This article lists players who have captained the senior Donegal county football team in the Ulster Senior Football Championship and the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. Unlike other counties the captain is not chosen from the club that has won the Donegal Senior Football Championship.
Michael Murphy captained the team from 2011 until his retirement at the age of 33 in November 2022.[1][2]
Patrick McBrearty replaced Murphy as team captain.[3]
List of captains
edit| # | Year | Player | No. of Games as Captain | National Football League | Ulster Senior Football Championship | All-Ireland Senior Football Championship |
| 1929 | — | — | — | |||
| 1930 | — | — | — | |||
| 1931 | — | — | — | |||
| 1932 | — | — | — | |||
| 1933 | — | — | — | |||
| 1934 | — | — | — | |||
| 1935 | — | — | — | |||
| 1936 | — | — | — | |||
| 1937 | — | — | — | |||
| 1938 | — | — | — | |||
| 1939 | — | — | — | |||
| 1940 | — | — | — | |||
| 1941 | — | — | — | |||
| 1942 | — | — | — | |||
| 1943 | — | — | — | |||
| 1944 | — | — | — | |||
| 1945 | — | — | — | |||
| 1946 | — | — | — | |||
| 1947 | — | — | — | |||
| 1948 | — | — | — | |||
| 1949 | — | — | — | |||
| 1950 | — | — | — | |||
| 1951 | — | — | — | |||
| 1952 | — | — | — | |||
| 1953 | — | — | — | |||
| 1954 | — | — | — | |||
| 1955 | — | — | — | |||
| 1956 | — | — | — | |||
| 1957 | — | — | — | |||
| 1958 | — | — | — | |||
| 1959 | — | — | — | |||
| 1960 | — | — | — | |||
| 1961 | — | — | — | |||
| 1962 | — | — | — | |||
| 1963[4] | Sean Ferriter | — | — | — | ||
| 1964 | — | — | — | |||
| 1965 | — | — | — | |||
| 1966 | — | — | — | |||
| 1967 | — | — | — | |||
| 1968 | — | — | — | |||
| 1969 | — | — | — | |||
| 1970 | — | — | — | |||
| 1971 | — | — | — | |||
| 1972 | — | — | — | |||
| 1973 | — | — | — | |||
| 1974[5][6] | Pauric McShea | — | Win | — | ||
| 1975 | — | — | — | |||
| 1976 | — | — | — | |||
| 1977 | — | — | — | |||
| 1978 | — | — | — | |||
| 1979 | — | — | — | |||
| 1980 | — | — | — | |||
| 1981 | — | — | — | |||
| 1982 | — | — | — | |||
| 1983[7][8] | Michael Lafferty | — | Win | — | ||
| 1984 | — | — | — | |||
| 1985 | — | — | — | |||
| 1986 | — | — | — | |||
| 1987 | — | — | — | |||
| 1988 | — | — | — | |||
| 1989 | — | — | — | |||
| 1990[9] | Anthony Molloy | — | Win | — | ||
| 1991 | — | — | — | |||
| 1992 | Anthony Molloy | — | Win | Win | ||
| 1993 | — | — | — | |||
| 1994 | — | — | — | |||
| 1995 | — | — | — | |||
| 1996[10] | Noel Hegarty | — | — | — | ||
| 1997 | — | — | — | |||
| 1998[11] | John Joe Doherty | — | — | — | ||
| 1999 | — | — | — | |||
| 2000 | Damian Diver[clarification needed][12] | — | — | — | ||
| 2001 | — | — | — | |||
| 2002[13] | Mark Crossan | — | — | — | ||
| 2003 | — | — | — | |||
| 2004 | — | — | — | |||
| 2005[14] | Christy Toye | — | — | — | ||
| 2006[15] | — | — | — | |||
| 2007[16] | Neil Gallagher | Win | — | — | ||
| 2008[17] | Kevin Cassidy | — | — | — | ||
| 2009[18] | Rory Kavanagh | — | — | — | ||
| 2010[19] | Kevin Cassidy | — | — | — | ||
| 2011[20] | Michael Murphy | — | Win | — | ||
| 2012 | — | Win | Win | |||
| 2013 | — | — | — | |||
| 2014 | — | Win | — | |||
| 2015 | — | — | — | |||
| 2016 | — | — | — | |||
| 2017 | — | — | — | |||
| 2018 | — | Win | — | |||
| 2019 | — | Win | — | |||
| 2020 | — | — | — | |||
| 2021 | — | — | — | |||
| 2022 | — | — | — | |||
| 2023[21] | Patrick McBrearty | — | — | — | ||
| 2024 |
References
edit- ^ "Donegal skipper Michael Murphy announces retirement". RTÉ Sport. Archived 16 November 2022.
