Dubs Defeat Donegal in Pulsating Encounter

It wasn’t a championship encounter last night at Headquarters but for February fare it was as good as it gets for intensity. There was plenty of quality on show too with some fine scores on either side but ultimately it was Donegal’s profligacy and indiscipline that led to a five-point defeat.

Above the steps leading up to the Cusack Stand, there’s a huge banner featuring the great and the good of the GAA and for the last few years Bernard Brogan has been the centrepiece; now though there’s a new banner for 2015 and our own Michael Murphy is the main man. It’s a reminder of Donegal’s place in Gaelic Football right now - we’re at the top table and despite almost every pundit in the land tipping a two horse race for honours this season between Kerry and Dublin, they would be unwise to write off last year’s runners-up.

Murphy lived up to his main man billing with a wonderful display of point taking, vision, awareness and selfless work ethic. Within thirty seconds of both the first half and second half starting, he split the posts – the first a beautiful effort off his less favoured left side.

The usual debate was raised during the week about where Michael should be stationed after he played around midfield for the opening half in Ballybofey; he spent the majority of last night inside at full forward but if he sees a run to be tracked or a tackle to be made he doesn’t wait for someone else to do the job, he does it himself. During the first half, Christy Toye was down injured in front of the Hill goal having taken a hefty bang; as he lay prone on the ground, he was out of position as Dublin counter attacked up the field. His captain didn’t need anyone to tell him what was needed - immediately Murphy sprinted seventy yards back to midfield to take his team mate’s place.

That’s captaincy, that’s leadership and that’s why he is the country’s best player.

The full forward versus deeper argument in itself gives Rory Gallagher a trump card in that opposition teams have to have two plans to combat Murphy. If he’s left on the edge of the square all the time, he will invariably be double teamed and while that might leave space for others, the others aren’t Michael Murphy.

When Jack McCaffrey burst through to score the match winning goal with a stunning finish, it was Michael who was beside him trying to get a tackle in; in truth that was when he should have taken a black card for the team and stopped McCaffrey in his tracks. He lasted about another five minutes before the inevitable card came; Michael had played close to the edge throughout the game and it was no surprise that he didn’t make it to the final whistle.

All over the field there were fierce battles being fought and the sheer spite and dislike the two teams have for one another was very evident. There were late hits, dirty strokes and huge physicality from both sides and referee Maurice Deegan seemed to lose control in the last quarter.

There weren’t too many changes from the joust with Derry last week; Eamonn Doherty came in from the start and had a solid enough outing while Karl Lacey was re-directed to wing forward. The imperious Four Masters man saw plenty of ball and looks to be in tip-top shape which is a huge plus and aside from a few mis-cues with the boot he performed well and was a constant thorn in Dublin’s side. Martin O’Reilly played a deeper role this week, reverting back to his more customary half forward spot; he put in another good shift and, along with midfielder Hugh McFadden, has forced his way into the manager’s thinking for when the bigger challenges come around.

Paul Durcan’s woes continued with a loose kick out leading to the opening goal for the Dubs; a clatter from Karl Lacey in then trying to prevent the goal-bound shot from Cormac Costello led to a knock on the head and Michael Boyle coming in to replace him. The Termon net-minder did well for the most part on his kick-outs; one late effort that didn’t clear the twenty-one yard line led to a throw ball, as well as a bollocking from Mark McHugh. Mark and younger brother Ryan were excellent, both constantly offered themselves as ball carriers and gave support to others; they seemed to be well fired up for the game and carried the fight to Dublin, never taking a backward step.

The kick out strategy was interesting with Donegal again, as they did last week, trying to cut out the short variety as much as possible. Dublin on the other hand refused to go long as Donegal made sure the wings were covered and hence cut off their usual wide receivers.

McFadden came on a lot from last week’s encounter and was a much greater presence around the middle third. He got through plenty of ball last week but this time around he got more involved in tackling and breaking and indeed came in for quite amount of attention from blue jerseys as they set upon some new blood. McFadden handled it well and can be delighted with his night’s work. It was the Killybegs man’s withdrawal, with his namesake Colm joining the action, that actually led to Donegal’s downfall.

After Kevin McManamon got a second yellow card, which in truth could have been a red following a forearm smash on the elder McHugh, the manager decided to go for broke somewhat. With an extra man, his deep lying midfielder was replaced by a forward in the hope that more scores would follow. In response Jim Gavin brought on fresh legs, McCaffrey amongst them, to run at the newly exposed rearguard. The goal put paid to any chance of salvaging league points from this encounter and just like the battle last August, the team that got the goals, got the win.

Up until then Dublin remained in front largely due to the free taking of Dean Rock; time and again a lazy Donegal hand went into a tackle and conceded a free and worse was the number of times the referee brought the ball forward into score able positions following too much chat from the visitors. Granted, Deegan’s decision making was frustrating both sides but at the highest level discipline is a vital component in winning games and the players should know better. The hosts went almost half an hour without scoring from play and yet were never behind – that statistic tells its own story.

