Paddy McBrearty and Ryan McHugh injury concerns for Donegal 

Patrick McBrearty of Donegal. Picture: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

AFL Division 2: Donegal 1-18 Meath 1-10 

Injuries to Patrick McBrearty and Ryan McHugh will be of concern to Donegal manager Jim McGuinness ahead of the Division 2 final on Easter Sunday.

On a wet night in Ballybofey, Donegal suffered a nightmare start against Meath - but turned it on when they needed to, maintaining their unbeaten run ahead of the showpiece against Armagh at Croke Park.

Meath, through Cathal Hickey, went for it straight from Paddy Neilan’s throw-in and managed a goal just 16 seconds in. And, after 23 more minutes, only Donegal’s Shane O’Donnell had scored so much as a point at either end.

Colm O’Rourke ran nine changes from the loss to Cork and would’ve been delighted with his side’s start, although Donegal, from a slow start, clicked into gear and scored nine points from then to the break.

Oisin Gallen hit three of those and McHugh’s score was the last of the half, although by then McBrearty had limped off and not long into the second period, he was joined by his Kilcar clubmate, who departed holding his shoulder.

On his 99th appearance, Ciaran Thompson made it 0-13 to 1-5, with 50 minutes on the clock and a minute later, Jamie Brennan got onto a Doherty pass to round Billy Hogan for a Donegal goal. 

In heavy conditions, points followed at both ends and for Jim McGuinness and O’Rourke, it was a useful exercise although the Donegal manager believes his side still have a way to go.

“It was a very slow start,” he said. “We were poor in the first quarter but we responded with nine points thereafter, before half-time. We have a lot of work to do.

“They attacked the throw-in, they gambled. And the goal gave them that wee bit of a platform. Our shot selection and decision-making in that time just wasn’t what it needed to be.

“Once we found our angles and movement we were much better. So we’ll take that positive.

“When you look at the scoreboard at the end and there is 1-18 on it, clicking onto that story tonight, you’d be thinking it was a good night’s work.” 

Donegal scorers: O Gallen 0-4; J Brennan 1-1; C Thompson 0-3, 2f; S O’Donnell, A Doherty and R McHugh 0-2; H McFadden, J Mac Ceallabhuí, N O’Donnell and L McGlynn 0-1 each.

Meath scorers: C Hickey 1-0; J Conlon and K Curtis 0-2; S Walsh, R Kinsella, R Jones, D Dixon and D Keoghan 0-1 each; A Lynch 0-1, 1f.

Donegal: S Patton; M Curran, S McMenamin, C Moore; R McHugh, C McGonagle, P Mogan; H McFadden, C Thompson; S O'Donnell, A Doherty, J Brennan; P McBrearty, O Gallen, D Ó Baoill. Subs: J Mac Ceallabhuí for McBrearty (20), N O’Donnell for Ó Baoil (half-time), C McColgan for McHugh (46), JR Molloy and L McGlynn for McMenamin and McFadden (54) 

Meath: B Hogan; H O'Higgins, A O'Neill, B O'Halloran; A McDonnell, D Keogan, R Ryan; Ronan Jones, C McBride; D Moriarty, R Kinsella, C Hickey; S Walsh, J Conlon, K Curtis. Subs: J O’Connor for Moriarty (47), D Dixon for McBride (51); A Lynch for Walsh (56), M Murphy for O’Higgins (59), C Caulfield for McDonnell (62) 

Referee: P Neilan (Roscommon).