- ^ Verney, Michael (16 November 2022). "End of an era in Donegal as Michael Murphy announces shock inter-county retirement". Irish Independent. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
- ^ Keys, Colm (15 January 2023). "Paddy McBrearty succeeds Michael Murphy as Donegal captain for 2023 campaign". Irish Independent. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
- ^ McClintock, Jonny (24 February 2022). "Photographs catch the eye at Dunfanaghy GC". Donegal News. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
- ^ Daly, Tom. "One Hundred Years".
1974: Pauric McShea captained Donegal to second Ulster title with Martin Carney, Alan Kane and Thomas Quinn also on panel. Jim 'Natch' Gallagher is mentor.
- ^ "Pauric McShea". Hogan Stand. 16 October 1994.
Pauric went on to captain the Ulster title winning Donegal team of '74…
- ^ "GAA Programme Ulster Final Special". Highland Radio. 20 June 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
- ^ Campbell, Peter (15 July 2008). "Donegal heroes of 1983". Donegal Democrat. Archived from the original on 18 December 2015.
…Michael Lafferty (c)…
- ^ "A look back at previous finals" (PDF). 2020 Ulster Final programme. p. 45.
Manus Boyle scored two late points to secure their first title since 1983 as Anthony Molloy collected the Anglo Celt for his first of two as team captain.
- ^ "Donegal ring the changes". The Irish Times. 23 May 1996.
James McHugh will lead the attack with captain Noel Hegarty moving back to centre back, which many regard as his best position.
- ^ Foley, Alan (8 January 2009). "The heroes of '92 — Where are they now?". Donegal Democrat. Archived from the original on 18 December 2015.
- ^ "Donegal make light of conditions to give Moran the ideal start". The Irish Times. 30 October 2000.
Donegal had excellent defensive performances from captain Damien Diver and Raymond Sweeney.
- ^ Crowe, Dermot (25 February 2007). "Former wild child wants football's natural high". Sunday Independent. Retrieved 25 February 2007.
Mark Crossan, the team captain, delivered the news.
- ^ McNulty, Chris (1 February 2013). "Roisin follows a proud tradition". Donegal News. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
Seven years after her cousin Christy — son of her aunt, Rosemary — took the armband during Brian McIver's first year in Donegal…
- ^ "Donegal 0–09 1–09 Armagh". BBC Sport. 9 July 2006.
…C Toye (capt)…
- ^ "Donegal achieve historic win — First national league title comes to county after victory over Mayo". Donegal Times. 25 April 2007. Archived from the original on 12 April 2015.
Bloddied[sic] but unbowed, Neil Gallagher, Donegal's captain, raises the National League trophy, after Donegal defeated Mayo in the final.
- ^ "Cassidy chosen as new Donegal captain". BreakingNews.ie. 7 January 2008. Retrieved 7 January 2008.
- ^ "Kavanagh is named Donegal captain". BBC Sport. 19 December 2008. Retrieved 19 December 2008.
- ^ Keys, Colm (4 November 2011). "Cassidy lifts the lid on averting mass revolt". Irish Independent. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
Cassidy, who was captain that year, revealed the detail
- ^ "Michael Murphy chosen to captain Donegal next season". BBC Sport. 1 December 2010. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
- ^ Keys, Colm (15 January 2023). "Paddy McBrearty succeeds Michael Murphy as Donegal captain for 2023 campaign". Irish Independent. Retrieved 15 January 2023.