Overall, Rory and his management team will be fairly satisfied with the opening fortnight of league action. What was clear from last night is that the teams do not like each other very much and that Donegal have got inside Dublin’s heads. The Dubs are still shocked that they were so roundly beaten in that last four contest and it is eating away at them. The stall they set out with last night was entirely a reaction to that game.  John Small sat in the centre back pocket and tried to block the middle channel. They crowded the middle third. They daren’t kick long from restarts. They’re spooked.

Donegal kicked numerous bad wides into the Canal End goal in the second half but when Dublin were shooting that way in the opening period they constantly snatched at chances, rushed their kicks for fear of a gold jersey closing them down. In the semi-final they needed a series of wonder points from Diarmuid Connolly and Paul Flynn to get ahead but last night they had many simpler opportunities yet were anxious and took bad decisions when they could have worked the ball into better positions.

So as we head into a short break in league action, it is tempting to peek ahead to the Summer; if these two giants cross swords again there won’t be a bookmaker on the planet who’d be offering 8/1 on a Donegal win. We know that we’re one of the main players, the bookies know it and most importantly – Dublin know it.

Rory Roars His Charges to Opening League Win

So here we go again - after the shadow boxing of the McKenna Cup, the football fare moved up a notch this weekend with competitive action getting underway beneath the lights of MacCumhaill Park. A local derby led to a bumper crowd coming through the turnstiles and the cracking atmosphere made for a fantastic’s night entertainment.

It'’s certainly a great boost getting off to a winning start and Rory Gallagher will be fairly pleased with how his new charges performed. Donegal’s recent Division One campaigns have been stop-start by their nature, culminating in two final day shoot outs – one going our way in 2012, the other resulting in relegation from the top tier the following year. A more consistent run this time around with no demotion threat would be on the new manager's wishlist.

There was a feeling of new era about last night with Rory donning his florescent Bainisiteoir bib although we were all transported into the past and back to last September after only a few minutes with Paul Durcan’s very first kick-out going straight to the opposition full forward. Thankfully there was no resulting goal but the collective intake of breath around the ground was one we could have done without. Durcan tried another short kick to Mark McHugh and both Rory and his assistant Jack Cooney went onto the field to speak to the big Four Masters netminder – we’re going long.

Gallagher could be heard shouting ‘tight field’ to his wing backs and wing forwards as Durcan stood over his restarts; the idea being that they are to stay narrow and leave space on the wings before making what they will hope will be an unopposed run towards the ball.

That wasn’t the only shout coming from the Donegal touchline and anyone who hadn’t seen the Belleek native’s management style in action up until now were given the full treatment last night. He is constantly onto his players, both encouraging and chastising but always wanting more. Gallagher has a presence about him on the sideline and appears to be totally focused on whats in front of him and very confident in his own abilities – a fascinating character to observe.

Donegal’s performance initially was patchy to say the least, looking sluggish and lethargic in the second quarter. Whether there was a method to the madness it’s hard to know but Donegal were setup very conservatively in the first half and didn’t run at the Oakleaf defence too often. Patrick McBrearty was the lone attacker with Michael Murphy stationed at midfield. Hugh McFadden was a late change to the named line-up and he was perched between the full back line and midfield and carried a huge amount of ball in the opening period. A comfortable footballer with plenty of ability, the Kilybegs man doesn’t yet have the raw power in his legs and with Odhran MacNiallais struggling somewhat to get into the game in the first half, Donegal were stuck in second gear for spells.

Derry on the other hand ran incessantly at their opponents’ rearguard and got plenty of joy in taking scores and drawing frees, with Mark Lynch punishing any misdemeanours. The visitors were deservedly in front at the change of ends and it was going to need a response from Donegal after the break to turn around a three-point deficit.

The response duly came and the catalyst was Martin McElhinney; on his introduction he reduced the deficit almost immediately with a well taken point but it was his overall directness and the injection of pace he provided, in contrast to McFadden’s calm and languid style that turned the tide his team’s way. His Creeslough colleague in midfield, Christy Toye, came into the game much more and with MacNiallais and Neil Gallagher getting through trojan work around the middle, Donegal moved through the gears.

Perhaps, similarly to last year’s championship, that will be the template; get parity or close to it around the middle sector to begin with before unleashing fresh runners in the second half and consequently redeploying Murphy to the edge of the square. Derry’s first half performance helped the script as they put so much effort in they appeared to have little left in the tank for the final quarter.

With Derry on the rack and Donegal hitting the front, a goal would have ended the contest; the opportunity arrived with Murphy being tugged back by Niall Holly in the box. We were again brought back to a past All Ireland disappointment as Michael’s kick thundered off the crossbar, just like in Breffni Park almost five years ago. He followed that misfortune up with another a minute later, as an attempt at a point came back off the upright and you started to wonder if it was going to be one of those nights. The penalty was soft to a certain extent so maybe it was poetic justice although any logical thinking regards referring decisions has to be tempered with the fact that the man in the middle was our old friend from Sligo, Mr Marty Duffy.

It was time for MacNiallais to put his mark on proceedings and when he was put in the clear by Toye he fired the ball low into the net, a strike that had a fair bit of frustration behind it. That made up for the spot kick miss and from then on Donegal hit for home. Despite an opening or two for Brian McIver’s side, they were unable to get within striking distance and scores from Martin Reilly and McBrearty put a seal on a hugely impressive second half display.

