The 2016 Donegal Senior Football Championship was the 94th official edition of the Donegal GAA's premier club Gaelic football tournament for senior graded teams in County Donegal. The tournament consisted of 16 teams, with the winner going on to represent Donegal in the Ulster Senior Club Football Championship.
Naomh Conaill was defending champion after defeating St Eunan's by a scoreline of 0–11 to 0–10 in the 2015 final. However, the club relinquished its crown when losing to Cill Chartha at the semi-final stage.
This was Réalt na Mara's return to the senior grade after making the straight bounce back up from the I.F.C. since being relegated in 2014.
On 16 October 2016, Glenswilly claimed its third S.F.C. title when defeating Cill Chartha in the final in MacCumhaill Park 1-10 to 0-12.
Glenfin was relegated to the 2017 I.F.C. after losing a replay of the relegation final to Na Cealla Beaga, thus ending a 15-year stay in the top flight of Donegal football.
Team changes
The following teams changed division since the 2015 championship season.
To S.F.C. Promoted from 2015 Donegal I.F.C. Réalt na Mara – (I.F.C. Champions)
From S.F.C. Relegated to 2016 Donegal I.F.C. Cloich Cheann Fhaola
Format The 2016 championship took the same format as the 2015 championship, in which there were four groups of four clubs, with the top two clubs qualifying for the quarter-finals. The club finishing bottom in each group contested relegation play-offs to determine which team would be relegated to the 2017 Donegal Intermediate Football Championship.
Group stage
Group 1
TeamGlenswilly32104025+154An Clochán Liath32104435+94Réalt na Mara31203251-192Ard an Rátha31203641-52
Round 1: An Clochán Liath 2-11, 0-7 Réalt na Mara, An Clochán Liath, 14/5/2016 Ard an Rátha 0-8, 0-6 Glenswilly, Ard an Rátha, 15/5/2016
Round 2: Réalt na Mara 1-15, 0-13 Ard an Rátha, Bundoran, 27/8/2016 Glenswilly 1-10, 0-10 An Clochán Liath, Glenswilly, 28/8/2016
Round 3: Réalt na Mara 0-7, 3-12 Glenswilly, Bundoran, 4/9/2016 An Clochán Liath 0-17, 2-9 Ard an Rátha, An Clochán Liath, 4/9/2016
Group 2
TeamCill Chartha32015827+315St Eunan's32015644+125St Michael's32104652-62Na Cealla Beaga30302463-390
Round 1' St Eunan's 0-13, 1-10 Cill Chartha, O'Donnell Park, 15/5/2016 St Michael's 2-13, 0-8 Na Cealla Beaga, Dunfanaghy, 15/5/2016
Round 2 St Eunan's 2-14, 1-6 Na Cealla Beaga, Na Cealla Beaga, 27/8/2016 Cill Chartha 2-15, 0-7 St Michael's, Cill Chartha, 28/8/2016
Round 3 Na Cealla Beaga 0-7, 0-24 Cill Chartha, Na Cealla Beaga, 4/9/2016 St Michael's 2-14, 3-14 St Eunan's, Dunfanaghy, 4/9/2016
Group 3
TeamMalin32015239+135Seán Mac Cumhaills32105945+144Naomh Muire31114444+03Glenfin30304067-270
Round 1 Malin 2-9, 1-9 Seán Mac Cumhaills, Connolly Park, 15/5/2016 Naomh Muire 3-7, 0-11 Glenfin, Glenfin, 15/5/2016
Round 2 Seán Mac Cumhaills 3-16, 1-10 Glenfin, MacCumhaill Park, 27/8/2016 Naomh Muire 1-8, 1-8 Malin, The Banks, 28/8/2016
Round 3 Seán Mac Cumhaills 4-10, 0-17 Naomh Muire, MacCumhaill Park, 4/9/2016 Malin 2-20, 1-13 Glenfin, Malin, 4/9/2016
Group 4
TeamNaomh Conaill33006530+356Termon32103840-24Gaoth Dobhair31203850-122Four Masters30304364-210
Round 1 Naomh Conaill 1-11, 1-2 Termon, Glenties, 14/5/2016 Gaoth Dobhair 2-12, 1-9 Four Masters, Gweedore, 15/5/2016
Round 2 Termon 1-11, 0-9 Gaoth Dobhair, Termon, 27/8/16 Four Masters 1-11, 5-12 Naomh Conaill, Pairc Tir Conaill, 28/8/16
Round 3 Termon 2-13, 2-11 Four Masters, Termon, 4/9/2016 Naomh Conaill 2-18, 0-11 Gaoth Dobhair, Glenties, 4/9/2016
Knockout stage
Last Eight
Quarter-finals Cill Chartha 0-19, 0-4 Termon, MacCumhaill Park, 24/9/2016, Glenswilly 2-20, 1-14 Seán Mac Cumhaills, O'Donnell Park, 24/9/2016, Naomh Conaill 1-13, 1-8 St Eunan's, MacCumhaill Park, 25/9/2016, Malin 0-13, 1-8 An Clochán Liath, O'Donnell Park, 25/9/2016,
Semi-finals Cill Chartha 5-10, 1-11 Naomh Conaill, MacCumhaill Park, 2/10/2016, Glenswilly 0-9, 0-7 Malin, O'Donnell Park, 2/10/2016,
Final
Relegation playoffs
Relegation Semi-finals Four Masters 1-13, 0-7 Glenfin, Killygordon, 24/9/2016 Ard an Rátha 1-9, 1-5 Na Cealla Beaga, Dunkineely, 25/9/2016
Relegation final Na Cealla Beaga 1-11, 2-8 Glenfin, O'Donnell Park, 15/10/2016, Na Cealla Beaga 2-13, 1-6 Glenfin, O'Donnell Park, 22/10/2016, (Replay)
Ulster Senior Club Football Championship
Gradam Shéamuis Mhic Géidigh Michael Murphy was named as the recipient of the inaugural Gradam Shéamuis Mhic Géidigh.
References