This year’s instalment of the competition will start two days after the 2020 Championship comes to an end as August’s delayed final between Naomh Conaill and CLG Chill Chartha is set to be replayed.

The championship will be made up of 16 sides including both 2020 finalists and 2020 Donegal Intermediate Football Championship winners Aodh Ruadh.

The Donegal SFC will begin with a league phase that takes place over four consecutive weekends.

The top eight will make the quarter-finals which will be played on the weekend of October 17 with the semi-finals scheduled a week after on the weekend of October 24.

The bottom eight teams will contend the relegation playoffs, with the format for the playoffs yet to be decided by Donegal GAA’s Competitions Controls Committee (CCC).

In the event of a team retirement due to Covid 19 in the Championship stage, a team from the relegation playoffs will take their place – neither side will be at risk of relegation.

The 2021 Donegal SFC final is penned in for the weekend of November 7, meaning that the 2020 winners will possibly have their title for less than two months.

Naomh Conaill are the holders after they won the 2019 Donegal SFC after two replays and will be hoping to enter the 2021 Championship with the title of champion tied to their name.

Chill Chartha will want to change that and make themselves the favourites to retain their crown, should they win the delayed 2020 final.

The pair are the favourites for the 2021 title with both of them at 5/2 at the bookies.

Aodh Ruadh make their return to the senior level of football in the county after their triumph over Cloughaneely in O’Donnell Park last September.

With a Division 1 return also sealed for next season, the side could be one to watch throughout the Championship.

Aodh Ruadh are 33/1 outsiders but the Ballyshannon club could spring an upset.

The 2021 Michael Murphy Sports Senior Football Championship gets underway when Sean McCumhaill welcome St Michael’s to Pairc Sheain McCumhaill.

A list of all teams involved can be seen below.

Teams

Ardara

St Michael’s

CLG Naomh Náille

CLG An Tearmainn

Four Masters

Gaoth Dobhair

Gleann Fhinne

CLG Na Cealla Beaga

Aodh Ruadh Ballyshannon

Naomh Conaill

CLG Chill Chartha

Sean Mac Cumhaill

Milford

Naomh Ádhamhnáin/St Eunan’s

Gleann tSúilí

Realt na Mara CLG

Fixtures and Results

Round 1

Sun, 12 Sept, Eamonn Byrne Memorial Park, Na Cealla Beaga 1-7 – 1-13 Gleann tSúilí, 13.30
Sun, 12 Sept, Pearse Memorial Park, Ard an Ratha 1-10 – 2-6 Realt na Mara, 15.00
Sun, 12 Sept, Machaire Gathlán, Gaoth Dobhair 4-21 – 2-7 Milford, 15.30
Sun, 12 Sept, Páirc Ui Dhomhnaill, St Eunans 1-12 – 1-14 Cill Chartha, 18.00

Sat, 18 Sept, Davy Brennan Memorial Park, Naomh Conaill v Gleann Fhinne, 14.00
Sun, 19 Sept, Páirc Gearoid Ó’Gallochoir, CLG Naomh Náille v An Tearmainn, 14.00

Sun, 19 Sept, Páirc Tírconaill, Four Masters v Aodh Ruadh Ballyshannon, 14:00

Sun, 19 Sept, Páirc Sheáin MhicCumhaill, Sean Mac Cumhaill v St Michaels, 16.00

Round 2

Sat, 25 Sept, Moyle Park, Milford – Ardara, 15.00

Sat, 25 Sept, The Bridge, St Michael’s – Gaoth Dobhair, 15.30

Sat, 25 Sept, Termon, An Tearmainn – St Eunan’s, 16.00

Sat, 25 Sept, Gaelic Park, Realt Na Mara CLG – CLG Na Cealla Beaga, 16.30

Sun, 26 Sept, Pairc Naomh Columba, Gleann tSúilí – Sean Mac Cumhaill, 14.00

Sun, 26 Sept, Pairc Taobhoige, Gleann Fhinne – CLG Naomh Náille, 14.00

Sun, 26 Sept, Father Tierney Park, Aodh Ruadh Ballyshannon – Naomh Conaill, 14.00