McBrearty took home the man of the match award from Setanta television and it could, indeed should, be the start of a big year for the Kilcar man. Having been a teenage prodigy for so long, the time has come for Patrick to become one of Donegal’s main men. He has all the ability and while he is already a highly rated inter-county performer, he can get to another level. Some of his finishing last night was out of the top drawer while his ball-winning was excellent.

The fine scores from distance that McBrearty, Reilly and Toye registered showed that Donegal are well able to score from distance but it is still a source of frustration for many that the team remains a bit shot-shy at times and this has been the case for a number of years. We’re used to seeing patient build-up with an emphasis on waiting for the right opportunity but at times last night players just had a go when they found a yard of space and the results was some wonderful point taking – let’s hope we see more of that.

Whenever a new manager comes in, those players that were previously on the fringes often stake a claim for a more central role. Martin Reilly is a case in point and he did his chances no harm with an excellent shift of work last night and capped his display with two points from play. Reilly and late substitute Darach O’Connor are fast, nippy alternatives in the full forward line compared to the brute ball-winning power of McBrearty, Murphy and Colm McFadden; it will be interesting to see how Rory assimilates his forward line over the coming league games.

Next up its The Dubs and a first return to Headquarters since that day of devastation in September. Our last meeting with the cosmopolitans of course brings to mind much more joyous memories and despite a defeat to Cork today, expect a tough battle this coming Saturday night. Dublin will surely include some more of their front line players than what took the field at Pairc Ui Rinn this afternoon and it has all the makings of another exciting encounter.

Double Dream Dies for Dún na nGall

It was supposed to be our greatest day but it couldn't have turned out any worse. A devastating double defeat for Donegal, with both minors and seniors falling short and it is not a nice feeling waking up the day after an All-Ireland Final defeat.

Leading into the game, Donegal seemed to hold all of the aces and in truth if the teams were taking to the field every day this week, you’d back Donegal every time. On the day Kerry were better – but every other day Donegal would be better. Kerry were depending on keeping the game tight and hoping that their opponents would under-perform and that is exactly what happened.

The verve and brio usually associated with the team, illustrated so perfectly in the semi final, was absent and the players seemed nervy, possibly struggling to cope with the expectation heaped upon them. Jim McGuinness though is the master at preparing for such situations, getting the heads right, so for his Donegal team to be so out of sorts is unusual. For it to happen on the biggest day of the year is tragic as the team will know today as they make the long trip home that they left a second title behind them.

Kerry did what they had to do in that they retained a defensive shape as much as they could but in truth they didn’t out-think or outfox Donegal. The Kingdom’s midfield pair of David Moran and Anthony Maher were both excellent and had a great battle with Neil Gallagher and Rory Kavanagh, who were two of the team’s better performers, especially in the first half. Gallagher had another fine match to cement his All Star selection but was unable to dominant aerially from kick outs such was the pressure exerted by the Kerry duo.

Leo McLoone was fantastic throughout, incessantly running at the opposition defence looking for gaps. Leo is often the player who makes way in the third quarter but that it was Ryan McHugh and not the Glenties man who made way at this juncture of the game spoke volumes of his display.

Of course it says plenty about McHugh as well. The young starlets of this team, who have brought so much to the fray this year – McHugh, Odhran MacNiallais and Darach O’Connor – all started yesterday but were all taken off. They have added so much freshness and skill to proceedings this year that without any of them playing like they can, the team’s capabilities were greatly reduced.

Going into the game, the talk was of Kerry’s primary threats of James O’Donoghue and Kieran Donaghy. O’Donoghue played most of his football out the field in a deeper role and while he saw a lot of the ball, by his own standards his impact was minimal. If someone had said during the week that O’Donoghue would be kept scoreless, many would have felt Kerry wouldn’t have had a prayer.

Donaghy made a nuisance of himself on the edge of the square and won some good possession. At times Gallagher was brought back to double up on him along with his marker Eamon McGee and overall his threat was handled well.

Despite a horrendous start, Donegal were calm and composed and slowly but surely grinded Kerry down in the first half. It was fascinating to watch as the system clicked into action; there was a strange subdued atmosphere in Croke Park for much of the first half – there seemed a certain inevitability to every attack and with Donegal level by half time things looked fairly good although there were a few too many chances wasted.

One feature of play yesterday was the amount of times Donegal players ran into groups of Kerrymen without support runners in tow; players were isolated as the ball was stripped off them and gobbled up by hungry defenders.

The second half followed suit; Donegal not playing particularly well but not panicking and happy knowing that their game plan would see them home.

Then came the match and season defining moment.

However bad the rest of us feel today, it will be nothing compared to Paul Durcan. The big man is one of the key reasons why Donegal made it this fair in the first place and has every chance of collecting a second All Star award next month.

With the game delicately poised, Durcan weighed up his options to set Donegal on the attack again. Whether the clash of jersey colours played its part in the next few seconds or the strong sunlight shining into the Hill was a factor, either way the ball ended up in the grateful hands of Donaghy who finished simply, although his task was made easier with the big keeper going to ground too quickly.

