 In the 2003 Championship, Donegal defeated Galway, the All-Ireland champions of two years previous, in the All-Ireland quarter-final replay at McHale Park in Castlebar.That victory qualified them for a semi-final against reigning All-Ireland Senior Football Champions Armagh, whom Donegal led with 14 men (after Raymond Sweeney was harshly sent off for a second yellow card) until a last minute penalty from Oisín McConville led to Donegal losing the game by a scoreline of 2–10 to 1–9.A pivotal game in McFaden's development occurred in the 2004 Championship, when McFadden scored 1–7 against Tyrone in Donegal's Ulster semi-final victory.