The 2023 Donegal Senior Football Championship was the 101st official edition of Donegal GAA's premier Gaelic football tournament for senior graded clubs in County Donegal. 16 teams competed, with the winner representing Donegal in the Ulster Senior Club Football Championship.
Naomh Conaill was defending champion after defeating St Eunan's in the 2022 final. Naomh Conaill again advanced to the 2023 final, where the club defeated Gaoth Dobhair to retain the title.
Cloich Cheann Fhaola's home defeat of Milford marked the first time in twelve years that the club had won a senior championship game. Two weeks after that, the club defeated Four Masters as well.
The competition's top scorer was OisÃÂn Gallen, with 1âÂÂ56.
The following teams changed division since the 2022 championship season.
Promoted from 2022 Donegal I.F.C.
Relegated to 2023 Donegal I.F.C.
Teams ranked 5âÂÂ12 were paired up based on league phase ranking for the preliminary quarter-finals, which were played at neutral venues
Controversially, there was no seeding used for the draw to determine the quarter-final pairings. This resulted in the clubs that had finished in the top four being drawn to play each other. Another issue was that two of the quarter-finals were played simultaneously, while the choice of neutral venues for this stage of the championship was also problematic, with certain clubs alleging that they had to travel further than their opponent to arrive at the venue.
St Eunan's defeated Aodh Ruadh by 1âÂÂ13 to 2âÂÂ5 in Convoy, while Gaoth Dobhair defeated Ard an Rátha by 5âÂÂ14 to 3âÂÂ11 in Falcarragh. Seán Mac Cumhaills had a surprise 1âÂÂ17 to 1âÂÂ14 victory against Glenswilly at O'Donnell Park (a game in which OisÃÂn Gallen scored 1âÂÂ9 of his club's total), while Naomh Conaill defeated Cill Chartha by 4âÂÂ7 to 0âÂÂ9 at Eamonn Byrne Memorial Park.
The draw for the semi-finals was held in Killybegs on 1 October 2023, following the conclusion of the Naomh Conaill and Cill Chartha quarter-final at Eamonn Byrne Memorial Park.
Naomh Conaill and St Eunan's were paired together in one semi-final, in what was a repeat of the 2022 final. The clubs had previously met in the Round 2 fixture held in Glenties, with that game ending level (0-9 for each). Naomh Conaill used 19 players in their semi-final, with 11 of those due to be at least 30 years old by the end of 2023.
Gaoth Dobhair and Seán Mac Cumhaills were paired together in the other semi-final. The clubs had previously met in the Round 1 fixture held at Magheragallon, which Gaoth Dobhair won 1âÂÂ16 to 0âÂÂ11.
Round 1: Na Cealla Beaga 1âÂÂ5 Naomh Conaill 3âÂÂ12
Round 2: Naomh Conaill 0âÂÂ9 St Eunan's 0âÂÂ9
Round 3: Milford 0âÂÂ8 Naomh Conaill 1âÂÂ12
Round 4 Naomh Conaill 0âÂÂ15 Glenswilly 2âÂÂ5
Quarter-final: Naomh Conaill 4âÂÂ7 Cill Chartha 0âÂÂ9
Semi-final: Naomh Conaill 0âÂÂ11 St Eunan's 0âÂÂ9
Round 1: Gaoth Dobhair 1âÂÂ16 Seán Mac Cumhaills 0âÂÂ10
Round 2: Aodh Ruadh 2âÂÂ8 Gaoth Dobhair 0âÂÂ9
Round 3: Gaoth Dobhair 1âÂÂ10 Cloich Cheann Fhaola 0âÂÂ8
Round 4: An Clochán Liath 0âÂÂ8 Gaoth Dobhair 0âÂÂ9
Preliminary quarter-final: An Clochán Liath 1âÂÂ6 Gaoth Dobhair 0âÂÂ10
Quarter-final: Ard an Rátha 3âÂÂ11 Gaoth Dobhair 5âÂÂ14
Semi-final:
This was the first time the teams had met at this stage of the competition since the 2019 final, when three games were required to determine a winner. While the Naomh Conaill team was much the same, Gaoth Dobhair's team had changed much in that time. Ronan Mac Niallais was in his first year as manager of Gaoth Dobhair.
Naomh Conaill entered the game as the favourites.
Ahead of the game Marty Boyle, Stephen McGrath, Anthony Thompson, Leo McLoone and Eoin Waide were recognised for each making a 100th club championship appearance. McGrath finished the seven games with four clean sheets.
Naomh Conaill, making a seventh consecutive appearance in the final, won a seventh title. If the two replays required to decide the 2019 title are counted, then the club was playing in its ninth final in seven years.
With a half-time lead of seven points, Naomh Conaill had ten different players scoring in the game. It was the club's fourth title in five years, meaning that their only championship defeat since the 2018 final was against St Eunan's in the 2021 final.
Naomh Conaill advanced to the 2023 Ulster Senior Club Football Championship.
The club was drawn to play Gowna in the quarter-final. Naomh Conaill entered the match as favourite and duly delivered victory at Breffni Park, with Gowna conceding a late free which resulted in a goal scored with nearly the last kick of the match.
Milford lost the relegation battle after St Naul's won the final.
On 13 December 2023, OisÃÂn Gallen was named as the recipient of the annual Gradam Shéamuis Mhic Géidigh. RTàRaidió na Gaeltachta announced the decision. The award was given to Gallen on the same evening.