Donegal Triumph Twenty Years on to take All Ireland

GAA All Ireland Final 2012
Sunday, 23 September, Croke Park, Dublin
Throw-in: 15:30 BST
Att: 82,269

Donegal 2-11 0-13 Mayo

Ulster Champions Donegal have won the All Ireland football championship, doing so for only the second time in the clubs history, beating Connacht champions, Mayo.

Going into the prestigious All Ireland, Donegal manager Jim McGuiness had the luxury of a full strength side to choose from, having several players recovered from minor injuries.

Wing-forward Ryan Bradley, who during the semi-final win over Cork was cause for concern having been forced to come off due to a shoulder injury, has retained his starting place.

Mayo, who were looking for their first All Ireland victory since 1951 made one change, with Colm Boyle replacing Chris Barrett at half-back.

Boyle was absent during the victorious semi final over All-Ireland champions Dublin with illness.

Defender Lee Keegan, who dislocated a finger during the Dublin win, is back in the side as part of the half-back line and, with Andy Moran still out, keeper David Clarke retains the Westerners' captaincy.


An early goal brace from Captain Michael Murphy and Top scorer Colm McFadden laid the foundations for triumph exactly twenty years after their first taste of the GAA showpiece.

Captain Murphy struck right footed inside the area to take first blood just two minutes in, whilst McFadden, who came into the contest as Donegal’s most prolific marksman this season notching up an impressive 3-28, got off the mark on the 11th minute rifling in a left footed drive inside the area, leaving keeper Clarke no chance.


That initial lead helped settle the gold and green of Donegal almost immediately, showing their quality in possession and superior handling, evidence of why they were favourites going into the annual All Ireland clash, in what was a frenetic spectacle from the off.

In contrast, Mayo were slow out of the blocks, on edge and nervy on the ball, only fuelling the dominance Donegal were showing.
Mayo’s failure to settle was encapsulated with a string of late tackles resulting in no less than four of their players on the receiving end of yellow cards dished out by resident referee Maurice Deegan.

An ominous feeling at this point could be observed round the ground, and by a majority pro Mayo crowd on hand at the Irish centre in Huddersfield.

Although favourites, Donegal didn’t have it all their own way, as Mayo grew into the first half and the game, diligently fighting back with a strong showing leaving the underdogs 2-4 to 0-7 down going into half time.

Such a strong finish to the half for Mayo, reminiscent of their overhaul of Dublin in the semi-finals almost three weeks prior, afforded the Connacht champions to pen back a somewhat reeling Donegal at this stage to just a three point lead.

Plenty for Donegal manager and former player Jim McGuiness to think about at the break. Same too for Mayo boss James Horan, who would have been asking his players to pick up where they left off at the end of the first half, building on their own momentum. Banishing any thoughts of a repeat performance and poor start to the half of which Donegal had shown they can capitalise on, punishing their opponents.



Second Half

Mayo won the initial throw in to commence the second half, and impetus seemed to be with them, in an attempt to break free from the shackles of their own All Ireland final hoodoo which has afforded Mayo defeat on an unprecedented fives occasions previously including the 89, 96, 97, 04, 06 finals.
Several stalwarts remain from the heavy defeat inflicted by Kerry in the 2006 final - goalkeeper Clarke, corner-back Keith Higgins and forward Alan Dillon.

Disciplinary issues for Mayo proved evident again however, with McFadden converting a free after a foul for shirt pulling on thirty seven minutes.

As with the first, the beginning of the second half saw both sides go hell for leather, Mayo going point for point as O’Connor dispatched the kick to restore the three point deficit.

Both teams continued to trade points on the scoreboard with Big Frank McGlynn trying his luck from long range with an audacious effort paying off for Donegal. Taking the teams tally to 2 06 as the second half remained in its infancy.

Jim Mcguiness was the first of the two managers to make changes with Ryan Bradley coming off for Walsh.


Thereafter, a passage of play ensued where Donegal seemingly allowed Mayo time and space on the ball in front of their box, failing to close down effectively.
Mayo spurned three golden chances to convert but fell wide of the mark, perhaps a lack of composure at the critical moment was beginning to prove telling and costly for the side searching for the right to get their hands on the Sam Maguire trophy that has eluded them since 1951.

However another high tackle flew in by Mayo, with the free easily converted by Murphy, at this point it was arguably becoming a mountain to climb for Mayo as the clock continued to tick on, those two early goals giving Donegal the cushion they required to make history.

To Mayo’s credit despite a few heads dropping after the second goal went in early doors, they left it all on the field, giving everything and no supporters would of lambasted their players for lack of commitment, effort and desire.

Donegal, known for their claustrophobic, controlling style and brick wall defence didn’t waiver, building from the back line to supply McFadden who asked questions of the Mayo defence all afternoon.

Despite Donegal’s grip on proceedings, the last ten minutes were anything but a quiet affair of which the game would peter out without incident.

Within a two minute period Mayo took their chances, duly converting successive free’s, the match going from a 6 point game to that of 4.

Added time of three minutes would be exercised, Mayo trying to push forward to record an incredible comeback, nevertheless Donegal and Jim McGuiness would not be denied.

Twenty years after Donegal’s first and only triumph in the All Ireland, that feat would be repeated with a former player in Jim McGuiness at the helm, who was a member of the legendary team of 92’, masterminding history.

History that will live long in the memory to those of Donegal, a sea of gold and green bear witness to their team reaching the pinnacle of Gaelic football, captain and man of the match Michael Murphy raised the Sam Maguire trophy aloft to jubilant support and a heartfelt speech, thanking the fans and everyone involved in Donegal’s triumph on the grandest stage.

Starting Line Ups:

Donegal: P Durcan; P McGrath, N McGee, F McGlynn; A Thompson, K Lacey, E McGee; N Gallagher, R Kavanagh; R Bradley, L McLoone, M MCHugh; P McBrearty, M Murphy, C McFadden.

Donegal scorers: Murphy 1-4, McFadden 1-4, Bradley 0-1, McGlynn 0-1, Gallagher 0-1

Mayo: D Clarke; K Keane, G Cafferkey, K Higgins; L Keegan, D Vaughan, C Boyle; B Moran, A O'Shea; K McLoughlin, J Doherty, A Dillon; E Varley, C O'Connor, M Conroy.

Mayo scorers: McLoughlin 0-2, O'Connor 0-5, Conroy 0-1, Varley 0-2, Feeney 0-1, Keegan 0-1, Gibbons 0-1