It was a horrible moment for Papa. Every player at every level, indeed everyone in every walk of life makes mistakes. Such are the perils of being a goalkeeper; those mistakes are magnified and are usually punished.

The stadium was stunned, Kerry fans rejoiced, they knew this was a huge moment. There was still time for a comeback but a goal at that stage, in a tight, dour contest was massive. As it turned out, it decided the All Ireland.

Durcan was rattled and his next few kick outs went straight down the middle, he wasn’t going to chance anything other than a long punt. This led to fifty-fifty ball being contested and each time Kerry won possession it was another chance gone for Donegal to eat into the lead.

There was one last chance with that frantic scramble at the death as the ball came off the post instead of finding the net and salvaging a replay. That was that.

Nobody from Donegal knew what to do after an All Ireland defeat as it hadn’t happened before; so people ended up doing the same as they did two years ago and had the craic. It was gone after five a.m. this morning in Donegal’s home from home on Harcourt Street, Dtwo, when Jimmy’s Winning Matches was played three times in a row and it was belted out with gusto and pride just as it always is – legendary man, legendary support.

Some of the players joined the fun too and mingled with the faithful and the main thing now that will be on their minds and all of ours is will Jimmy be winning matches next year?

His four year plan is complete, will there be a fifth? Will the great progress made by the minor team under Declan Bonner’s tutelage entice Jim to stay on, knowing that there is quality in that squad that could make the step up to senior?

We don’t know when these questions will be answered but obviously we’re all hoping for a yes. 

Donegal will be back - and hopefully Jim will too.

Dún na nGall Into All-Ireland Final After Beating the Unbeatables

They said that they were the team that couldn’t be beaten. We were the team that beat the team that couldn’t be beaten.

Those were the immortal words uttered by Pete McGrath as he addressed thousands of Down supporters in Newry after he had masterminded his team to the 1991 All-Ireland title, against the supposedly unbeatable Meath. Those words seem very apt this morning.

Twenty-three years on, Jim McGuinness is the master and his Donegal side have beaten the team that couldn’t be beaten.

Things were looking ominous early on as a Paul Flynn inspired Dublin looked like they were going to run riot and they raced ahead with a series of excellent points. They never managed to raise a green flag though and that was vital for Donegal to stay in the game. Paul Durcan made a wonderful save from Diarmuid Connolly and that, allied with the introduction of Christy Toye, swung the pendulum towards the green and gold. Toye’s tackle and dispossession on Michael Dara Macauley in the first half was a big moment and got the Donegal support off their seats and got the adrenalin going.

The training camp in Enfield last week had many speculating that a new tactical grand plan would be unveiled by McGuinness yet Donegal stuck to what they’ve always done but crucially produced their best ever display under his stewardship. There were slight variations here and there but ‘The System’ is still alive and well and when executed to perfection it is unbeatable.

One key tactical variation was the positioning and interchanging of the Glenswilly duo, Michael Murphy and Neil Gallagher. This Dublin team hadn’t been tested all year and it was well documented that they had a suspect full back line but no team had been able to really get at it. This game was billed as Donegal’s defence stopping Dublin’s attack – but McGuinness knew how to turn the tables and attack the Dublin rear guard.

He knew if they could create space in behind and get runners in there, there was joy to be had. Murphy was being picked up by Rory O’Carroll while Michael Dara Macauley shadowed big Neil. With the two players constantly changing it meant that O’Carroll often found himself at midfield with Macauley marooned at full back – two players out of position and in unknown territory. It caused confusion in the Dublin defence, generated space and with three goals to show it proved to be a marvellous ploy by Jim.

Murphy actually spent more time at full forward yesterday than he has done all year but he still managed his customary tour de force all action display, he was simply everywhere. He nailed a forty yard score when the first half comeback was in full swing just minutes after he had missed a gimmie. His role in the opening goal was crucial - after the first ball didn’t go his way he put in a hit on Michael Fitzsimons with the ball popping up to Colm McFadden who fed Ryan McHugh to finish.

It is these types of situations and these types of plays that mark Murphy apart; he can be the typical full forward kicking scores and plundering goals but he can also play any number of roles and make chances out of nothing. The tackle on Fitzsimons was reminiscent of his hit on Conor Gormley in the Ulster semi-final of 2011, which led to a McFadden goal and a Donegal victory. Murphy has now firmly put himself in the frame for the player of the year award - more importantly he will have a chance in three weeks’ time of climbing those famous Hogan Stand steps again.

McHugh’s goal capped an amazing few minutes of football from Donegal, scoring an unanswered 1-4 having been five points in arrears. The Dubs were stunned and once Donegal hit the front they never looked back. The Kilcar man was in the right place at the right time again shortly into the second half to finish wonderfully with his hands after Anthony Thompson’s raid down the right wing.

Gallagher at midfield was a colossus again yesterday and should collect his second All Star come seasons’ end. Despite coming up against the athleticism of the Dublin midfield, he played his own game, at his own pace and bossed the middle sector – as he did against Cork in the semi-final two years ago.

