Donegal sealed second place in their Sam Maguire Cup Group with an ultimately nervy 2 point dismissal of a resilient Monaghan side in Omagh this evening.

A six point purple patch in the second quarter of the game proved to be the platform that Donegal would use to propel themselves to victory.

It was a story of two late changes in the build up to this clash as Donegal were left without the services of Paddy McBrearty as the highly experienced Darren Hughes was recalled to the Monaghan starting 15.

Ulster side have gotten a bad reputation in recent years for playing unattractive football but these two offered up an exemplary display of long range shooting and laid out the perfect road map to defeating a blanket defence, which we’ve seen all season, in the opening quarter hour. Eight different players raised the white flag to leave the score at 0-5 a piece after the opening exchanges.

Donegal had their purple patch quickly set about creating a match winning lead hitting five scores without reply from Conor O’Donnell, Ciaran Thompson, Odhran Doherty, Daire O’Baoill and Oisin Gallen inside six first half minutes. Darren Hughes and Jack McCarron stopped the rot but Thompson and Gallen book ended a Caolan McGonagle strike to put Donegal ahead into the break.

The early second half introduction of Conor McManus proved to be a turning point for the Farney men as he immediately gave a bit of an impetus to their attack and increased pace resulting in Monaghan’s first score of the second period to reduce the deficit to five points through the boot of McCarron. Micheal Bannigan added a quick fire second to get their challenge up and running.

Two points in response from Donegal via O’Donnell and Gallen ensured that Donegal would stretch the lead back to six points with twenty minutes remaining.

Monaghan almost capitalised on a mistake from Shaun Patton but couldn’t find the net, the referee seeing a foul somewhere in the play to the bemusement of the Donegal side and supporters which gave Jack McCarron a straightforward scoring chance and the Monaghan marksman made absolutely no mistake.

Donegal brought in the experienced McBrearty for the final quarter of an hour to help the side close out the game. His first contribution was to put a long range shooting opportunity wide but it was Monaghan who lifted their game for the stages period and chipped away at the lead with Jack McCarron hitting a total of four unanswered points to reduce the arrears to three before Jamie Brennan settled the nerves with a score for Donegal.

Stephen O’Hanlon and Conor Boyle hit two more for the Farney county to set up a grandstand finish with the tension in the crowd rising with the assistant referee displaying a total six minutes of added time.

Donegal had a glorious opportunity to seal the game when Beggan was caught out up the field but Ryan O’Toole was able to get back and collect the shot on goal from Jamie Brennan who just didn’t put enough power into the effort. Conor McCarthy looked to have reduced the deficit to a single point but the ball was adjudged to have been wide by the very smallest of margins as the Monaghan side continued to apply the pressure.

Shaun Patton and Conor McManus traded scores as the clock wound down towards the finish.

With seconds left in the game Ciaran Hughes had a pot shot on goal from distance but defender Hugh McFadden was able to intercept and clear as the referee blew the final whistle and ensured that Donegal would seal second place in the group and the home advantage for the preliminary quarter final next week.