2012 Donegal county football team season
The 2012 Donegal county football team season was the franchise's 108th season since the County Board's foundation in 1905. The team ended the season as All-Ireland champions after winning Sam Maguire MMXII.
| 2012 season | |
|---|---|
| Manager | Jim McGuinness |
| Stadium | MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey |
| All-Ireland SFC | Winners |
| Ulster SFC | Winners |
Jim McGuinness returned for his second season as the team's manager. Pioneer of the game's revolutionary tactic The System,[1] he entered the season having won the 2011 Ulster Senior Football Championship in his first season at the helm. Consecutive Ulster titles were a possibility, a first in team history, and the 2012 Ulster Senior Football Championship duly followed. McGuinness then became only the second manager, after Brian McEniff at the helm of the fabled Sam MCMXCII side, to lead Donegal to the All-Ireland title.
Panel
↑ Team as per Donegal v Mayo in the 2012 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final on 23 September 2012
Competitions
Dr McKenna Cup
Conor McManus from Cork was part of the panel after transferring to Cill Chartha due to work commitments and being called into McGuinness's panel. He made his Donegal debut against UUJ at O'Donnell Park on 8 January, playing in midfield beside Neil Gallagher. He was half-time substitute against Cavan at Breffni Park on 15 January. His third and final appearance for the county came as a corner-forward against Derry at MacCumhaill Park on 18 January. McManus did not participate in Donegal's league campaign as by then his work brought him to Limerick, allowing him to return to his native club Clonakilty.[2]
League
Ulster Senior Football Championship
| Cavan | 1-10 - 1-16 | Donegal |
|---|---|---|
| N McDermott 1-1 (1-0 pen, 0-1f), E Keating 0-5, D Givney 0-2, G McKiernan, J Brady 0-1 each | Report | C McFadden 1-6 (1-0 pen, 0-5f), R Kavanagh 0-3, M McHugh, L McLoone 0-2 each, N McGee, F McGlynn, N Gallagher 0-1 each |
| Donegal | 2-13 - 0-9 | Derry |
|---|---|---|
| C McFadden L McLoone 1-0, M Murphy 0-3 (3f), P McBrearty, D Walsh 0-2 each, R Bradley, N Gallagher, A Thompson, F McGlynn 0-1 each. | Report | P Bradley 0-6 (5f), M Lynch, SL McGoldrick, E Bradley (’45) 0-1 each. |
| Tyrone | 0-10 - 0-12 | Donegal |
|---|---|---|
| Stephen O'Neill, J McMahon (2f) 0-2 each, C Clarke, C Gormley (45), D Carlin, Sean O'Neill; Mark Donnelly, M Penrose 0-1 each | Report | M Murphy (3f), C McFadden (2f) 0-3 each, R Kavanagh 0-2, R Bradley, K Lacey, P McBrearty, M McHugh 0-1 each |
| Down | 0-13 - 2-18 | Donegal |
|---|---|---|
| L Doyle (2f) 0-4 , D O'Hare (1f) 0-2 , C Laverty, A Rogers, K McKernan, A Brannigan, C Maginn, D Hughes, E McCartan 0-1 each | Report | L McLoone, F McGlynn 1-0 each, C McFadden (3f) 0-6 , Declan Walsh, R Bradley, M McHugh, M McElhinney 0-2 each, David Walsh, D McLaughlin, P McBrearty, M Murphy 0-1 each |
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
| Donegal | 1-12 - 1-10 | Kerry |
|---|---|---|
| C McFadden (1-00sl, 2f) 1-05 , M Murphy (2f) 0-03 , L McLoone, P McBrearty, C Toye, K Lacey 0-01 each | Report | C Cooper (2f) 0-04 , K Donaghy 1-00, A Maher 0-02, B Sheehan (1f), Declan O'Sullivan, J O'Donoghue, P Galvin 0-01 each |
| Cork | 1-11 - 0-16 | Donegal |
|---|---|---|
| C O'Neill 1-03, C O'Neill 0-03, P Kerrigan 0-02, D Goulding (f), P Kelly, A Walsh 0-01 each | Report | C McFadden (2f, 1 '45) 0-05 , M Murphy (3f) 0-03 , K Lacey 0-02, M McHugh, A Thompson, F McGlynn, D Walsh, M McElhinney, R Kavanagh 0-01 each |
Post-season
Played under floodlights[3] at Casement Park in Belfast on Saturday 3 November 2012, this game was held in memory of Michaela McAreavey. Donegal, in their first outing as All-Ireland champions, played a team comprising players from the rest of Ulster in an event intended to raise funds for The Michaela Foundation.[4][5]
Kit
Management team
- Manager: Jim McGuinness
- Selectors: Rory Gallagher, Maxi Curran
- Goalkeeping coach: Pat Shovelin
- Strength and conditioning coach: Adam Speer[6]
- Surgical consultant: Kevin Moran
- Team doctor: Charlie McManus
- Team physio: Dermot Simpson
- Physiotherapists: Charlie Molloy, Paul Coyle, Donal Reid, JD.[7]
Awards
All Stars
Donegal achieved eight All Stars, a record for a single season in team history. Karl Lacey was named All Stars Footballer of the Year.
