Ulster Senior Football Championship semi-final
Donegal v Down
Sunday, Clones, 3pm

By Niall McCoy

NOBODY could have watched Down’s performance for 65 minutes against Fermanagh and make anything close to a credible case for the Mourne County causing a major shock in Sunday’s Ulster semi-final against Donegal.

Conor Laverty’s team were being torn apart in all truth, and Fermanagh’s seven-point buffer would have been even more if not for a couple of fine saves from Drumgath’s Ronan Burns on his championship debut.

But then we take the final crazy minutes and then maybe, just maybe.

Down were very poor at Brewster Park, although their cause was not helped by a harsh black card dished out to captain Pierce Laverty. Still, the character shown in the final minutes, exemplified by a brilliant scoring burst by one of their go-to guys Daniel Guinness and the fielding ability of Odhrán Murdock, allowed them to reel off 2-4 in lightning fashion to steal a win.

“At least Dick Turpin wore a mask,” Down coach Mickey Donnelly said afterwards.

Donegal had their own quarter-final struggles as in a game where the elements played a factor, Monaghan came so close to reeling them in having, like Down, trailed by seven points in the second half.

Jim McGuinness’ side held on despite a bit of hooter controversy, but there was enough in their opening 35 minutes to show that if Down play like they did in Enniskillen, this will be nothing like a contest.

Time and time again Donegal’s hard running off the shoulder saw them cut through Monaghan and secure position inside the 40-metre zone to kick scores, the likes of youngster Finnbarr Roarty and Peadar Mogan in particular sprinting straight at the Oriel defence.

That was through a backline that was showing great determination too, whereas the Down defence was lost at sea on a number of occasions last week. If those middle channels around the arc are not copper-fastened, then Burns can expect to be even busier.

This is not new information to Laverty. His Kilcoo side was built first on defensive solidity and it’s something he’ll want to transfer to the county team.

Donegal regularly had 12 players race back inside the arc and there ‘three up’ retreat to midfield line, so the Tir Chonaill County are still managing to play their preferred defensive style under the new rules.

Crucially, their incredible conditioning and the ability of every player to take a score allows them to jab constantly at the other end, as 1-25 against Derry and 0-23 against Monaghan proves.

In just two championship games, they’ve already had 13 different scores. Across those two games, there have been just eight wides. Their efficiency is off the charts. As it was last year too with a sudden uncharacteristic drop in the second half of the All-Ireland final against Galway costing them a spot in the final.

McGuinness also has the incredible weapon of Shaun Patton’s kick-outs. Sunday’s clash with Monaghan was deemed in many ways as a battle between two restart kings, but Patton certainly claimed the honours over Rory Beggan with a series of stunning pick-outs.

That’s another quandary for the Mourne management team. As well as Guinness’ scores, their route back into the game against Fermanagh was Murdock plucking a series of brilliant fetches from kick-outs at both ends. Down the middle, he can compete with anyone but Patton is likely to be given one major instruction – avoid the Burren man on all restarts.

Down restarts will be flung Murdock’s way, but Burns also has superb length and may need to use that because Donegal, as a whole, will have far too much physicality around the middle and Murdock can’t be expected to consistently win clean ball like he did last week.

And it’s that P word that is one of two key reasons why Donegal remain a fair step ahead of Down.

Laverty’s side can match the running of Donegal, they can kick scores from nearly everywhere too but they can’t match their physicality.

They also are short a couple of marquee forwards, something the Tir Chonaill have in abundance, and Pat Havern will need to find something special with Brendan McCole likely to track him when he is close to goal anyway.

For an underdog to spring an upset, they nearly always require goals and more than one, but Donegal have made the decision to sprinkle glass on the track. There are simply too many bodies to get through so it will take something a bit more off the cuff, like a high ball onto the edge of the square.

Much – well something – has been made of Donegal’s lack of goals in 2025 (three in nine games) but at the other end, only one team has managed to score more than one goal against them in McGuinness’ second spell. That’s been Cork and they’ve actually managed it twice having raised five green flags in their two 2024 meetings.

