2020 season | |
---|---|
Manager | Declan Bonner |
Stadium | MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey |
NFL D1 | 5th |
All-Ireland SFC | Did not compete |
Ulster SFC | Finalist |
Dr McKenna Cup | Semi-finalist (walkover) |
The following is a summary of Donegal county football team's 2020 season. The season was suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1] The season resumed in mid-October of the same year.[2]
Eight players completed the league and championship season while awaiting the outcome of the 2020 Donegal Senior Football Championship final (postponed following a case of COVID-19 at the Kilcar club); these were Patrick McBrearty, Ryan McHugh, Eoin McHugh and Andrew McClean, as well as the following from their opponents Naomh Conaill: Ciarán Thompson, Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí, Eoghan McGettigan and Ethan O'Donnell.[3]
Above is the starting lineup vs Cavan on 22 November 2020
Players added to the panel included Ethan O'Donnell, Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí, Andrew McClean, Conor O'Donnell, Ciaran Diver, Enda McCormick, Aaron Deeney (St Eunan's) and Brian O'Donnell.[5][6]
Cian Mulligan joined the panel again after departing the previous season.[6] Conor Morrison, who played six games in the 2019 season before deciding to depart in March, returned.
Michael Carroll was recalled after his midfield performances in the 2019 Donegal SFC.[6] Tony McClenaghan also returned, following his injury.[6]
Frank McGlynn retired ahead of the 2020 season.[7][8]
Odhrán Mac Niallais did not return, having previously opted out of the 2019 season.[9]
Main article: 2020 Dr McKenna Cup |
Jason McGee had hip surgery in Coventry, England, on 28 November 2019, causing him to miss the opening part of the season.[10]
Eamonn Doherty, Hugh McFadden and Odhrán McFadden-Ferry were all struck down by "January flu" as the season opened.[11]
Main article: 2020 National Football League (Ireland) |
Donegal competed in Division 1 for the 2020 National League season. The GAA published the fixture schedule on 26 November 2019.[12][13][14] On 12 March 2020, the GAA suspended the National League in mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1] Games resumed in October 2020.[2] The footballers travelled the round-trip of 900 kilometres to Tralee in their own cars to play Kerry in the first game, a feat described in the Irish Independent as the "most eye-catching example of GAA expeditions in the Covid era".[15]
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Kerry (C) | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 133 | 112 | +21 | 11 | National Football League champions |
2 | Dublin | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 126 | 112 | +14 | 10 | Runners–up |
3 | Galway | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 128 | 127 | +1 | 8[a] | |
4 | Tyrone | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 109 | 126 | −17 | 8[a] | |
5 | Donegal | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 117 | 109 | +8 | 7 | |
6 | Monaghan | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 113 | 114 | −1 | 6 | |
7 | Mayo (R) | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 122 | 123 | −1 | 5 | Relegation to 2021 NFL Division 2 |
8 | Meath (R) | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 103 | 128 | −25 | 1 |
25 January 2020 1 | Donegal | 0-19 (19) – (19) 2-13 | Mayo | Ballybofey | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
19:15 GMT (UTC+0) | Venue: MacCumhaill Park | ||||
Report | Referee: David Coldrick (Meath)
|
2 February 2020 2 | Meath | 0-07 (07) – (17) 3-08 | Donegal | Navan | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
15:30 GMT (UTC+0) | Venue: Páirc Tailteann | ||||
