Donegal ace Shane O’Donnell admits it’s a ‘surreal feeling’ looking forward to final 

Shane O’Donnell says he can’t believe how fast the 2025 season has flown in. 

But the Donegal ace admits that it’s hard to believe that Donegal now find themselves looking forward to facing Kerry in the All-Ireland decider in a fortnight’s time. 

Sunday’s 3-26 to 0-15 hammering of Meath now propels Donegal back to another decider meeting with the Kingdom - a repeat of the 2014 final - a game Donegal heartbreakingly came out on the wrong side of. 

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“It’s just a surreal feeling,” he said. “The year sort of just blurred through - it flew in. But we’re right where we want to be and that’s a great feeling. 

“It’s going to be a huge two weeks for us, the preparations for that will no doubt begin right away with Jim and the backroom team”.

“The St Eunan’s flier says Donegal had planned and plotted for a Royals onslaught and even though that ‘kitchen sink’ never came their way, O’Donnell says there were so many boxes ticked regardless. 

“We seen Caolan McGonagle come back in there, Jason McGee as well. And it was even massive with lads going the other way. 

“We were able to get players like Michael Murphy, Ryan Murphy and big Hugie off the pitch too, all in once piece. 

“So it’s all positive on a number of levels. The lads that came on, they would have been grateful of the game time and minutes. 

“And there was no let off, which was the other pleasing thing about it. We’ll be putting the heads down right away because it’ll be a quick two weeks. 

“We got a look at Kerry and Tyrone yesterday and they were really impressive. Kerry did well. They missed some chances too and probably felt they could even have won by more. 

“We’ll zone in on that now and try to put a gameplan together and go from there”. 

O’Donnell says having found themselves five up at the break at the weekend and looking forward to kicking with the breeze in the second period, Donegal felt a quick start, on the restart, had the potential to extinguish Meath enthusiasm. 

“Aye - there was a strong breeze there so we were happy to just be in front. We came out and we started quickly. 

“I know Meath were off the mark first but once we settled and Oisin Gallen’s goal was a huge moment, I think that was the turning point. 

“Ciaran Moore got through then for the second, and it was just a bridge too far for Meath from then on”.