Donegal 2-17
Monaghan 0-11
Donegal secured the Dr McKenna Cup on Saturday night following a convincing win over Monaghan at Healy Park in Omagh.
A goal in either half from Shea Malone helped Jim McGuinness’s outfit seal the title for the first time since 2018.
Monaghan got the evening’s scoring underway, with Stephen Mooney converting a sixth minute free for his side however, Donegal responded immediately through a major.
Shane O’Donnell played a neat pass into the arms of Paul O’Hare who squares it to Shea Malone and the Naomh Conaill man fired the ball home.
Hugh McFadden and Ryan Duffy traded scores before Donegal struck over three successive points courtesy of Turlough Carr, Conor O’Donnell and McFadden again to leave them five ahead after 18 minutes.
The Farney men responded well, finding three white flags without reply through Thomas Hughes, Jason Irwin and Stephen Mooney.
Four Masters man Kevin Muldoon and Thomas Hughes exchanged efforts in the closing stages of Act One before Gavin Mulreany landed a free from outside the arc, leaving the Ulster Champions four ahead at the break.
Like the first stanza, Gabriel Bannigan’s outfit got the opening score of the half through an Andrew Woods free but Donegal replied with a free of their own courtesy of Gavin Mulreany which saw the orange flag raised.
The Farney men struck next, with David Garland firing over the bar from a narrow angle but Jim McGuinness’s side hit back with a pair of points courtesy of Conor O’Donnell and Shea Malone.
The two sides shared the decider’s next four scores, with Louis Kelly and Eddie Walsh pointing for Monaghan while Eoin McGeehin and Caolan McColgan found white flags for Donegal.
With six minutes left on the clock, Donegal found their second major as Peadar Mogan fed Shea Malone who rifled home his second goal to leave his side firmly in the driving seat.
Shortly afterwards, Monaghan goalkeeper Kian Mulligan struck over a 45′ for his side but McGuinness’s outfit replied, with Jason McGee firing over a superb two-pointed effort.
Scores in stoppage time from Conor McCahill and Ryan McHugh capped off a good evening for Donegal and sets them up nicely ahead of next Saturday’s National League opener against Dublin.
