2017 Donegal Senior Football Championship

Donegal S.F.C.

Season	2017
Champions	Kilcar (6th title)
Relegated	Naomh Muire
Winning Captain	Patrick McBrearty
Man of the Match	Mark McHugh
Winning Manager	Barry Doherty
Matches played	??
← 2016 2018 →

The 2017 Donegal Senior Football Championship was the 95th official edition of Donegal GAA's premier Gaelic football tournament for senior graded clubs in County Donegal. Sixteen teams competed, with the winner representing Donegal in the Ulster Senior Club Football Championship.

The championship began with four groups of four, and continued with a knock-out format.

Glenswilly was defending champion after defeating Cill Chartha by a scoreline of 1–10 to 0–12 in the 2016 final.

C. J. Molloy scored a contender for goal of the season against Glenswilly in his club's opening group match, though his club lost. ^[1] Directly from the second-half throw-in, he soloed through the Glenswilly defence and kicked the ball into the net from a distance of around 25 yards. ^[2]

This was Burt's debut in the senior grade after winning the 2016 Donegal I.F.C. title.

Team changes

^{[3] [4]}

The following teams changed division since the 2016 championship season.

To S.F.C. Promoted from 2016 Donegal I.F.C. Burt – (I.F.C. Champions)

From S.F.C. Relegated to 2017 Donegal I.F.C. Glenfin

Format

The 2017 championship took the same format as the 2015 and 2016 championships had, in which there were four groups of four clubs, with the top two clubs qualifying for the quarter-finals. The club finishing bottom in each group contested relegation play-offs to determine which team would be relegated to the 2018 Donegal Intermediate Football Championship.

Group stage

Group 1

Team Pld W L D PF PA PD Pts St Michael's 3 3 0 0 66 41 +25 6 Réalt na Mara 3 2 1 0 67 43 +24 4 Malin 3 1 2 0 43 68 -25 2 Seán Mac Cumhaills 3 0 3 0 35 59 -24 0 Round 1 5/7/17 St Michael's 3-9 – 0-13 Seán Mac Cumhaills MacCumhaill Park Referee: Connie Doherty (Naomh Conaill) Colm McFadden 1-3 (0-1f), Martin McElhinney 1-1, Andrew Kelly 1-0, Michael Langan (0-1f) and Daniel McLaughlin 0-2 each, Odhran McFadden 0-1 Report Stephen Mulligan 0-11 (0-6f), Steven O'Reilly and Martin O'Reilly 0-1 each 5/7/17 Réalt na Mara 3-18 – 1-11 Malin Referee: Mark Brown (Four Masters) Gary Clancy 0-6 (0-3f), Michael McEniff 1-1, Tommy Hourihane 0-4, Cian McEniff and Timmy Govorov 1-0 each, Diarmuid Spratt 0-3, Alan Russell and Jamie Brennan 0-2 each Report Brendan Fildara 0-4 (0-2f), Seamus Houghton 1-0, Joe Doherty 0-2 (0-1f), Declan Walsh, Paul McLaughlin, Stephen McLaughlin, Damien Harkin, Darren Mullarkey 0-1 each Round 2 8/19/17 Malin 1-13 – 0-11 Seán Mac Cumhaills Malin Referee: Andrew Mullin (Killybegs) Brendan Fildara 1-8 (0-5f), Declan Walsh, Christy Fildara, Matthew Byrne, Sean Kelly, Seamus Doherty 0-1 each Report Martin O'Reilly (0-3f) and Stephen Mulligan (0-2f) 0-3 each, Gavin Gallagher, Gary Wilson, Benny McLaughlin, Stephen O'Reilly, Aaron Kelly (0-1f) 0-1 each 8/20/17 St Michael's 1-15 – 2-9 Réalt na Mara Dunfanaghy Referee: Enda McFeely (St Mary's Convoy) Colm McFadden 0-6 (0-5f), Christy Toye 0-3, Andrew Kelly 1-0, Daniel McLaughlin 0-2, Liam Paul Ferry, Oisin Langan, Martin McElhinney, Hugh O'Donnell 0-1 each Report Jamie Brennan 2-2, Gary Clancy 0-2 (0-1f), Peter McGonigle, Tommy Hourihane, Christy Keaney, Cian McEniff, Alan Russell 0-1 each Round 3 8/27/17 Malin 1-10 – 6-12 St Michael's Malin Report 8/27/17 Réalt na Mara 2-19 – 1-8 Seán Mac Cumhaills Bundoran Report

