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Derry Senior Football Championship

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Founded
  
1907

Most titles
  
Bellaghy (21 titles)

Trophy
  
John McLaughlin Cup

Sponsors
  
M & L Contracts

Irish
  
Craobh Sinsear Peile Dhoire

Title holders
  
Slaughtneil (4th title)

The Derry Senior Football Championship is an annual gaelic football club competition between the top Derry GAA clubs. The winners receive the John McLaughlin Cup and qualify to represent Derry in the Ulster Senior Club Football Championship.

Contents

Bellaghy have won the competition more than any other club with 21 titles. Bellaghy's Tom Scullion has more senior football championship medals than anyone in Derry, winning medals between 1956 and 1971.

Slaughtneil are the current Derry senior champions, winning their fourth title on 16 October 2016 by defeating Loup 2-11 to 0-6 at Celtic Park in Derry City.

Current Format

In 2016, the championship reverted to its traditional format. All fixtures are determined by an initial open-draw, are knock-out and are played at neutral venues, mainly Owenbeg, Dungiven.

Historical Formats

Before 1958, three regional tournaments were played to help determine the Derry Senior Football Championship finalists - the South Derry Senior Football Championship, the North Derry Senior Football Championship and the Derry City Senior Football Championship. Of the three winners, one received a bye to the final (in alternating years) and the other two played a semi-final to determine who qualified for the Derry Senior Football Championship final.

From 1958 to 2006 the championship took the form of an open-draw knock-out.

From 2007 to 2008 the championship was altered to include a round-robin group stage with the 16 teams divided into four groups. Each club in a group played each other once with the top two in each group advancing to the quarter-finals. From the quarter-finals onwards the competition was knock-out.

In 2009 a "backdoor" system was introduced -

  • The 16 clubs all play in the first round.
  • In the second round winners section the eight winning teams from round one play against each other with the four winners going into the quarter-final draw. In the second round losers section the eight beaten teams from round one play against each other.
  • In round three (also referred to as the quarter-final qualifiers) the four beaten teams from the round two winners section play the four winning teams from the round two losers section.
  • In the quarter-finals the four teams who have won their first two matches in rounds one and two play the four winners of round three.
  • The quarter-finals, semi-finais and final are knock-out.

    • Trophies

    The winning team is presented with the John McLaughlin Cup, which they hold until the following year. Since 1988 the player who scores the most in that year's championship is presented with a trophy. Since 1989 the man of the match in the final is also presented with a trophy.

    Wins Listed By Club

    Notes:

  • 1914 Clan Chonail are a Donegal team.
  • 1916 Sarsfield's are now defunct. They were a Derry City club, a fore-runner to the modern-day Doire Colmcille club.
  • 1930 Buncrana are a Donegal team.
  • 1931 Burt are a Donegal team.

    • Finals Listed By Year

    Notes:

  • 1907 - Éire Óg club is now defunct.
  • 1938 - Pearse's was a Derry City club, now defunct.
  • 1944 - Mitchel's was a Derry City club, now defunct.

    • References

    Derry Senior Football Championship Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA


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