If Down are to have a realistic chance of reaching the Ulster final, they’ll need to join the Rebels in that category.

A word of warning for Donegal though. Down were written off as much in last year’s semi-final against eventual All-Ireland champions Armagh, but two goals gave them life and it took a late Jason Duffy point to squeeze the Orchard County through.

Donegal, playing like they’re playing, probably won’t need such a drastic late intervention, and the successful defence of the Anglo Celt should move one step closer.

LAST TIME

2023 Ulster SFC

Down 2-13 Donegal 1-11

DONEGAL travelled to Newry in disarray with manager Paddy Carr leaving a few weeks earlier after the players stressed unhappiness with Aidan O’Rourke stepping into the breach on an interim basis.

The visiting side actually made a strong start, Jason McGee opening the scoring with a goal, but without the likes of Ryan McHugh, Michael Murphy, Paddy McBrearty and Oisin Gallen – a second-half sub – to call on, they were unable to go for the jugular.

Liam Kerr’s goal midway through the first half levelled things up though with Pat Havern converting a penalty early in the second half after Brendan McCole took down Ryan Johnston.

Niall Kane pulled off a good save from Conor O’Donnell late on to ensure a home victory in Newry.

Down: N Kane; P Laverty, A Doherty, S Annett; D Magill (0-1), N McParland, M Rooney; D Guinness (0-2), R McEvoy; C Doherty, R Johnston (0-3, 2m), L Kerr (1-0); D McAleenan, P Havern (1-3, 1-0 pen, 3f), E Brannigan (0-1).

Subs: C Francis for Annett (49), A Gilmore (0-2, 1f) for Branagan (53), S Johnston for R Johnston (60), C Poland (0-1) for McParland (65), G Collins for McAleenan (70).

Donegal: S Patton (0-1, ’45); M Curran, B McCole, C Ward (0-1); C McColgan, S McMenamin, E Ban Gallagher; C McGonagle, H McFadden; D O Baoill (0-3), M Langan, C Thompson (0-2, 2f); J Brennan, J McGee (1-1), C O’Donnell (0-2).

Subs: L McGlynn for Langan (15), O Gallen (0-1) for McFadden (46), K Tobin for Ward (49), R O’Donnell for McMenamin (65), K Barrett for McGlynn (70).

LAST FIVE MEETINGS

2023 Ulster SFC
Down 2-13 Donegal 1-11

2021 Ulster SFC
Donegal 2-25 Down 1-12

2018 Ulster SFC
Donegal 2-22 Down 1-12

2016 National Football League
Donegal 3-15 Down 0-7

2014 National Football League
Down 1-9 Donegal 0-10

SEASON SO FAR

DONEGAL

NFL
Donegal 0-20 Dublin 0-16
Kerry 1-18 Donegal 0-23
Donegal 0-21 Armagh 1-10
Galway 0-21 Donegal 0-14
Donegal 1-22 Derry 1-19
Donegal 0-19 Tyrone 0-25
Mayo 1-18 Donegal 1-16
ULSTER SFC
Donegal 1-25 Derry 1-15
Monaghan 0-21 Donegal 0-23

DOWN

NFL
Roscommon 3-21 Down 1-20
Down 1-19 Cork 2-15
Down 1-18 Meath 0-24
Louth 2-17 Down 0-22
Cavan 1-20 Down 1-18
Down 1-26 Westmeath 0-28
Monaghan 2-17 Down 0-24
Ulster SFC
Fermanagh 0-23 Down 2-19

TOP SCORERS

DONEGAL
Dáire Ó Baoill 1-25 (8 tp)
Patrick McBrearty 0-20 (6f, 1 tpf)
Ciarán Thompson 0-20 (2 tp, 1 tpf, 2f)

DOWN
Pat Havern 0-64 (25f, 8 tp, 6 tpf)
Daniel Guinness 1-14 (3 tp)
Danny Magill 1-13 (1 tp)