5.
16th August: Donegal 0-13 Mayo 0-9 Donegal finally reached the Holy Grail with their first victory in a semi-final. It was not a game to remember but Donegal did enough with Martin McHugh putting a penalty over the bar in the dying seconds for the insurance point. Donegal: Gary Walsh; Barry McGowan, Matt Gallagher, Noel Hegarty; Donal Reid, Martin Gavigan, Martin Shovlin; Anthony Molloy (capt), Brian Murray (0-1); Joyce McMullin, Martin McHugh (0-1,pen), Tommy Ryan; Declan Bonner (0-4,4f), Tony Boyle (0-2), James McHugh (0-2,1f). Subs: Manus Boyle (0-3,3f) for McMullin (42); Barry Cunningham for Ryan (47). Mayo: Gabriel Irwin; Kevin Beirne, Peter Ford, Dermot Flanagan; Anthony McGarry, Tomas Tierney, Peter Butler; Sean Maher (0-1), TJ Kilgannon; Jarlath Jennings (0-4,4f), Kevin Staunton, Tony Morley; Ray Dempsey (0-2,1f), Liam McHale (0-1), Anthony Finnerty (0-1). Subs: Noel Durkan for Finnerty (47); Padraig Brogan for Maher (55). Donegal v Mayo in 1992 semi-final Picture: Sportsfile
6.
31st August: Donegal 1-9 Armagh 2-10 Brian McEniff was in charge for the sixth time in an All-Ireland semi-final which went down to the wire. They had come through the back door, defeating Galway after a replay in the quarter-final. The loss of Raymond Sweeney to a harsh red card was a defining moment. The sides were level with minutes left but an injury time penalty by Oisin McConville sent Armagh on their way to their second final in-a-row, but they lost this one to Tyrone. Donegal: Tony Blake; Niall McCready, Raymond Sweeney, Damien Diver; Shane Carr, Barry Monaghan, Kevin Cassidy; John Gildea, Stephen McDermott; Christy Toye (1-1), Michael Hegarty, Paul McGonigle; Brian Roper (0-1), Adrian Sweeney (capt, 0-4,2f), Brendan Devenney (0-3,3f) Subs: Brendan Boyle for McDermott (43); Jim McGuinness for McGonigle (48); Colm McFadden and John Haran for Devenney and Gildea (67). Armagh: Paul Hearty; Andy Mallon, Francie Bellew, Enda McNulty; Aidan O'Rourke, Kieran McGeeney (capt), Andrew McCann; Philip Loughran (0-1), Paul McGrane (0-1); Ronan Clarke, John McEntee (0-1), Diarmuid Marsden (0-1); Oisin McConville (1-5,pen,5f), Steven McDonnell (1-1), Diarmuid Marsden (0-1), Tony McEntee. Subs: Paddy McKeever (0-1,f) for Clarke (57); Justin McNulty for Bellew (60).Adrian Sweeney and Kieran McGeeney with referee Michael Monaghan Picture; Sportsfile
7.
28th August: Donegal 0-6 Dublin 0-8 Jim McGuinness took his side to the semi-final for the first time and it will be remembered as the low-scoring affair. Donegal led 0-4 to 0-2 at half-time and saw a Colm McFadden goal effort skim the crossbar early in the second half. But Dublin regrouped and just made it over the line. Donegal: Paul Durcan; Paddy McGrath, Neil McGee, Eamon McGee; Frank McGlynn, Karl Lacey, Kevin Cassidy (0-1); Rory Kavanagh, Christy Toye; Anthony Thompson, Mark McHugh, Ryan Bradley (0-1); David Walsh, Michael Murphy (capt), Colm McFadden (0-4,2f). Subs: Michael Hegarty for Toye (ht); Marty Boyle for Lacey (42); Martin McElhinney for Hegarty (64); Patrick McBrearty for Boyle (66). Dublin: Stephen Cluxton (0-2,f,'45'); Cian O'Sullivan, Rory O'Carroll, Michael Fitzsimons; James McCarthy, Ger Brennan, Kevin Nolan; Denis Bastick, Michael Darragh Macauley; Paul Flynn, Barry Cahill, Bryan Cullen (0-1); Alan Brogan, Diarmuid Connolly, Bernard Brogan (0-4,4f). Subs: Philly McMahon for O'Carroll (26); Kevin McManaman (0-1) for Cahill (ht); Eoghan O'Gara for McCarthy (61); Eamon Fennell for Bastick (64); Ross McConnell for Flynn (67).Michael Murphy is tackled by Kevin McManamon in 2011 semi-final Picture: Sportsfile
8.
26th August: Donegal 0-16 Cork 1-11 In what was regarded as one of Donegal's finest performances in Croke Park, Jim McGuinness tasted success at the second time of asking. Donegal led 0-8 to 0-7 at half-time and pushed on in the third quarter with the Cork scoreline embellished by a late, late goal. Donegal were back in a final for just the second time in their history. Donegal: Paul Durcan; Paddy McGrath, Neil McGee, Frank McGlynn (0-1); Eamon McGee, Karl Lacey (0-2), Anthony Thompson (0-1); Neil Gallagher, Rory Kavanagh; Ryan Bradley, Leo McLoone, Mark McHugh (0-1); Patrick McBrearty, Michael Murphy (capt,0-3,3f), Colm McFadden (0-5,2f,1'45'). Subs: David Walsh (0-1) for Bradley (30); Martin McElhinney (0-1) for Kavanagh (58); Christy Toye for McFadden (70); Daniel McLaughlin for McBrearty (70). Cork: Alan Quirke; Noel O'Leary, Michael Shields, Eoin Cadogan; Paudie Kissane, Graham Canty, Fintan Goold; Alan O'Connor, Aidan Walsh (0-1); Ciaran Sheehan (0-3), Paddy Kelly (0-1), Paul Kerrigan (0-2); Colm O'Neill (1-3), Donncha O'Connor, Daniel Goulding (0-1,f). Subs: Pearse O'Neill for Goold (ht); Denis O'Sullivan for A O'Connor (47); Nicholas Murphy for D O'Connor (55).Michael Murphy leads Donegal out in semi-final of 2012 Picture: Sportsfile