There were towering performances all over the field from Donegal men with many players producing their best when it mattered most. Paddy McGrath was absolutely immense from start to finish, throwing himself into tackles and putting his body on the line. In truth, it’s hard to remember McGrath ever having a bad game for Donegal, going all the way back to the U21 campaign of 2010. Despite the success this team has enjoyed, players like McGrath and Thompson are under-rated by many yet winning teams simply don’t function without players with their selflessness and drive.

Karl Lacey went about his business quietly but efficiently yesterday, shutting out the playmaking abilities of Alan Brogan, while the McGee brothers continued the fine form they’ve shown all year. Paddy McBrearty again made a huge contribution off the bench and it will be interesting to see how he is used in the final.

It was a day of smiles all round but possibly the biggest grin we saw was that of Colm McFadden after he scored his side’s third goal. He had come into sharp focus in the previews for the game and while his shooting was still quite erratic at times he finished with 1-3 and his effort, work rate and commitment cannot be questioned. For a man playing below his usual standards he has now scored 1-10 over the course of three big championship games against Monaghan, Armagh and Dublin.

That third goal put eight points between the teams and Dublin would only get as close as six come the final whistle; Donegal’s game management and cuteness showed in the final straight as they closed the game out. In the last quarter, almost every time Dublin scored a point, there was a Donegal player down looking for attention from the physio and it killed any momentum that the Dubs might have gotten.

The role of the Donegal minors in proceedings yesterday cannot be over stated. They were underdogs in their joust with Dublin and even after conceding a needless goal, they showed great heart to get back into the game and get ahead at the finish. As people milled around the bowels of Croke Park between the minor and senior games, you could sense that every Donegal person was walking that little bit taller and it gave huge impetus for what lay ahead for the big one. To have both teams now in action on All-Ireland Final day is the stuff of dreams.

There’s a special feeling about winning a semi-final; Donegal had such a wretched record in last four encounters for so long, winning them and realising that your going to be there on the biggest day is hugely satisfying.

If there is a downside to what was one of the great days for Donegal football, it was that there was no cup handed out yesterday. It was an incredible display but it will be worth nothing unless the job is completed in three weeks against the Kingdom. The two epic battles with Mayo will have Kerry well primed for an assault on Donegal and despite supposedly being a team in transition, they will present a massive challenge. The crux of Jim’s game plan will revolve around containing Kieran Donaghy and Murphy’s rival for the player of the year award, James O’Donoghue.

Yesterday was The Messiah’s finest hour as a coach and he can take his place with the all-time greats with a second All-Ireland later this month. Believe!

Dún na nGall Edge Orchard To Setup Dubs Showdown

The dream semi-final, the match that everyone wants to see is now a reality; though there looked to be a real chance of a nightmare unfolding for Donegal in the dying stages of yesterdays contest with Armagh.

Two wonderful points from the left pegs of Michael Murphy and Patrick McBrearty finally shook off an Orchard side who were behind for much of the game but looked to have timed their raid to perfection.

It was a patchy performance from Donegal, the overall unit not performing anywhere near the level it is capable of but there were some stirring individual displays. The McGee brothers were fantastic in the full back line while in front of them Frank McGlynn and Anthony Thompson put in incredible shifts.

Thompson won a huge amount of ball and in tandem with Neil Gallagher, was the source of so much of the side’s primary possession. Gallagher had another big game at midfield; Donegal just don’t function in the same way when he’s not on the pitch, he holds it all together around the middle and his fielding is a joy to watch. There were a few of Paul Durcan’s kick outs that went awry, on occasion kicking straight to unmarked Armagh men. Whether these were errors from Durcan or from the his men not making the correct run its hard to say but that particular facet of the game will be hugely important in the semi-final and Gallagher again will need to be at his best.

McGlynn meanwhile ran himself into the ground, attacking the left flank over and over again - he can’t have been far off leaving tracks in the Croke Park sod. With McGlynn raiding down the wing the central channel was the route taken by Leo McLoone. The Glenties man’s direct running and superb ball control has been a feature of this year’s Championship and with him being so comfortable off both feet he’s a nightmare for defenders trying to stop him.

While the aforementioned players and others of course all played their part, there was one man who stood taller than anyone else, captain Murphy. We’ve seen numerous exhibitions of football from the Maestro but yesterday was as good as he’s ever been from a leadership perspective. So often when Donegal ran into the Armagh defensive wall, the play slowed down as the team had to be patient and hold possession. Invariably it was Michael who would then inject some pace into a move, make a run, create something from nothing and his fingerprints were on almost every Donegal score.

His equaliser was a perfect example. Making a surge from deep he collected the ball at halfway before off loading; he continued his run and two passes later he was on Frank McGlynn’s shoulder to receive the ball and slot it over the bar with his left foot.

You could almost sense it amongst the team whenever they engaged in the patient, keep-ball build up – they were waiting until Michael got on the ball and then suddenly the runs were made, openings created.

