New faces help Donegal overpower Monaghan in Dr McKenna Cup decider
Monaghan manager Gabriel Bannigan and Donegal manager Jim McGuinness after the game. Pic: INPHO/Lorcan Doherty
Jim McGuinness has uncovered a few nuggets ahead of the serious business of the National Football League, which gets under way next weekend in a Croke Park clash with the Dubs.
A potent blend of fresh talent and seasoned campaigners proved the perfect mix as his side swept to a first Dr McKenna Cup title since 2019, eclipsing Monaghan with a 12-points winning margin at O’Neills Healy Park in Omagh.
One of those recruits, former Sligo Rovers player Shea Malone, cracked home two goals to make a strong claim, but he was just one of seven newcomers to face the Farney men for the fisrt silverware of 2026.
“They’re getting their chance and they’re showing what they can do, and they’re thinking, this is my chance to make teams for the league and the championship, so every night we go out, it’s another opportunity,” said centre back Caolan McGonagle.
“We have had good Donegal U20 teams, so we knew there were good players there, boys capable of making that step up to senior football.
“They have come in and they have done well, they have good attitude, and that’s the main thing.”
The experienced McGonagle welcomed the intense competition for places that currently exists within the camp.
“That’s exactly what you want, you don’t want boys thinking that they’re going to be playing every week, so you want to be pushed on, and these young boys are doing that.
Even with all that experimentation, McGuinness still managed to field eleven men who played in last year’s All-Ireland final.
While he looks to be heading the GAA Headquarters in fine fettle, Monaghan manager Gabriel Bannigan and his newly promoted side have some work to do, with none of the Scotstown contingent available for Sunday’s Division One opener against Armagh.
Donegal were on the move from the throw-in, probing and pressing, and it was Malone who gave them the perrfect start with a goal after just six minutes, Shane O’Donnell at the centre of the move that ended with Max Campbell crossing for Malone to finish from close range.
Hugh McFadden and Turlough Carr added points to give them a measure of control, after Monaghan had got off the mark through Stephen Mooney and Ryan Duffy.
Karl Gallagher, Ryan Duffy and Jason Irwin worked hard for the Farney men, but poor finishing saw a number of opportunities lost.
O’Donnell was always involved in Donegal’s attacking efforts, and was in the thick of the action that led to Conor O’Donnell’s finish which had Jim McGuinness’s side ahead by 1-3 to 0-2 at the end of the opening quarter.
With Kieran Gallagher and veteran McFadden getting on top at midfield, they could have had further scores, but for some defiant defending from Shane Gahratty and impressive new man Darragh Treanor.
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 Tor Chonail men stretched the lad 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.
The Farney men 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 1-7 to 0-6 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 Farney 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.
: S Malone 2-1, G Mulreany 0-4 (2 tpf), C O’Donnell, H McFadden, J McGee (2p) 0-2 each, T Carr, K Muldoon, C McCahill, R McHugh, C McColgan, E McGeehan 0-1 each.
A Woods (1f), S Mooney (1f), T Hughes 0-2 each, J Irwin, D Garland, R Duffy, K Mulligan (’45), E Walsh 0-1 each.
: G Mulreany; U Doherty, B McCole, M Curran; P O’Hare, C McGonagle, M Campbell; K Gallagher, H McFadden; S O’Donnell, T Carr, K Muldoon; C O’Donnell, C McCahill, S Malone.
Subs: C McColgan for McCole (20), R McHugh 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 for K Gallagher (43), D MacGiolla Bhride for McFadden (43), E McGeehan 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, S Hanratty, T Hughes; A Stewart, K Gallagher; J Irwin, L McDonald, F Carolan; D Garland, A Woods, S Mooney.
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 for Kiernan (h-t), E Walsh for Woods (47), S Callan for Carolan (55)
: S Murphy (Armagh).
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