Sun, 26 Sept, Pairc Taobhoige, CLG Chill Chartha – Four Masters, 17.30

Odds 

CLG Chill Chartha 5/2

Naomh Conaill 5/2

Gaoth Dobhair 3/1

Naomh Ádhamhnáin/St Eunan’s 4/1

St Michael’s 14/1

Sean Mac Cumhaills 16/1

Gleann tSúilí 20/1

CLG Réalt na Mara 25/1

Aodh Ruadh 33/1

Gleann Fhinne 50/1

Milford 50/1

CLG Na Cealla Beaga 66//1

Four Masters 66/1

Naomh Náille 66/1

An Tearmainn 100/1

Ardara 100/1

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The replay will take place on Wednesday, September 8th at 8 pm in Páirc Sheáin Mhic Cumhaill in Ballybofey.

Kilcar lodged an appeal after their penalty shoot-out loss to Naomh Conaill claiming that the victors used too many substitutes in the extra 20 minutes.

Naomh Conaill won the game after a 4-2 penalty shootout victory against Kilcar on Saturday, August 14 and lodged their appeal three days later.

Rule 2.4(ii) of the GAA’s official guide says that only three substitutes can be used in extra-time – Kilcar claimed that their opponents used four in this period and Donegal GAA’s Competitions Controls Committee found this to be true.

In correspondence to the clubs, Donegal explained the decision-making process: “Naomh Conaill CLG made four substitutions in the course of the extra time played and as a result committed a breach of Rule 2.3(ii) Rules of Specification – The Players – Official Guide 2021 Part 2.

“That the breach of the said Rule 2.3(ii) Rules of Specification – The Players – Official Guide 2021 Part 2 by Naomh Conaill CLG was an Infraction rendering Naomh Conaill CLG liable to the penalties set out in Rule 6.44(b)(ii) Official Guide 2021 Part 1, including but not limited to the award of the game to the Objector.”

On the county board’s website, Donegal GAA have stated that “there will be knock-on effects for the scheduling of the League games of the Senior Championship – the precise details of any changes are still to be formalised.

“There will be no impact on the Intermediate or Junior Championship nor is it anticipated that the knockout rounds and relegation play-offs for the Senior Championship will be affected.”

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Rule 2.4(ii) of the GAA’s official guide says that only three substitutes can be used in extra-time – Kilcar is claiming that their opponents used four in this period.

Naomh Conaill retained their county championship crown after a 4-2 penalty shootout victory against Kilcar.

Kilcar’s appeal was lodged with the Donegal GAA’s Competitions Controls Committee (CCC) on Tuesday evening.

The Donegal Competitions’ Controls Committee (CCC) has confirmed it has been in communication with the 2020 Donegal SFC runners-up.

The CCC will meet in due course to discuss the objection and will then notify the Naomh Conaill club, who will, in turn, have three days to reply.

If the outcome of the appeal is in favour of Kilcar, the game could either be awarded to Kilcar or replayed, or Naomh Conaill could be fined for their actions.

The game in Ballybofey on Saturday went to penalties after two ten-minute periods of extra-time could not separate the sides.

Ciaran Thompson was the hero on the night for the victors as he slotted home the winning penalty following a strong individual performance.

The Donegal forward carried the club on the attacking end with a 1-5 performance, including a first-half penalty.

The 26-year-old scored all of his team’s points in the first half as the sides went in level at the break at 0-6 to 1-3.

His side went on to win the tie and make him one of the few players to win the Dr Maguire Cup two times in a row.

Paddy McBrearty kept Kilcar in the game when their opponents threatened to pull away and helped the side to a penalty shoot-out with the defending champions.

Ryan and Mark McHugh missed their penalties and gave Thompson the golden opportunity, which he converted.

However, the result could come undone if the appeal is successful.

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