Odhran MacNiallais continued his dream debut season of Championship football, scoring a well taken goal while also getting a crucial score after Armagh had taken the lead late on. He and Ryan McHugh have firmly put themselves in the frame for the Young Player of the Year gong, as well as All Stars. His goal came at a time when Donegal were struggling, content to stifle their opponents but not showing much inventiveness themselves. That changed after twenty minutes when Michael was pushed up alongside Colm McFadden in the full forward line. With that switch Armagh had to reorganise their defence with Charlie Vernon and Brendan Donaghy sharing responsibility for Murphy. The consternation he creates in opposition defences merely by his presence leads to space for others – within minutes of the switch being made, MacNiallais found room in behind and cracked his goal in off the upright.

From then on Donegal appeared to have the measure of Armagh with the Orchardmen reduced to initiating scraps and doing their best to get under Donegal’s skin. As Karl Lacey made his was off the field at halftime, Aidan Forker immediately ran towards him to give him a shunt and some pleasantries in his ear. Lacey looked bemused by the episode and by the childishness of Armagh.

Lacey had a quiet enough game after picking up an early injury; while you’d want to have your top players firing it is encouraging to see Donegal winning games knowing that there is more in the tank. McFadden is certainly a case in point – it is just not happening for him. In trying to make amends he’s probably trying even harder and trying to force things, going for shots that aren’t on. It would be a surprise to see him start the semi-final on the bench but you can be sure it will be discussed amongst the management team.

The third quarter surge that has been key to Donegal over recent years was evident again; the scoreboard was kept ticking over and they found themselves three points to the good as we approached the hour mark. Some wastefulness didn’t help matters and with a bit more composure the lead could have been a few points more.

Then came Armagh’s goal, very unlucky from Paul Durcan’s point of view, with the ball rebounding off the post and into the net off his foot. Armagh sensed blood and started to believe the game was theirs. Donegal though showed huge courage to get back into the game and get back in front, a real mark of seasoned champions.

Substitute Martin McElhinney showed great bravery and heart to throw himself onto a loose ball and guide it into the path of a team-mate in the build up to McBrearty’s winner. That type of play, putting your body on the line, will be required from every man that takes the field in the semi-final. McElhinney’s clubmate Christy Toye didn’t see much of the ball from an attacking sense put he was another who put in a huge amount of work. For large parts of the first half he was marking Aaron Kernan and he covered his runs diligently and sacrificed himself for the cause in attempting to negate one of Armagh’s main threats.

And so to what awaits in three weeks time. The Dubs will present a huge challenge. Many have said that Donegal are the only team that can potentially topple the juggernaut. That is probably true but it will still take the performance of our lives to make that happen. At times yesterday we got turned over in the Armagh half of the field when we were expecting to get frees – these little nuances of the game all have to improve, everything has to be lifted a notch.

Donegal will not have impressed many with their overall display yesterday and as such the team will be rank outsiders for the last four encounter. We’re winning games with our best finisher, McFadden, out of form and with other players who have another gear or two to find. Others though like McLoone, McHugh and Thompson are going above and beyond – is that enough to beat Dublin?

Jim has lost just three championship games as Donegal bainisteoir; with the Ulster Final win this year and now redemption in the quarter finals after last year’s horrow show, two of those three wrongs have been righted. Only one remains - Dublin in an All-Ireland semi-final. The game will represent the greatest test of the McGuinness system but no doubt it will be a task he will relish. A win would be his greatest achievement. 

Dún na nGall Recalim Seat on Ulster's Throne

We got our trophy back! The Anglo Celt is back in Donegal hands for the third time in four years and with the Fr. Murray cup also crossing the border last night after the minor team’s victory it was a day of double delight for the green and gold.

Despite being somewhat used to the celebrations that go with an Ulster title win, the management and players took particular pleasure out of yesterday’s win; it seemed to mean more, even judging by Jim’s reaction at the final whistle. There’s a fierce determination within the group to right the wrongs from last year and they’ve now banished the memory of the provincial showpiece 12 months ago.

For a few of course this is their first Ulster medal – Ryan McHugh marked the occasion with a man of the match performance while Odhran MacNiallais kicked three wonderful points over the course of the game.

In the early stages of the match, the blood and thunder of last year wasn’t quite evident; there was nervy, nasty atmosphere and a somewhat claustrophobic tension which mirrored the dead heat in the Clones air. The apprehensiveness affected the players too with three of the country’s leading dead ball specialists, Conor McManus, Michael Murphy and Rory Beggan, all missing attempts at the posts in the opening minutes; indeed McManus would register his only score in stoppage time at the end of the match – and that was a long ball intended to land in and around Paul Durcan’s square.

Donegal coped better in the dour opening exchanges, notching the game’s first three points and Monaghan struggled to cope with Jim’s defensive setup. McGuinness stationed Leo McLoone in the full forward line alongside Colm McFadden and it is an example of the options that the coaching staff have developed over time. Leo’s fabulous fetch on the end line led to MacNiallais’ second point of the day and kept Donegal nudging ahead.

Despite the perception that ‘The System’ is extremely rigid, the players have to be agile and be able to undertake different roles throughout the course of a game. Murphy is the best example of this of course; he spent most of yesterday’s game as an auxiliary centre back alongside Frank McGlynn and on numerous occasions he was even covering in at full-back when Neil McGee sauntered up field. Armagh were the pioneers of this role under Joe Kernan - Tony McEntee used to slot in alongside Kieran McGeeney as Murphy did yesterday.

