0-8 ahead after 45 minutes.
But the Orchard died with their boots on, with a point from Tony Kernan and a Stefan Campbell goal moving them in front with three minutes left. Time enough though for Murphy to level the game and McBrearty to point the winner.
Sunday, 1 September: All-Ireland Series, semi-final (Croke Park)
Dublin 0-17 DONEGAL 3-14
In one of the biggest shocks in the GAA’s history, Donegal stunned All-Ireland champions Dublin with a six point win to set-up a final meeting with Kerry.
Dublin raced into an early five point lead (0-08 to 0-03) with some exhibition scores from Paul Flynn and Diarmuid Connolly, but slowly Donegal’s game plan began to work and frustrate the Dubs.
Paul Durcan pulled off a critical save from a lax Diarmuid Connolly shot on goal. Then Ryan McHugh’s opportunistic three-pointer two minutes before the break sent McGuinness’s men 1-08 to 0-10 ahead at the interval.
The Dubs were shell-shocked and their strategy of pushing up man to man was exposed in the second-half as Donegal expertly countered for another goal from McHugh and one from McFadden.
Donegal were in dreamland and they shut up shop late on to complete a tactical masterclass by McGuinness.