| Pos. | Player | Team | Appearances |
|---|---|---|---|
| GK |  Paul Durcan | Donegal | 1 |
| RCB | Neil McGee | Donegal | 2 |
| FB |  Ger Cafferkey | Mayo | 1 |
| LCB | Keith Higgins | Mayo | 1 |
| RWB | Lee Keegan | Mayo | 1 |
| CB | Karl LaceyFOTY | Donegal | 4 |
| LWB | Frank McGlynn | Donegal | 1 |
| MD | Neil Gallagher | Donegal | 1 |
| MD |  Aidan Walsh | Cork | 2 |
| RWF |  Paul Flynn | Dublin | 2 |
| CF | Alan Dillon | Mayo | 2 |
| LWF | Mark McHugh | Donegal | 1 |
| RCF | Colm O'Neill | Cork | 1 |
| FF | Michael Murphy | Donegal | 1 |
| LCF | Colm McFadden | Donegal | 1 |
- County breakdown
- Donegal = 8
- Mayo = 4
- Cork = 2
- Dublin = 1
The Sunday Game Team of the Year
The Sunday Game selected Paul Durcan, Neil McGee, Frank McGlynn, Karl Lacey, Mark McHugh, Neil Gallagher, Colm McFadden and Michael Murphy on its Team of the Year.[8]
Donegal News Sports Personality of the Month
- Frank McGlynn: June[9]
- Neil Gallagher: August[10]
- Michael Murphy: September[11]
See also
- "Jimmy's Winning Matches", a song
- Jimmy's Winnin' Matches, a documentary
References
- Duggan, Keith (2 September 2014). "Neil McGee: pushing bodies on was key to Dublin upset — 'We went away to a training camp for four, five days and Jim more or less broke down their game plan and we exploited it'". The Irish Times. Irish Times Trust. p. 2. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
One of the lazier stereotypes about the Donegal defensive game — generally labelled 'the system' — is that it somehow does the work on its own. But McGee had plenty of moments in the spotlight with Brogan on Sunday and took his turn roaming forward like the other Donegal back six.
- O'Toole, Fintan (22 August 2012). "Sampling Gaelic football life with the Rebels and Tír Chonaill". The42.ie. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
- Bogue, Declan (25 October 2012). "GAA Match for Michaela squads announced". The Belfast Telegraph. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
- Bogue, Declan (27 October 2012). "GAA stars to turn out for Michaela". The Belfast Telegraph. Independent News & Media. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
- "Jim McGuinness names strong Donegal side to compete in Match for Michaela". The Score. 25 October 2012. Archived from the original on 25 February 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2012.
- Craig, Frank (17 September 2020). "Devenney doesn't expect the decider to be a classic". Donegal News. p. 57.
Devenney said [regarding the 2020 Donegal SFC final, ahead of its second postponement]: 'Kilcar are so well conditioned. They've Adam Speer in the background. He's a top man. He was with Donegal in 2012 and he knows how to get teams into that frame of physical fitness'.
- Craig, Frank. "Interview: Keepers deserve their 'Pat' on the back". Ardara. Archived from the original on 25 February 2015.
As well as Pat, the hospital's surgical consultant, Kevin Moran; team doctor, Charlie McManus and team physio, Dermot Simpson, are all part of McGuinness' backroom team.
- Maguire, Stephen (23 September 2012). "Donegal team clean up on Sunday Game Team of the Year". Retrieved 23 September 2012.
- McNulty, Chris (26 July 2012). "Frank McGlynn – June 2012 Donegal News Sports Personality Winner". Donegal News. Retrieved 26 July 2012.
- McNulty, Chris (10 September 2012). "Neil Gallagher – August 2012 Donegal News Sports Personality winner". Donegal News. Retrieved 10 September 2012.
- McNulty, Chris (19 October 2012). "Michael Murphy – September 2012 Donegal News Sports Personality Winner". Donegal News. Retrieved 19 October 2012.