What next? A history of when Donegal go on the rebound

2013 – When the music died
All-Ireland champions Donegal were still running off a little of the hangover in the Allianz League of 2013 and lost four on the road - against Kildare at Croke Park and then Tyrone, Mayo and Cork. Jim McGuinness’s side played all three of their home fixtures in Ballybofey and comfortable victories over Down and Kerry meant when Dublin came to the Twin Towns on matchday seven, Donegal had to win.

In a match which rumbled on for weeks following an alleged bite on Patrick McBrearty by Kevin O’Brien - an early goal from Colm McFadden, who scored 1-02, was the difference between the sides at the break as Donegal led by 1-6 to 0-6.

However, an accidental collision between referee Padraig Hughes and Dublin's Philly McMahon left the Armagh whistler with an ankle injury and he had to be stretchered off. Sligo's Michael Duffy came on in his place. Michael Murphy and McBrearty pushed Donegal four points clear, 14 minutes into the half, and Ross Wherity was denied a goal late on by Stephen Cluxton. However late scores from Jack McCaffrey and Paul Mannion’s sixth of the day grabbed a 1-10 to 0-13 draw and relegated Donegal.

“It isn’t the end of the world for us,” McGuinness said afterwards. “It doesn’t make a difference for us. We don’t really like the league to be honest. We like to have them ready for the summer. It is very hard to balance that with winning games, particularly in Division 1. It isn’t a big issue for us. We’ll rebuild in Division 2, not that we’ll be rebuilding but it’ll be a wee bit easier on us in terms of the opposition we’ll be playing. It’ll give us a chance to roll out our annual plan easier than it has been this year and last year. We have no problem with being relegated – it is just the manner it unfolded in.”

In Ulster that year, Donegal flexed their muscle to defeat Tyrone 2-10 to 0-10 and then overcame Down less impressively in the provincial semi-final. In the decider, Monaghan had too much for Donegal, winning on a 0-13 to 0-7 scoreline and although Donegal defeated Laois in Carrick-on-Shannon their reign as All-Ireland champions ended in spectacular style when they were hammered 4-17 to 0-10 by Mayo in the quarter-finals. It was Donegal’s heaviest championship defeat in 67 years.