Group 2

Team Pld W L D PF PA PD Pts Na Cealla Beaga 3 2 0 1 41 33 +8 5 Burt 3 2 0 1 36 29 +7 5 Termon 3 1 2 0 31 39 -8 2 Naomh Muire 3 0 3 0 31 38 -7 0 Round 1 5/6/17 Termon 1-12 – 1-10 Naomh Muire Termon Referee: Mark Dorrian (Gaeil Fhánada) Enda McCormick 1-6 (0-2f), Caolan McDaid, Daire McDaid (0-2f), Ricky Gallagher 0-2 each Report Paul Yank Boyle 1-2, Shaun Yank Boyle 0-4 (0-2f), Harry Harden 0-2 (0-1f), Brian Gillespie and Paddy McCafferty 0-1 each 5/28/17 Burt 0-14 – 0-14 Na Cealla Beaga Burt Referee: Liam McConigley (Downings) Joe Boyle 0-5 (0-4f), Paul McHugh (0-2f) and Ciaran Dowds 0-3 each, Mickey McCann, Conor Harkin, Christopher McDermott Report Christopher Murrin 0-5, Hugh McFadden 0-4 (0-3f, 1 '45), Michael Gallagher 0-3, Shane Molloy and Pauric Connaghon 0-1 each Round 2 8/19/17 Na Cealla Beaga 1-12 – 0-10 Termon Na Cealla Beaga Referee: Mark Dorrian (Gaeil Fhanada) Hugh McFadden 0-6 (0-3f, 2 '45), Evan Broderick 1-1, Christopher Murrin and Daniel Breslin 0-2 each, John Ban Gallagher 0-1 Report Enda McCormick 0-3 (0-2f), Kevin McDaid and Daire McDaid (0-1f) 0-2 each, Jimmy Gallagher, Caolan McDaid, James McSharry 0-1 each 8/19/17 Naomh Muire 1-6 – 0-11 Burt The Banks Referee: Connie Doherty (Naomh Conaill) Adam O'Brien 1-0, Sean Yank Boyle 0-3 (0-2f), Paul Yank Boyle 0-2 (0-1f), Tommy McHugh 0-1 Report Joe Boyle 0-4 (0-2f), Paul McHugh and Sean McHugh 0-2 each, Mark Coyle, Stephen Gillespie, Conor Harkin 0-1 each Round 3 8/27/17 Na Cealla Beaga 0-12 – 0-9 Naomh Muire Na Cealla Beaga Report 8/27/17 Burt 0-11 – 0-6 Termon Burt Report

Group 3

Team Pld W L D PF PA PD Pts Cill Chartha 3 3 0 0 52 36 +16 6 Gaoth Dobhair 3 2 1 0 52 33 +19 4 Glenswilly 3 1 2 0 32 36 -4 2 Ard an Rátha 3 0 3 0 29 60 -31 0 Round 1 5/7/17 Glenswilly 0-15 – 1-7 Ard an Rátha Glenswilly Referee: James Connors (St Eunan's) Gary McFadden (0-2f) and Michael Murphy (0-3f) 0-5 each, Ciaran Bonner 0-4, Neil Gallagher 0-2 Report C. J. Molloy 1-2 (0-2f), Gareth Concarr 0-3f, Lorcan O'Donnell and Jack Brennan 0-1 each 5/7/17 Cill Chartha 1-15 – 1-12 Gaoth Dobhair Cill Chartha Referee: Robbie O'Donnell (Naomh Mhuire) Stephen McBrearty 0-6, Paddy McBrearty 1-2 (1-0 pen, 0-1f), Conor Doherty 0-2, Eoin McHugh, Ciaran McGinley, Michael Hegarty, Andrew McClean, Ryan McHugh (0-1f) 0-1 each Report Odhrán Mac Niallais 0-4 (0-2f), Odhran Ferry 1-0, Gavin McBride 0-3 (0-1f), Niall Friel, Eamonn McGee, Naoise Ó Baoill, Daire Ó Baoill, Michael Carroll 0-1 each Round 2 8/20/17 Gaoth Dobhair 1-7 – 0-5 Glenswilly Gaoth Dobhair Referee: Jimmy White (Killybegs) James Carroll 0-5 (0-4f), Cian Mulligan 1-0, Daire Ó Baoill and Eamonn Collum 0-1 each Report Gary McFadden 0-2 (0-1f), Michael Murphy, Caolan Kelly, Caoimhín Marley 0-1 each 8/20/17 Ard an Rátha 1-6 – 3-9 Kilcar Ard an Rátha Referee: Seamus McGonigle (Aodh Ruadh) John Ross Molloy 1-1, Gareth Concarr 0-3f, CJ Molloy and Lorcan O'Donnell (1 '45) 0-1 each Report Paddy McBrearty 2-2 (0-1f), Eoin McHugh 1-1, Padraig Carr, Mark McHugh, Mark Sweeney, Brian O'Donnell, Conor Doherty, Ashley Carr 0-1 each Round 3 8/27/17 Gaoth Dobhair 2-21 – 1-7 Ard an Rátha Gaoth Dobhair Report 8/27/17 Cill Chartha 0-16 – 1-9 Glenswilly Cill Chartha Report

