2020 Donegal Senior Football Championship

The 2020 Donegal Senior Football Championship was the 98th official edition of Donegal GAA's premier Gaelic football tournament for senior graded clubs in County Donegal. 16 teams compete with the winner representing Donegal in the Ulster Senior Club Football Championship. Generally, the championship begins with four groups of four and continues with a knock-out format. However, this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the format was changed.

Donegal S.F.C.
Season2020
ChampionsNaomh Conaill (5th title)
Relegated???
Winning Captain???
Man of the Match???
Winning Manager???
Matches played42[1]
← 2019
2021 →

Naomh Conaill were the defending champions after they defeated Gaoth Dobhair by 0–8 to 0–7 after a second replay in the 2019 final.[2]

The 2020 competition progressed as far as the final but this match was twice postponed due to issues arising from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Gaelic games. It was eventually played on Saturday, 14 August 2021, with Naomh Conaill winning a 5th title.

This was St Naul's return to the senior grade (for the first time since 2012) after a seven-year exodus concluded with the club winning the 2019 Donegal Intermediate Football Championship. The club defeated Cloich Cheann Fhaola by 1–10 to 0–10 in the IFC final.[3]

Team changes

[4] [5] [6]

The following teams changed division since the 2019 championship season.

Format alterations

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 County Championship took a different format to previous championships. All 16 teams compete in a league competition, playing four games each. A random draw determined which teams faced each other in each of the four rounds. No team could meet each other twice in the group stage. Each team played two home games and two away games in this league phase. The top eight teams went into a seeded draw for the Quarter-Finals (the top four had home advantage in the quarter-finals) while the bottom four teams entered a relegation playoff.

Group stage

All 16 teams entered the competition at this stage. The top two teams in each group advanced to the quarter-finals, while the bottom team of each group entered a relegation playoff.

League stage

All 12 teams entered the competition at this stage. A random draw determined which teams faced each other in each of the four rounds. No team could meet each other twice in the group stage. The top eight teams went into a seeded draw for the quarter-finals, while the bottom three teams entered a relegation playoff. If teams were level on points and a place in the quarter-final was at stake, a playoff would have been conducted to determine which team went through.

Knock-out stage
Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
         
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Quarter-finals

[37][38][39][40]

? August 2020 Quarter-Final ??? -vs- ??? ???
Referee: ???
? August 2020 Quarter-Final ??? -vs- ??? ???
Referee: ???
? August 2020 Quarter-Final ??? -vs- ??? ???
Referee: ???
? August 2020 Quarter-Final ??? -vs- ??? ???
Referee: ???

Semi-finals

The semi-final draw was held on 6 September, producing the same pairings as this stage of the previous competition.[41]

[42][43]

? September 2020 Semi-Final ??? -vs- ??? ???
Referee: ???
? September 2020 Semi-Final ??? -vs- ??? ???
Referee: ???

Final

The final was originally scheduled for 19 September 2020. However, it emerged on 21 September that a Kilcar player had tested positive for the coronavirus; initially the game was announced to be proceeding as scheduled.[44][45]

A short while later though, the final was postponed until 7 October.[46][47] However, the GAA suspended all club fixtures with immediate effect on 5 October, citing "post-match celebrations and a lack of social distancing at certain events" elsewhere in the country (i.e. Cork, Meath) as "disappointing and problematic".[48]

Naomh Conaill retained the title, in the most controversial of circumstances, a 4–2 penalty shootout victory after extra-time on Saturday, 14 August 2021.[49] Naomh Conaill's opponent lodged an appeal against the result on Tuesday, 17 August 2021.[50]

Eventually Naomh Conaill's victory was allowed, though the club was fined.[51][52]

19 September 2020
7 October 2020
14 August 2021: 8pm Final		 Naomh Conaill
Naomh Conaill
Naomh Conaill 		P-vs-P
P-vs-P
 Kilcar
Kilcar
Kilcar 		MacCumhaill Park
Referee: Mark Dorrian (Gaeil Fhánada)[53]

Relegation play-offs

The four bottom-placed teams from the league phase entered the relegation play-Offs. The 13th and 14th placed teams had home advantage in the relegation semi-finals and played the 16th and 15th placed teams respectively. The two winners maintained their senior status for 2021. The two losers contested a relegation final to determine which team would be relegated to the 2021 I.F.C.

