Donegal dreaming of fourth All-Ireland final day

What a difference a year makes. Who could have imagined that Donegal would be in the last four of the All-Ireland Championship, given the turmoil within the county during the 2023 league and championship campaign.

There was a disconnect between players, management and supporters and it culminated in the search for a new manager. Even at County Board level things were not harmonious but we can be extremely grateful to then chairman, Fergus McGee, who went about getting Jim McGuinness back on board and, as they say, the rest is history.

One year later, our journey in 2024 has been quite remarkable. The Dr McKenna Cup was used to good effect, getting to the final with the main focus on the National League and promotion from Division 2. That was achieved and on Easter Sunday the Division 2 League cup was celebrated in Croke Park.

But the journey really took off on Saturday, April 20th when we went to Celtic Park and dethroned the Ulster champions, Derry. The Donegal supporters were beginning to dream again. Seven championship matches later and McGuinness and his team are on the brink of his third and Donegal’s fourth All-Ireland final. What an achievement in such a short space of time.

Unbeaten in the league and with just one setback (against Cork) in the championship, the journey for the players has also been remarkable. The scoring records (provided by Edward Molloy elsewhere in this issue)  show that Donegal’s championship levels match any team in Ireland. The average is over 21 points per game with 28 different scorers from 39 different players used.

The style of play of this Donegal team is very much about playing front-foot football with scoring threats coming from everywhere, especially from defence. Brendan McCole popped up with a vital point against Tyrone while Peadar Mogan and Ryan McHugh are matching anything that the front men are doing.

But what has happened over the last seven championship games will not matter a jot come 4 p.m. on Sunday when they come up against their stiffest task to date, a Galway team who are Connacht champions and are unbeaten in the championship.

There are injury worries in both camps with Sean Kelly a major doubt for Galway while Jason McGee is similarly doubtful for Donegal. The main Galway scoring threat, Shane Walsh, also hobbled off after their big win over Dublin in the quarter-final and all eyes will be on him when he takes the field prior to Sunday’s game.

No doubt Donegal will have a plan. Under Jim McGuinness they always do. They go into the contest as slight underdogs but in most people’s view this is a 50/50 game. The prize on offer is huge. Galway were last in the All-Ireland final two years ago, losing out to Kerry in a thriller.

It’s 10 years since Donegal were there, but there is one common denominator; Jim McGuinness is at the helm and with that, anything is possible.

After Armagh's great win over Kerry in the first semi-final yesterday, can Donegal make it an all-Ulster final?

We continue to  dream.