Ciaran Moore and Donegal turning attention right away towards Monaghan 

Donegal eventually got to grips with Derry on Sunday to set up an Ulster SFC quarter-final clash with Monaghan in Clones in two weeks time. 

The Oak Leafers looked to put it up to their hosts early on in Ballybofey at the weekend and it took a Shaun Patton penalty save from Shane McGuigan to prevent the visitors seizing the inititive.

Jim McGuinness’ side led 1-12 to 1-5 at the break but Derry managed to reel that gap into a two-point game early on in the second-half. 

Still, Donegal would eventually shake Paddy Tally’s side from their coattails and were out to an 11-point lead going into the final ten minutes. 

In the end, Donegal crossed the line comfortably at 1-25 to 1-15 as attention now switches to the Farney men in a fortnight’s time. 

“We’re just happy to get out the other side,” Ciaran Moore told DonegalLive. “Derry are a very good side and we expected a battle here today. 

“We stuck to the gamepan with the aim of getting out the other end and that’s what we did.

“In the Ulster championship, especially against Derry, we knew they’d come for us. Shaun’s penalty save was early on but it was a big moment”. 

Monaghan are back in the top tier of the NFL after taking the Division 2 title at Croke Park recently with victory over Roscommon. 

Moore - who got on the scoresheet in MacCumhaill Park - insists that’s a clash that will ask some difficult questions of the reigning provincial champions. 

“Monaghan now, the attention turns to that right away. We’ll look to knuckle down and get as much work as we can in the next two weeks. 

“We’d no injuries and we got men back on the field. It was great to see Jason McGee get back on the field there at the end as well”.

And with that Moore dipped his head down the tunnel with the squad quickly heading to their training base right away in Convoy for ice baths.