September 2020 Relegation Semi-Final ??? -vs- ??? ???
Referee: ???
September 2020 Relegation Semi-Final ??? -vs- ??? ???
Referee: ???
September 2020 Relegation Final ??? -vs- ??? ???
Referee: ???

Ulster Senior Club Football Championship

No Ulster Senior Club Football Championship was held due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Gaelic games.

Television rights

The following matches were broadcast live on national television, unless otherwise indicated:

Round RTÉ TG4
League Stage: Round 2[54]
—
 St Eunan's v Kilcar

The League Stage: Round 4 matches were all streamed live and free-to-air on Sunday 23 August.[55]

References
  1. Molloy, Edward (18 November 2021). "Donegal Senior Club Championship Scorers 2021". Donegal News. p. 66. Total Scored in 2021 Championship 82–1001 (1247pts) 2020 total was 98–956 (1250pts) Total games played = 46 (42 in 2020) Scoring average per match = 27.1pts (29.76pts in 2020) Total number different scorers = 226 + 2 Own goals by opponents (201 in 2020) Top scoring goalie is again Andrew Walsh Glenfin 0.04 Seven of last year's players feature this year in scoring charts. Six of current county senior panel make the [2021] list. [Ed: These seem to have been M. Murphy, O. Gallen, N. O'Donnell, P. McBrearty, M. Langan and P. Mogan, in descending order with 'Top 18 Scorers' given by Edward Molloy for 2021].
  2. "Naomh Conaill -vs- Gweedore (2019 S.F.C. Final Second Replay)". Irishtimes.com. 30 October 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  3. "St. Naul's -vs- Cloughaneely (2019 I.F.C. Final)". Donegaldaily.com. 13 October 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  4. "Donegal Democrat Archives". Irishnewsarchive.com. 16 January 2020. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  5. "2020 Donegal GAA Club Draws". Donegalsportshub.com. 9 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  6. "Donegal HoganStand". Hoganstand.com. 24 March 2020. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  7. "St Eunan's open Donegal SFC with win in Bundoran – Donegal Daily". 31 July 2020.
  8. "St Michael's post impressive win over Glenswilly in Donegal SFC opener". 31 July 2020.
  9. "County champions Naomh Conaill floor Milford in Donegal SFC opener – Donegal Daily". August 2020.
  10. "Kilcar turn on the style to put Termon to the sword with 26-point win in Towney – Donegal Daily". August 2020.
  11. "Ward drives Glenfin to victory in Killybegs". August 2020.
  12. "Gaoth Dobhair chug through the gears to win at Four Masters". 2 August 2020.
  13. "Rose tilts it the way for St Naul's in dramatic late win over Dungloe". 2 August 2020.
  14. "Gallen drives MacCumhaill's to narrow win over Ardara – Donegal Daily". 2 August 2020.
  15. "St Eunan's come back from the dead to seal dramatic draw with Kilcar". 7 August 2020.
  16. "Gaoth Dobhair make it two from two with comprehensive win over Killybegs". 8 August 2020.
  17. "Brennans delivery for Bundoran in high-scoring affair in Termon". 8 August 2020.
  18. "Glenfin beat St Nauls - Frank McGlynn reacts". 9 August 2020.
  19. "Colm McFadden hits Milford for 1-9 as St Michael's fight back to avoid banana skin – Donegal Daily". 8 August 2020.
  20. "McGettigan stars as Naomh Conaill cruise to victory against Ardara – Donegal Daily". 9 August 2020.
  21. "MacCumhaill's come through fighting to see of Dungloe". 9 August 2020.
  22. "Glenswilly do just enough for win over Four Masters". 9 August 2020.
  23. "Naomh Conaill run riot against Termon in Glenties – Donegal Daily". 14 August 2020.
  24. "Late goal spree gives Four Masters vital win over Dungloe – Donegal Daily". 15 August 2020.
  25. "Sunshine stroll at St Naul's maintains Gaoth Dobhair's perfect start". 15 August 2020.
  26. "Govorov goal powers Bundoran to win over Milford – Donegal Daily". 16 August 2020.
  27. "St Michael's do just enough against Ardara for third SFC win". 16 August 2020.