The purists baulk at such tactics, stunned that one of the game’s eminent attackers is asked to perform such a role yet I’m sure Michael didn’t mind one bit where he played once he was able to climb the steps of the Gerry Arthur stand to pick up the trophy for the third time.

When the team was named during the week, it was assumed that there would be changes before throw-in and Karl Lacey was sure to be one of them. He had a fine afternoon, getting the game’s opening point and also displaying his now trademark, textbook dispossession on Dermot Malone in the second half. You often see defenders - not very good ones - frantically swinging both arms at an attacker hoping to dispossess them; Karl does this but always in a measured way, aimed at the ball and it’s a fantastic skill.

Lacey’s half back counterpart, Anthony Thompson, had a somewhat unusual game – time and again his handling let him down and he, like quite a few of the players, looked nervous. Yet the Glenties man just always seems to make a big contribution and he certainly did that again.

Neil Gallagher was another change to the fifteen named and the Glenswilly man had an outstanding game. Such are his injury problems that he rarely gets seventy minutes in a Donegal jersey these days but he lasted the pace yesterday and that in itself is a huge positive as we move into the All-Ireland series.

There’s an intense, somewhat bitter rivalry building between these teams lately and that always simmered close to the surface yesterday. There were quite a few flashpoints in the game and it was a surprise that both teams managed to keep their full complement of players on the field. The McGee brothers both picked up cautions in the first half but did well to keep their discipline thereafter, crucial in such a tense, turgid battle.

The battles were taking place in the stands too with quite a few slagging matches breaking out amongst the two sets of supporters. Stephen Gollogly didn’t help matters as he put in a high tackle on McHugh, this of course the same player who ended Mark McHugh’s Ulster final participation last year. Monaghan were intent on drawing Donegal into a physical battle and they hit hard and sometimes late. Yet the discipline shown by the men from the Hills was commendable – in the first few minutes Gollogly swung Murphy around by the neck but there was no reaction whatsoever from the Maestro, he just took his free and got on with it.

Donegal had a two-point lead at the break and continued to look in control in the third quarter, stretching the difference out to four. Monaghan’s goal could have been a major turning point as it left just the minimum between them - the next score was going to be crucial. McGuinness’ men got it and added two more and that was the winning of the game.

Patrick McBrearty was to the fore in this period and maybe the decision not to start him was a smart call from Jim in that it reminded the Kilcar youngster that his displays had to improve. Injury curtailed his involvement during the league but in almost every game he came off the bench to good effect and got his name on the score sheet, just like he did yesterday.

It was the captain who had the final say, Murphy nailing a monster 70 yard free to sink Monaghan hearts. It was reminiscent of the free he scored against Ardara in last year’s county semi final to get his club to the final – big moments, big man.

A handling error from Frank McGlynn led to the goal but that aside he was immense throughout. He was the source for many of his side’s attacks and swept up in front of the McGee brothers. Earlier in that move for the goal, McFadden handled poorly to give possession back to the Farney men; Colm’s poor form continued yesterday, having been brilliantly marshalled by Drew Wylie, and his lack of confidence is a worry as we head for Croke Park. He’s working as hard as ever but it just isn’t happening for him at present. That can happen sometimes and you feel that a goal or a big point from play could turn his season around. He still notched 0-4 from frees though and for that alone he’s a vital cog.

Neither Colm nor Michael scored from play yet the team still registered 0-15; maybe Donegal aren’t as reliant on these two as everyone makes out. For a defensive side who supposedly neglect the attacking element of the game, it was a decent score to post and indeed there were some very poor wides and missed chances to go along with that.

So all this means that its back to Jones Road in a few weeks’ time for a quarter final against either Armagh or Meath. The Orchard had our number for quite a few years so a rematch would be something to look forward to.

Looking forward to the semi-final is what the rest of the country are doing though – the unbeatable juggernaut that is Dublin will be there and many believe Donegal are the only team that can stop them. A Dublin street trader even found his way to the market town yesterday, selling headbands for a euro, maybe on a spying mission for August.

Certainly right now, the team is not as fluid or assured as it was this time two years ago. However Jim has broken a seventy minute football match into so many little parts and has a specific plan for each as regards positioning of players, personnel changes from the bench and game plans that you wouldn’t back against him in any contest.

There probably wasn’t a need to go as defensive yesterday as Jim did but maybe this was with an eye on future opponents and honing that watertight system that will be undoubtedly pushed to its limit by the Dubs should the two sides meet.

That’s for another day though; for now it’s a quarter final to think about and a chance to bask in the glory of another Ulster title. Maith sibh lads.

Dún na nGall Back in Ulster FInal After Second Half Surge

A fourth provincial final on the bounce awaits for Donegal and while the test they will face in four weeks time will require a further step up in performance, the team can be pleased with today’s workout.

Antrim were given little or no chance of causing an upset and thus came into the game with nothing to lose. Liam Bradley had his side setup well and they were intent on denying Donegal space and catching them on the break. Sadly they were forced to line out without the Johnston brothers, Ricky and Marty, following after the death of their father on Friday. Those changes meant that Sean McVeigh was given the onerous task of shadowing Michael Murphy and the full back immediately set about roughing up Donegal’s captain as best he could. Murphy is well used to close attention at this stage and despite being pulled and dragged all over the Clones pitch he was heavily involved in a lot of Donegal’s scores and finished up with three of his own.

