Having blown promising positions against Mayo, Galway and then Dublin, Donegal made some amends yesterday in Ballyshannon to blow Monaghan away with a degree of comfort.

Donegal took a step closer to survival in the Allianz League Division 1 with a comfortable victory over Monaghan in Balyshannon with Michael Langan scoring five points from play.

John Fogarty previews the weekend's GAA fixtures.

They’ll naturally be remembered for great summer days but when Jim Gavin was in charge of Dublin, they prided also themselves on not losing Allianz League games.

After seeing off Down with ease last Sunday week, Ronan McCarthy has named five alterations to the Cork team to face Tipperary in Thurles on Saturday.

Even a stopped clock gives the right time twice a day.

Donegal led by seven points at one stage in the second half.

Seán’s involvement with Galway’s senior footballers brings more than a smile to the people of Inis Mór.

Although Donegal were crowned All-Ireland champions and the dominant force in Ulster over the last decade, their form in the top flight of the Allianz League hasn’t been as stellar.

We’re sure we heard a few Donegal supporters in Navan singing ‘Can we play you every week?’

Ulster champions Donegal flexed their muscle with a 10-point win in Navan, their first of the Allianz Football League Division 1 campaign.

“Leo has been a brilliant servant to Donegal football.”

Long after the final whistle and Donegal boss, Declan Bonner, was trying to process how his side were caught on the line in Saturday night's Allianz League opener in Ballybofey.

Donegal are to be without a host of players for their Allianz League Division 1 opener against Mayo on Saturday in Ballybofey.

John Fogarty previews Division 1 of the Allianz Football League.

“It’s pure madness in terms of how the fixtures are coming.”

Donegal chairman Mick McGrath says there is unlikely to be much “want” in Ulster to change the composition of the province’s senior football championship but accepts the All-Ireland SFC structure is “broken”.

The former Mayo manager had been strongly linked to the Galway vacancy but has confirmed to Declan Bonner he will be remaining on with the Ulster champions next season.

Despite Declan Bonner’s ratification as Donegal manager for 2020, his head coach Stephen Rochford is believed to be a live candidate to replace Kevin Walsh as Galway senior football manager.

Former Limerick captain Donal O’Grady has replaced Brian Geary in John Kiely’s management team for 2002 as Kiely was last night ratified for another two years at the helm with the option of a third.

Managing at the top level now a largely thankless task

Declan Bonner was left to rue the missed opportunities he believes hampered any chance of his side reaching a first All-Ireland semi-final in five seasons.

In first-half injury time, with Mayo having pushed their advantage over a spluttering Donegal from two points down to six up, Fionn McDonagh hit Donegal’s Jamie Brennan with a ferocious, fair shoulder to win possession right in front of a heaving Gerry McDonald stand.

Caolan Ward last Sunday week answered the call from Declan Bonner to step into the Donegal team for his first championship appearance at Croke Park when Eoghan Ban Gallagher and Neil McGee’s absences through injury were confirmed prior to the epic 1-20 to 1-20 draw with Kerry.

Patience, we’re often told, is a virtue.

For their week-long residency in Perth’s Duxton Hotel November two years ago, the Ireland International Rules team had their own recreational area in the lower ground floor.

Former Mayo selector Tony McEntee insists tomorrow’s Super 8 decider is not personal for Stephen Rochford - but claims Donegal are in difficulty going to Castlebar.

Former Donegal footballer Brendan Devenney expects Declan Bonner’s men to dump Mayo out of the championship this Saturday but believes Donegal, along with Kerry and Tyrone, are playing for second place thereafter, as Dublin will not be toppled.

You won’t have many in Donegal arguing Declan Bonner should be talking about things other than Sky Sports this week.

With one hand Peter Keane gives — reopening the gates to Fitzgerald Stadium to supporters to watch Kerry training.

Donegal are likely to be without Eoghan Bán Gallagher for Sunday’s All-Ireland quarter-final group stage clash with Kerry at Croke Park.

Hugh McFadden believes the championing of the likes of Donegal and Sunday’s opponents Kerry as the main rivals to Dublin’s throne is merely something the media latch on to.

Alan Foley Just under a year ago Patrick McBrearty trundled out of MacCumhaill Park in Ballybofey on crutches after his Donegal team-mates had squandered a four-point lead against Tyrone to miss out on a place in the All-Ireland semi-finals.

Kerry defender Paul Murphy has warned that one win will not make their summer and has urged his teammates to build on the foundations they have laid with Sunday’s victory over Mayo.

You know what? These Super 8s might be something after all.

Donegal were 9-point winners against Meath at the sun-kissed Ballybofey, although the scoreboard only tells half the story of a gripping contest.

Here’s John Fogarty’s low-down on the final eight for the Sam Maguire Cup.

Just five years ago, Donegal goalkeeper Shaun Patton was playing in a MacLarnon Cup final in goal for St Eunan’s Letterkenny.

Behold the empire of Donegal — destroyer of dreams, kings in the north.

Michael Murphy says the pain Donegal have endured in Ulster mean his fifth Ulster title in eight years is just as special as his first.

Around 45 minutes from throw-in time, with the sense of anticipation building in Kingspan Breffni Park ahead of Donegal’s semi-final win over Tyrone, a familiar figure was calmly stepping out distances between the cones he was setting down and the poles he was plopping in.

Ryan McHugh doesn’t remember much about his father Martin leading Cavan to an Ulster title, but he says his family will always have a special bond with the county.

With Donegal running one of the smallest football panels in the country and one of the largest backroom teams, it’s not stretching things much to suggest there are now more people operating outside the whitewash than inside.