Donegal 2-17 Monaghan 0-11
Donegal wrapped up a solid pre-season with a first Dr McKenna Cup triumph since 2019, eclipsing Monaghan by 12 points in the final at O'Neills Healy Park in Omagh.
Manager Jim McGuinness has strengthened the depth of his squad with a number of new additions, but still managed to field 11 men who played in last year’s All-Ireland final for this title decider.
And with a Division 1 opener against Dublin next Saturday, the Ulster men look well prepared for the trip to Croke Park.
Many of the new recruits put their hands up for inclusion, with dashing attacker Shea Malone staking a strong claim with two goals.
Donegal got off to a flying start with a goal after just six minutes, Shane O’Donnell sparking the move that ended with Max Campbell crossing for newcomer Shea Malone crashing the ball to the net from close range.
Hugh McFadden and Turlough Carr fired over points in response to Monaghan scores from Stephen Mooney and Ryan Duffy, but the Farney men failed to capitalise on a number of opportunities from decent positions while pressing forward with conviction.
O’Donnell was a constant source of energy, heavily involved in the move that led to Conor O’Donnell’s finish which had McGuinness’s side ahead by 1-03 to 0-02 at the end of the opening quarter, that position fortified by the hard work around the middle from Kieran Gallagher and veteran McFadden.
Monaghan’s wastefulness continued as they crafted a goal chance, Ryan Duffy breaking tackles to slip a pass to Thomas Hughes, whose fisted effort was brilliantly saved by Gavin Mulreany.
Working the ball through the hands with their traditional running game, the Tir Chonail men stretched the lead through McFadden, and came close to adding a second goal when Conor O’Donnell’s searching delivery picked out Paul O’Hare, but his fisted effort clipped the wrong side of a post.
Monaghan finally got some fluency back into their game, hitting three points on the spin, the best of them from Mooney, but Donegal finished strongly as goalkeeper Mulreany converted a two-point free to send them in with a 1-07 to 0-06 interval lead.
Mulreany was at it again early in the second half, raising another orange flag, and a raft of changes, including several household names, fortified Donegal’s push for the finish line.
Jason McGee, Ryan McHugh and Eoghan Ban Gallagher all made a significant impact off the bench as last year’s beaten All-Ireland finalists took control.
They ran at a hard-pressed Monaghan defence from all angles, piling on scores through Conor O’Donnell, Malone, Eoin McGeehan and Caolan McColgan.
Points from Andrew Woods and Eddie Walsh were merely of token value to Monaghan, such was the gulf in energy and impetus between the sides.
And when Malone smashed the ball to the roof of the net from Peadar Mogan’s assist for his second goal on 53 minutes, it was all over.
Jason McGee powered over a two-pointer to emphasise his side’s dominance, as they finished off with another flourish of scores.
Donegal: G Mulreany (0-04, 2 tpf); U Doherty, B McCole, M Curran; P O’Hare, C McGonagle, M Campbell; K Gallagher, H McFadden (0-02); S O’Donnell, T Carr (0-01), K Muldoon (0-01); C O’Donnell (0-02), C McCahill (0-01), S Malone (2-01).
Subs: C McColgan (0-01) for McCole (20), R McHugh (0-01) for Carr (h-t), E Ban Gallagher for Doherty (h-t), F Roarty for O’Hare (h-t), P Mogan for McGonagle (41), J McGee (0-02, tp) for K Gallagher (43), D MacGiolla Bhride for McFadden (43), E McGeehan (0-01) for C O’Donnell (45), S Carr for S O’Donnell (47), O Caulfield for Muldoon (48).
Monaghan: J Kiernan; R Wylie, C Dowd, D Treanor, D Byrne; R Duffy (0-01), S Hanratty, T Hughes (0-02); A Stewart, K Gallagher; J Irwin (0-01), L McDonald, F Carolan; D Garland (0-01), A Woods (0-02, 1f), S Mooney (0-02, 1f).
Subs: D McElearney for Hanratty (21), M Bannigan for Irwin (h-t), D Ward for Rooney (h-t), S O’Hanlon for Gallagher (h-t), K Mulligan (0-01, ’45) for Kiernan (h-t), E Walsh for Woods (47), S Callan for Carolan (55).
Referee: S Murphy (Armagh).
