1.
20th August: Donegal 2-10 Offaly 1-17 Donegal's first ever semi-final appearance saw them put up a gallant performance against the then All-Ireland champions. They led 1-4 to 0-5 at half-time thanks to a magnificent Martin Carney goal. Offaly came back strongly in the second half but Donegal kept with them thanks to a Seamie Granaghan goal, but a goal from Kevin Kilmurray in the final 10 minutes sealed the win. Donegal: Alan Kane; Donal Monaghan, Pauric McShea, Andy Curran; Brian McEniff, Anthony Gallagher, Anton Carroll; Seamus Bonar, Frankie McFeely (capt 0-1); Declan O'Carroll (0-3,3f), Mickey McMenamin, Martin Carney (1-1); Seamie Granaghan (1-1), Michael Sweeney, Joe Winston (0-3,3f). Subs: John Hannigan (0-1) for Sweeney (73); Enda Bonner for Winston (77); Hugh McClafferty for McFeely (78) Offaly: M Furlong; M Ryan, P McCormack, J Smith; E Mulligan, S Lowry, M Heavey; W Bryan (0-4), L Coughlan (0-2,1f); J Cooney (0-3), K Kilmurray (1-2), T McTague (capt 0-6,4f); P Fenning, S Evans, S Darby. Sub: M Connor for Darby (34). The programme cover from 1972
2.
18th August: Donegal 1-14 Galway 3-13 Donegal took more than 15,000 supporters to Croke Park for their second semi-final but injuries and Galway goals thwarted them. They lost Seamus Bonar and Brian McEniff in the first half and trailed 2-7 to 1-6 at the break. They fought hard in the second half with the margin down to three with five minutes left. Johnny Tobin hit 2-6 in a rampant Galway full-forward line who accounted for 3-10 of the Galway total. Donegal: Noel McCole; Donal Monaghan, Pauric McShea (capt), Andy Curran; Brian McEniff, Anthony Gallagher (0-1), Finian Ward; Michael Lafferty (0-1), Seamus Bonar (1-0); Joe Winston, Hugh McClafferty (0-1), Paul McGettigan; Seamie Granaghan (0-2), Martin Carney, Neilly Gallagher (0-8). Subs: Gerard McElwee for Bonar; PJ McGowan (0-1) for McEniff; Michael Carr for McElwee. Galway: Gabriel Mitchell; John Dillon, Jack Cosgrove, Michael Geraghty; Liam O'Neill, TJ Gilmore, John Hughes; Willie Joyce (0-1), Michael Rooney; Tom Naughton (0-2), Jimmy Duggan, Jarlath Burke; Coilin McDonagh (1-1), Liam Sammon (0-3), John Tobin (2-6)
3.
14th August: Donegal 1-11 Galway 1-12 The final will be remembered for the Val Daly goal. Was he going for a point? It proved to be the deciding score and ended Donegal's dream once more. Donegal had led by 1-6 to 0-6 at the break and went four ahead early in the second half. But disaster struck with eight minutes left when Stephen Joyce's '45' went short to Daly and his effort found the corner of the Donegal net. Donegal: Noel McCole; Tommy McDermott (0-1), Martin Griffin, Des Newton; Brendan Dunleavy, Michael Lafferty (capt), Michael Carr (0-1); Anthony Molloy, Paul McGettigan; Donal Reid (0-1), Charlie Mulgrew, Joyce McMullin (0-1); Martin McHugh (0-5), Seamus Bonar (0-2), Kieran Keeney (1-0). Subs: Padraig Carr for Reid; Fintan Lynch for Keeney. Galway: Padraig Coyne; Johnny Hughes, Stephen Kinneavy, Mattie Coleman; Pat O'Neill, Peter Lee (0-1), Seamus McHugh; Brian Talty, Richie Lee (0-1); Padraig Kelly, Val Daly (1-1), Brian O'Donnell (0-2); Tom Naughton, Gay McManus (0-2), Stephen Joyce (0-4). Subs: Thomas Tierney (0-1) for Kelly; Willie Joyce for Talty; Michael Brennan for Naughton.Donegal 1983 in Croke Park Picture: Sportsfile
4.
19th August: Donegal 1-7 Meath 3-9 Donegal's fourth semi-final was a much closer affair than the scoreboard suggests. Level 1-4 each at half-time Meath were just a point ahead on 60 minutes before a two-goal blitz ended the contest, the first from Brian Stafford and a second from Bernard Flynn. Donegal: Gary Walsh; Matt Gallagher, Paul Carr, John Cunningham; Donal Reid, Martin Gavigan, Martin Shovlin; Anthony Molloy (capt), Brian Murray; James McHugh, Martin McHugh (0-1,f), Joyce McMullin; Declan Bonner (0-3,1f), Tony Boyle (0-1), Manus Boyle (1-2,pen,1f). Subs: Tommy Ryan for J McHugh; Luke Gavigan for M McHugh; John Ban Gallagher for Murray. Meath: Donal Smyth; Robbie O'Malley, Mick Lyons, Terry Ferguson; Martin O'Connell, Kevin Foley, Brendan Reilly; Liam Hayes, Colm Brady; David Beggy (0-1), PJ Gillic (0-4), Tommy Dowd; Colm O'Rourke, Brian Stafford (1-2,1f, Bernard Flynn (2-2). Subs: Gerry McEntee for C Brady; Mattie McCabe for T Dowd; Colm Brady for G McEntee.Anthony Molloy and PJ Gillic of Meath in 1990 Picture: Sportsfile