Jim McGuinness also made changes prior to throw-in; despite reports during the week of a full deck to choose from, the manager felt the game had come a few days too soon for Karl Lacey following a recent leg muscle complaint while Rory Kavanagh suffered a strain at training during the week and didn't tog out today. Neil Gallagher’s ongoing injury troubles show no sign of abating, a tight hamstring forced him off just ten minutes into the game. Many of the big Glenswilly man’s contributions in recent times have been off the bench and he might well be kept in reserve in future games should his niggles persist.    

While the loss of Lacey and Kavanagh was unfortunate, it was encouraging to see trust being placed in the young duo of Darach O’Connor and Odhran MacNiallais – and they certainly repaid the faith shown in them. They were both on the scoreboard early on from their respective spots at wing forward and midfield. MacNiallais has always looked confident on the ball and his languid kicking style makes his left foot a potent weapon. O’Connor on the other hand, even going back as far as the McKenna Cup, has sometimes looked unsure in possession but he was intent on running at defenders today having obviously been encouraged by Jim and his staff to be more dynamic with ball in hand. He took his first point off his left and then later in the half received a wonderful outside-of-the-foot pass from his captain before turning inside two players and slotting over; the master and the apprentice working in tandem.

To cap off a brilliant individual display he drove through the heart of the Antrim defence in the second half to fire home a goal that made sure of the win for his team and he deservedly got a standing ovation from the Donegal faithful as he left the field to be substituted later on.

MacNiallais also pushed on in the second half, he finished with 0-4 to his name and would have been many people’s choice as man of the match. One point in particular showed his confidence and skill when he dummy soloed near the end line, fooling a Saffron defender, before cutting inside and slotting over the bar. The competition for places around the middle sector for Donegal is fierce at present with MacNiallais battling with Gallagher, Kavanagh, Christy Toye and Martin McElhinney for the two spots – on this evidence the Gaoth Dobhair man is at the head of the queue.

McGuinness’ men were on top in the opening stages but Antrim fought their way back into the game and managed to gain parity as the end of the half approached. As is now customary for a team playing Donegal, they mirrored the game plan they faced and kept proceedings as tight as possible. Leo McLoone retreated to centre back in place of non-starter Lacey, leaving Kevin O’Boyle as Antrim's spare man which resulted in Donegal having a free player for all of their own kick outs. Paul Durcan went short to Paddy McGrath and Eamon McGee for most of the first half and therefore the departure of Gallagher didn’t hamper Donegal too much. 

Antrim eventually pushed O’Boyle further up for the restarts, allowing Niall McKeever to compete in the air and his team mates were finding joy in attacking Donegal down the central channel vacated by Lacey. Generally there are two types of centre backs in the game - one who attacks like Leo and the more traditional version who holds the middle and keeps his defensive unit cohesive and disciplined. Lacey of course is worth his weight in gold because he is equally adept at both strands of centre back play and as we saw today, opposition attackers seem to find gaps that little bit easier when he’s not there.

Jim made a further switch in defence early in the game as Frank McGlynn was instructed to shadow Kevin Niblock, with McGrath given licence to get up the field. On numerous occasions the Ardara dynamo strode forward into swards of open St Tiernach’s Park terrain unopposed and he was the primary source of many of the early scores.

Antrim would have been delighted with their opening period display but as is generally the case with Donegal, the start of the second half is when the handbrake comes off. Derry felt the full force of the 3^rd quarter blitz in Celtic Park last month and again today players surged forward in waves, annexing 2-4 from the Antrim rearguard inside thirteen minutes. As we’ve seen time and again, teams set up defensively at the beginning of games against Donegal and run out of steam but in truth they’d probably be better off going ultra-defensive at the start of the second half as that is undoubtedly when the damage is done.

In a sense Donegal can find it easier to play against the better teams because those opponents come with their own game plan that they want to implement rather than focusing solely on how to counteract the McGuinness system.

That system was moving through the gears nicely towards the end of the match but a much sterner examination of its effectiveness will be witnessed in the Ulster Final. The Championship capitulation of this Donegal team last year is still a sore point for many and is acting as a huge motivation for the players and management to make amends this year. What better way to make up for last year’s final defeat than a re-match with reigning Anglo Celt holders Monaghan?

The Farney Army have to first get past Armagh next weekend and while the Orchard men won’t have any fear going into that game, it would be a surprise if they were to succeed. So barring a reversal of form, the province’s blue ribbon event will see the sides who have shared the last three titles go head-to-head. That same pairing could also lock horns in the minor match, with Declan Bonner’s charges assured of a place following their win in today’s early game. 2006 was the last time Donegal had both minor and senior teams competing on finals day with the names of McElhinney, Murphy and McLoone amongst those on the minor team sheet eight years ago. Croke Park was the venue that day and the outcome for Donegal read ‘won one lost one’ – for Clones 2014 we’re all hoping for two from two and a clean sweep.