Report | Referee: Conor Lane (Cork)
|
9 February 2020 3 | Donegal | 2-07 (13) – (14) 2-08 | Galway | Letterkenny | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
15:00 GMT (UTC+0) | Venue: O'Donnell Park | ||||
Report | Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan)
|
22 February 2020 4 | Dublin | 1-15 (18) – (17) 1-14 | Donegal | Drumcondra, Dublin | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
19:00 GMT (UTC+0) | Venue: Croke Park | ||||
Report | Referee: Maurice Deegan (Laois)
|
1 March 2020 5 | Donegal | 2-12 (18) – (08) 0-08 | Monaghan | Ballyshannon | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
14:00 GMT (UTC+0) | Venue: Fr Tierney Park | ||||
Report | Referee: David Coldrick (Meath)
|
18 October 2020 6 | Donegal | 2-17 (23) – (19) 2-13 | Tyrone | Ballybofey | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
16:00 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: MacCumhaill Park | ||||
Report | Referee: Jerome Henry (Mayo) TV: TG4
|
24 October 2020 7 | Kerry | 2-18 (24) – (10) 0-10 | Donegal | Tralee | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
14:00 IST (UTC+1) | Venue: Austin Stack Park | ||||
Report | Referee: Conor Lane (Cork) TV: eir Sport
|
Main article: 2020 Ulster Senior Football Championship |
The draw for the 2020 Ulster SFC took place on RTÉ Radio 1 on the morning of 9 October 2019.[16][17][18]
Paddy McGrath sustained an injury during training ahead of the 2020 Ulster SFC semi-final, which ruled him out.[19]
Ciarán Thompson and Oisín Gallen sustained injuries during training ahead of the 2020 Ulster SFC final; Thompson could only make a substitute appearance in the game and Gallen could not play at all.[20]
Preliminary round | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||||||||||
Donegal | 1–13 | ||||||||||||||||||
Tyrone | 1–11 | ||||||||||||||||||
Donegal | 1–22 | ||||||||||||||||||
Armagh | 0–13 | ||||||||||||||||||
Derry | 0–15 | ||||||||||||||||||
Armagh | 0–17 | ||||||||||||||||||
Donegal | 0–12 | ||||||||||||||||||
Cavan | 1–13 | ||||||||||||||||||
Fermanagh | 0–11 | ||||||||||||||||||
Down | 1–15 | ||||||||||||||||||
Down | 1–13 | ||||||||||||||||||
Cavan | 1–14 | ||||||||||||||||||
Antrim | 0–9 | ||||||||||||||||||
Monaghan | 1–17 | Cavan | 0–13 | ||||||||||||||||
Cavan | 2–15 |
Donegal | 1-13 (16) – (14) 1-11 | Tyrone |
---|---|---|
(HT: 1-5 – 0-6) | ||
Gls: M Langan 1. Pts: C Thompson 7 (5fs), M Langan 2, J Brennan 2, O Gallen 1, P Brennan 1. |
Gls: D Canavan 1. Pts: D McCurry 3 (1f), M Bradley 2, M Donnelly 1, C McKenna 1 (f), P Harte 1, F Burns 1, N Morgan 1 (45), D Canavan 1. |
Donegal | 1-22 (25) – (13) 0-13 | Armagh |
---|---|---|
(HT: 1-12 – 0-3) | ||
Gls: P Mogan 1. Pts: M Langan 3, P Mogan 2, R McHugh 2, J Brennan 2, C McGonigle 2 (1m), C Thompson 2 (1f), N O’Donnell 2 (1m), M Murphy 2 (2f), EB Gallagher 1, H McFadden 1 (m), P McBrearty 1, O Gallen 1, A McClean 1 |
Pts: R O’Neill 7 (6f, 1x’45′), J Clarke 2, C Turbitt 2 (1m), O O’Neil 1, N Grimley 1 (1m). |
Donegal | 0-12 (12) – (16) 1-13 | Cavan |
---|---|---|
(HT: 0-9 - 0-7) | ||
Pts: P McBrearty 4 (2f), N O’Donnell 2, C McGonigle 2, R McHugh 1, P Mogan 1, M Langan 1, M Murphy 1. |
Gls: C Madden 1. Pts: C Madden 2, J Smith 2, O Kiernan 2, G McKiernan 2 (2f), J McLoughlin 1, G Smith 1, C Brady 1, T Galligan 1, M Reilly 1. |
Main article: 2020 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship |
Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Gaelic games, the GAA announced that there would be no back-door route into the All-Ireland Championship. Therefore, because Donegal did not win the Ulster Championship, they did not qualify for the 2020 All-Ireland Championship.
Three nominations, for Peadar Mogan, Michael Langan and Ciarán Thompson[40][41]