2011 Donegal county football team season

The following is a summary of Donegal county football team's 2011 season.

The 2011 Donegal county football team season was the franchise's 107th season since the County Board's foundation in 1905. The team ended the season as Ulster champions after winning the 2011 Ulster Senior Football Championship. It was their sixth title and a first since Brian McEniff led the team to Sam MCMXCII.

Personnel changes
Ahead of the new season, Jim McGuinness was appointed as the team's manager, bringing to an end the era of John Joe Doherty. The arrival of McGuinness brought the first appearance of a soon-to-be revolutionary tactic The System.

McGuinness selected Michael Murphy as Donegal team captain, replacing Kevin Cassidy in the role.

Panel
New manager Jim McGuinness included Kevin Cassidy (who intended to retire at the end of the previous season) and Michael Hegarty (who was not involved in the previous season) in his squad for the 2011 Dr McKenna Cup. Also named were several of the under-21s, including Peter Boyle, Thomas McKinley, Daniel McLaughlin, Kevin Mulhern and Antoin McFadden, and Johnny Bonner and Marty Boyle, stars of Naomh Conaill's run to the 2010 Ulster club football final. Johnny Bonner did not play in any of the league games.

Paul Durcan, Peter Boyle, Karl Lacey, Neil McGee, Barry Dunnion, Johnny Bonner, Tomas McKinley, Edward Kelly, Neil Gallagher, Rory Kavanagh, Christopher Murrin, Dermot Molloy, Michael Hegarty, Colm McFadden, Daniel McLaughlin, Marty Boyle, David Walsh, Adrian Hanlon, Michael Murphy, Paddy McGrath, Kevin Mulhern, Leo McLoone, Ryan Bradley, Kevin Cassidy, Frank McGlynn, Antoin McFadden.
 * McKenna Cup panel

Team as per Donegal v Kildare, 2011 All-Ireland Quarter-final, 30 July 2011
 * Details

Christy Toye (St Michael's)


 * Championship panel

League
Opener: win vs Sligo

Ulster Senior Football Championship
Kevin Rafferty missed the Ulster SFC final with an abductor muscle injury.

Management team

 * Manager: Jim McGuinness
 * Selectors: Rory Gallagher, Maxi Curran
 * Goalkeeping coach: Pat Shovelin
 * Strength and conditioning coach: Adam Speer
 * Surgical consultant: Kevin Moran
 * Team doctor: Charlie McManus
 * Team physio: Dermot Simpson
 * Physiotherapists: Charlie Molloy, Paul Coyle, Donal Reid, JD.

All Stars
Donegal achieved three All Stars.


 * County breakdown
 * Dublin = 6
 * Kerry = 4
 * Donegal = 3
 * Mayo = 1
 * Kildare = 1