Group 4

Team Pld W L D PF PA PD Pts St Eunan's 3 3 0 0 52 27 +25 6 Naomh Conaill 3 2 1 0 40 41 -1 4 An Clochán Liath 3 1 2 0 37 43 -6 2 Four Masters 3 0 3 0 32 50 -18 0 Round 1 5/7/17 St Eunan's 1-21 – 0-8 Four Masters Pairc Tír Conaill Referee: Enda McFeely (St. Mary's Convoy) Niall O'Donnell 0-8 (0-6f), John Haran 1-2, Patrick McGowan 0-4, Michael Miller 0-2, Conor Morrison, Eamonn Doherty, Caolan Ward, Rory Kavanagh, Conor Gibbons 0-1 each Report Leo McHugh 0-3, Emmet Doogan and Thomas McGowan (0-2f) 0-2 each, Kevin McBrearty 0-1 5/7/17 Naomh Conaill 2-11 – 1-12 An Clochán Liath An Clochán Liath Referee: Mark Dorrian (Gaeil Fhánada) Kieran Gallagher and Logan Quinn 1-0 each, John O'Malley (0-1f), Brendan McDyer, Dermot Molloy (0-3f) 0-3 each, Eoin Waide and Leon Thompson 0-1 each Report Conor Greene 1-2 (0-1f), Noel McBride 0-3 (0-1f), Adam Neely (0-1f) and Shaun Sharkey (0-1f) 0-2 each, Corey Gallagher, Darren Curran, Ryan Greene 0-1 each Round 2 8/20/17 Naomh Conaill 1-9 – 0-11 Four Masters Glenties Referee: Andrew Mullin (Killybegs) Brendan McDyer 1-2, Ciarán Thompson 0-4, Dermot Molloy, Marty Doyle, Seamus Corcoran 0-1 each Report Thomas McGowan 0-4 (0-2f, 1 '45), Shaun Meehan 0-2 (0-1f), Karl Lacey, Kevin McBrearty, Leo McHugh, Caolan Loughney, Paddy Reid 0-1 each 8/20/17 St Eunan's 0-13 – 0-8 An Clochán Liath O'Donnell Park Referee: Shaun McLaughlin (Malin) Conor Gibbons 0-5, Rory Kavanagh 0-4, Niall O'Donnell 0-2 (0-1f), Caolan Ward and Darragh Mulgrew 0-1 each Report Ryan Greene 0-4 (0-3f), Cory Gallagher 0-2, Gerard Walsh and Conor Greene (0-1f) 0-1 each Round 3 8/27/17 St Eunan's 0-15 – 1-8 Naomh Conaill O'Donnell Park Report 8/27/17 An Clochán Liath 1-11 – 0-13 Four Masters Páirc Tír Conaill Report

Knockout stage

Last Eight

	Quarter-finals					Semi-finals					Final
	Cill Chartha		1-20
	Réalt na Mara		1-9			Cill Chartha		2-16
	St Michael's		0-13			St Michael's		0-7
	Burt		1-8								Cill Chartha		0-7
	Naomh Conaill		2-13								Naomh Conaill		0-4
	Na Cealla Beaga		0-15			Naomh Conaill		1-13
	Gaoth Dobhair		2-12			Gaoth Dobhair		1-12
	St Eunan's		0-16

Quarter-finals

9 September 2017 6:00 pm Quarter-final	St Michael's	0-13 – 1-8	Burt	O'Donnell Park Referee: Jimmy White (Killybegs)
	Colm McFadden (0-3f) and Andrew Kelly (0-1f) 0-4 each, Oisín Langan, Liam Paul Ferry, Daniel McLaughlin, Christy Toye, Hugh O'Donnell 0-1 each	Report	Paul McHugh (1 '45) and Joe Boyle (0-3f) 0-3 each, Conor Harkin 1-0, Mickey McCann and Ciaran Dowds 0-1 each

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9 September 2017 7:30 pm Quarter-final	Naomh Conaill	2-13 – 0-15	Cill Chartha	Ard an Rátha Referee: Robert O'Donnell (Naomh Mhuire)
	Dermot Molloy 1-3 (0-1f), Eoghan McGettigan 1-2, John O'Malley 0-4 (0-2f), Anthony Thompson 0-2, Ciarán Thompson and Brendan McDyer 0-1 each	Report	Hugh McFadden 0-12 (0-11f), Daniel Breslin, John Ban Gallgher, Evan Broderick 0-1 each

