GAA All-Ireland Final 2012

Sunday the 23rd September 2012 will stand out as a day to remember as the country watched Donegal ended a 20-year wait for Sam Maguire with a deserved four-point defeat of Mayo in the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship final at Croke Park. Our players set out their stall in the first 11 minutes, a period in which they had established a 2-1 to 0-0 lead, Michael Murphy and Colm McFadden both hitting the net in a remarkable start to the game of the century. 

Mayo fought back and were the better side for large parts of the second and third quarters, but they lacked the creativity and guile to unlock a mean Donegal defence in which the McGee brothers, Eamon and Neil, had outstanding games.

A great day, a great game and the celebrations continue as the team make their way to Donegal and visit their home towns to show off the coveted Sam Maguire Cup. 

Tir Conaill Abu!!

Donegal: P Durcan; P McGrath, N McGee, F McGlynn; E McGee, K Lacey, A Thompson; N Gallagher, R Kavanagh; R Bradley, L McLoone, M McHugh; P McBrearty, M Murphy, C McFadden. Subs: D Walsh for Bradley (41), McElhinney for McBrearty (48), C Toye for L McLoone (57), D Molloy for McElhinney (72).

Donegal Scorers: Murphy 1-4 (0-3f), McFadden 1-4 (0-3f), R Bradley 0-1, F McGlynn 0-1, N 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. Subs: A Freeman for Doherty (50), J Gibbons for Conroy (59), R Feeney for Varley (61), S O'Shea for Moran (69).

Mayo Scorers: K McLoughlin 0-2, C O'Connor 0-5 (0-5f), E Varley 0-2 (0-1f), M Conroy 0-1, L Keegan 0-1, R Feeney 0-1, J Gibbons 0-1.