Donegal–Dublin Gaelic football rivalry

Donegal–Dublin
LocationCounty Donegal
County Dublin
TeamsDonegal
Dublin
First meetingDonegal 0-18 - 0-14 Dublin
1992 All-Ireland final
(20 September 1992)
Latest meetingDublin 2-15 - 0-16 Donegal
2018 AISFC quarter final Group Stage
(14 July 2018)
Statistics
Meetings total7
All-time seriesDonegal 2-1-4 Dublin
Largest victoryDublin 1-14 - 0-7 Donegal
2002 All-Ireland quarter-final replay
(17 August 2002)

The Donegal–Dublin rivalry is a Gaelic football rivalry between Irish county teams Donegal and Dublin, whose first championship meeting was in 1992. The fixture has been an infrequent one in the history of the championship, and therefore the rivalry is not as intense between the two teams.[1] Donegal's home ground is MacCumhaill Park and Dublin's home ground is Parnell Park; however, all of their championship meetings have been held at neutral venues, usually Croke Park.

While Dublin have the highest number of Leinster titles and Donegal are in sixth position on the roll of honour in Ulster, they have also enjoyed success in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, having won 30 championship titles between them to date.

In the final game of the 2013 National Football League, Donegal player Patrick McBrearty sustained a laceration to the shoulder, reported to have been caused by a bite from a Dublin player.[2] The Donegal management team took photographs of the wound, photographs of a wound which appeared to suggest had been caused by the teeth marks of a Dublin opponent.[3] McBrearty was hospitalised after the game to have the wound examined.[4][5] Accompanied by his parents, he underwent blood tests and was put on a course of antibiotics by concerned medics.[6] The incident overshadowed the entire game and rocked Dublin's football team, according to media there.[7][8] Commentators described it as "shameful".[9] However, Dublin County Board chairman Andy Kettle reacted with indifference, rejecting the need for an investigation and complaining instead of "a hard pitch".[10] The GAA launched a probe into the behaviour of the Dublin players.[11][12] On 17 April 2013, the Central Competitions Controls Committee (CCCC) cited Kevin O'Brien, the 2012 All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship-winning captain, for the biting of McBrearty.[13] However, most sources did not immediately name the player.[14][15] The offence fell under Category III and a three-match ban was proposed, enough to end the player's year if Dublin were to exit the Championship at an early stage.[16]

During the 2016 National Football League meeting between the teams at Croke Park, Dublin player James McCarthy used his left hand to seemingly gouge the eye of Donegal player Martin McElhinney.[17]

All time results

Dublin win
Donegal win
Draw
No. Date Winners S Runners-up Venue Competition
1. 20 September 1992 Donegal (1) 0-18 - 0-14 Dublin Croke Park AISFC final
2. 5 August 2002 Dublin 2-8 - 0-14 Donegal Croke Park AISFC quarter final
3. 17 August 2002 Dublin (1) 1-14 - 0-7 Donegal Croke Park AISFC quarter final replay
4. 28 August 2011 Dublin (2) 0-8 - 0-6 Donegal Croke Park AISFC semi final
5. 31 August 2014 Donegal (2) 3-14 - 0-17 Dublin Croke Park AISFC semi final
6. 6 August 2016 Dublin (3) 1-15 - 1-10 Donegal Croke Park AISFC quarter final
7. 14 July 2018 Dublin (4) 2-15 - 0-16 Donegal Croke Park AISFC quarter final Group Stage

References

  1. ^ Keys, Colm (27 August 2014). "Dublin-Donegal 2011 semi-final: The day that shook football's landscape to the core". Irish Independent. Retrieved 22 March 2016.
  2. ^ "McBrearty injury annoys officials". Donegal Democrat. 8 April 2013. Retrieved 8 April 2013.[permanent dead link‍]
  3. ^ O'Donnell, Dallan (9 April 2013). "Donegal claim McBrearty suffered an alleged bite wound". Sports News Ireland. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
  4. ^ "Claims McBrearty suffered bite wound". Hogan Stand. 9 April 2013. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
  5. ^ "Donegal claim player was bitten in Dublin game". RTÉ Sport. 9 April 2013. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
  6. ^ O'Kane, Karl (9 April 2013). "GAA ace Patrick McBrearty 'bitten' at match gets blood tests". The Star. Archived from the original on 15 June 2013. Retrieved 9 April 2013.
  7. ^ Roche, Frank (11 April 2013). "McMahon: I don't know what happened". Evening Herald. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
  8. ^ "McMahon expects resolution to McBrearty affair". Hogan Stand. 11 April 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
  9. ^ Bogue, Declan (18 April 2013). "Justice must be seen to be done, and quickly". Belfast Telegraph. Archived from the original on 4 May 2013. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  10. ^ Roche, Frank (10 April 2013). "Dublin chief Kettle: Onus is on Donegal to prove that McBrearty was actually bitten". Evening Herald. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  11. ^ "GAA launch bite probe". Hogan Stand. 10 April 2013. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  12. ^ "Croke Park set up investigation into alleged McBrearty biting incident". Donegal Democrat. 10 April 2013. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  13. ^ "Dublin footballer Kevin O'Brien to contest ban for alleged biting incident: Hearing expected to take place before the national football league final". The Irish Times. 10 April 2013. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  14. ^ "CCCC propose suspension for a Dublin player accused of biting Donegal's Paddy McBrearty". RTÉ Sport. 17 April 2013. Retrieved 17 April 2013.
  15. ^ "Dublin player cited in McBrearty 'bite' allegation". Donegal Democrat. 17 April 2013. Retrieved 17 April 2013.
  16. ^ Keane, Paul (18 April 2013). "Croke Park set up investigation into alleged McBrearty biting incident". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  17. ^ "Video: Should Dublin's James McCarthy face retrospective action for alleged eye gouge?". Irish Independent. 26 March 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2016.