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10 September 2017 2:00 pm Quarter-final	Cill Chartha	1-20 – 1-9	Réalt na Mara	MacCumhaill Park Referee: Enda McFeely (St Mary's Convoy) Man of the Match: Paddy McBrearty
	Paddy McBrearty 0-8 (0-4f), Ryan McHugh 1-4 (0-2f, 1 '45), Ciaran McGinley, Eoin McHugh, Stephen McBrearty 0-2 each, Brian O'Donnell and Mark McHugh 0-1 each	Report	Christy Keaney 1-2 (1-0 pen), Gary Clancy 0-4 (0-2f, 1 '45), Alan Russell 0-2, Ciaran McCaughey 0-1

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10 September 2017 4:00 pm Quarter-final	Gaoth Dobhair	2-12 – 0-16	St Eunan's	MacCumhaill Park Referee: Shaun McLaughlin (Malin) Man of the Match: Cian Mulligan
	James Carroll 0-6 (0-4f), Cian Mulligan 1-2, Daire Ó Baoill 1-0, Jamie Reynolds, Christopher McFadden, Noel Kelly, Eamonn Collum 0-1 each	Report	Niall O'Donnell 0-9 (0-5f), Caolan Ward and Cillian Morrison 0-2 each, Conor Parke, Darragh Mulgrew, Sean McVeigh 0-1 each

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Semi-finals

23 September 2017 7:30 pm Semi-final	Cill Chartha	2-16 – 0-7	St Michael's	MacCumhaill Park Referee: Robbie O'Donnell (Naomh Mhuire) Man of the Match: Ryan McHugh
	Ryan McHugh 2-3 (0-1f), Ciaran McGinley, Stephen McBrearty, Eoin McHugh 0-3 each, Paddy McBrearty 0-2f, Mark McHugh and Mark Sweeney 0-1 each	Report	Colm McFadden 0-2 (0-1f), Michael Gallagher, Ciaran Gallagher, Liam Paul Ferry, Andrew Kelly, Brian McLaughlin 0-1 each

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30 September 2017 7:30 pm Semi-final	Naomh Conaill	1-13 – 1-12	Gaoth Dobhair	MacCumhaill Park Referee: Seamus McGonigle (Aodh Ruadh) Man of the Match: Leo McLoone
	Eoghan McGettigan 0-5 (0-4f), John O'Malley 0-4, Kieran Gallagher 1-0, Ciarán Thompson and Dermot Molloy 0-2 each	Report	Michael Carroll 1-1, Odhran MacNiallais 0-4 (0-2f), James Carroll 0-3 (0-2f), Niall Friel, Cian Mulligan, Daire O'Baoill, Gavin McBride (0-1f) 0-1 each

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Final

15 October 2017 4:00 pm Final	Cill Chartha	0-7 – 0-4	Naomh Conaill	MacCumhaill Park Attendance: 6,930 Referee: Enda McFeely (St Mary's Convoy) Man of the Match: Sean McMonagle
	Paddy McBrearty 0-3 (0-2f), Ryan McHugh, Michael Hegarty, Mark McHugh, Conor Doherty 0-1 each	Report	Dermot Molloy 0-2f, Ciarán Thompson and Eunan Doherty 0-1 each

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Relegation play-offs

Relegation semi-finals

24 September 2017

2:00 pm

Relegation semi-final

Seán Mac Cumhaills	1-14 – 1-13	Naomh Muire

Dunfanaghy

Referee: Jimmy White

7 October 2017

3:00 pm

Relegation semi-final

Four Masters	4-8 – 2-9	Ard an Rátha

Na Cealla Beaga

Referee: Jimmy White

Relegation final

28 October 2017

3:00 pm

Relegation final

Ard an Rátha	0-13 – 2-7	Naomh Muire

Glenties

Referee: Connie Doherty

18 November 2017

2:00 pm

Relegation final replay

Ard an Rátha	5-14 – 1-9	Naomh Muire

Glenties

Ulster Senior Club Football Championship

Main articles: 2017 Ulster Senior Club Football Championship and 2017–18 All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship

Gradam Shéamuis Mhic Géidigh

Mark McHugh was named as the recipient of the annual Gradam Shéamuis Mhic Géidigh. ^{[5] [6] [7]}

References

1. "Former New York player scores wonder goal in Donegal championship". JOE.ie. 2017.
2. "CJ Molloy scores a cracking goal in Donegal SFC". Hogan Stand . 8 May 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
3. "Donegal Democrat Archives". IrishNewsArchive.com . 16 January 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
4. "Donegal GAA Club Draws". Donegalnow.com. 24 March 2018. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
5. "Gradam Shéamuis Mhic Géidigh do Mark McHugh". RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta. 15 November 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
6. "McHugh named Donegal's best club footballer". Hogan Stand . 15 November 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
7. Walsh, Harry (15 November 2017). "Mark McHugh to receive 2017 Séamus Mac Géidigh Award". Donegal News . Retrieved 15 November 2017.