  28. "Kilcar wallop Glenswilly in Towney in Donegal SFC – Donegal Daily". 16 August 2020.
  29. "Morrison injury puts a damper on St Eunan's win in Killybegs – Donegal Daily". 16 August 2020.
  30. "St Eunan's cruise past St Michael's to confirm home quarter-final – Donegal Daily". 23 August 2020.
  31. "Killybegs retain senior status with win in Dungloe – Donegal Daily". 23 August 2020.
  32. "Forward motion drives Bundoran to fine win in Ardara – Donegal Daily". 23 August 2020.
  33. "Mulreany saves penalty as St Naul's have too much for Termon". 23 August 2020.
  34. "Naomh Conaill see off Glenswilly to top the charts after round one – Donegal Daily". 23 August 2020.
  35. "Late Four Masters leveller denies Milford safety". 23 August 2020.
  36. "McGinley goal powers Kilcar to big win over Glenfin – Donegal Daily". 23 August 2020.
  37. "St Michael's leave Kilcar aggrieved after narrow loss in titanic struggle – Donegal Daily". 5 September 2020.
  38. "Donegal SFC: Naomh Conaill remain on course - HoganStand".
  39. "Mulligan pulls it from the fire for Gaoth Dobhair to leave MacCumhaill's heart-broken". 6 September 2020.
  40. "St Eunan's hit eight goals to rout Bundoran by 29 points – Donegal Daily". 6 September 2020.
  41. "Tasty SFC semi-finals ahead". Donegal News. 6 September 2020. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  42. "Kilcar battle through the wind and rain to see off Gaoth Dobhair and seal Donegal SFC final spot – Donegal Daily". 12 September 2020.
  43. "Late winner gets Naomh Conaill over the line in controversial win over St Eunan's in SFC semi-final". 13 September 2020.
  44. "Donegal SFC Final: County decider still on despite Kilcar player's Covid-19 positive". BBC Sport. 21 September 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  45. "Green light for Donegal SFC final despite Covid-19 case". Hogan Stand. 22 September 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  46. "Donegal SFC final moved back to 7 October". Hogan Stand. 22 September 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  47. "Donegal SFC Final: Sunday's decider off after Kilcar player's Covid-19 positive". BBC Sport. 22 September 2020. Retrieved 22 September 2020.
  48. Lawlor, Damian (5 October 2020). "GAA suspends all club fixtures with immediate effect". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  49. Campbell, Peter (14 August 2021). "Naomh Conaill claim Donegal title after penalty shoot-out win against Kilcar". RTÉ Sport. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  50. Craig, Frank (19 August 2021). "County final saga set to rumble on!". Donegal News. p. 72. The Towney outfit's appeal was lodged with the Donegal GAA's Competitions Controls Committee (CCC) on Tuesday evening.
  51. "Kilcar 'shocked and appalled' as 2020 final saga closes". RTÉ Sport. 9 February 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  52. Gartland, Niall (17 March 2022). "New Kilcar boss Cunningham has his eyes on the road ahead". Donegal News. p. 67. Naomh Conaill were allowed to keep their title even though they were fined for fielding too many substitutes in their penalty shoot-out win last October, a decision which Kilcar grudgingly accepted even though it clearly rankled with the club.
  53. "Dorrian set to referee his first senior final". Donegal News. 12 August 2021. p. 62. Dorrian is a member of An Garda Síochána and is based in County Monaghan at present.
  54. O'Toole, Fintan (27 July 2020). "Donegal, Wexford and Mayo club matches to feature in TG4's upcoming GAA coverage: Kilcar against St Eunan's and the clash of Breaffy facing Castlebar Mitchels are part of the coverage on 7–9 August". The42.ie. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  55. "Super Sunday in Donegal SFC". Hogan Stand. 23 August 2020. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
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