2016 Donegal Senior Football Championship

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 1
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
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
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
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,

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,

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)

Gradam Shéamuis Mhic Géidigh
Michael Murphy was named as the recipient of the inaugural Gradam Shéamuis Mhic Géidigh.