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Donegal 1-20 Monaghan 4-11
Conor McCarthy’s first-half hat-trick looked to have earned Monaghan a first win of 2021, but Donegal decided otherwise as Patrick McBrearty’s eight points secured what seemed an unlikely draw in Ballybofey.
Declan Bonner’s men found themselves nine points in arrears in the first half and seven behind in the second.
McCarthy’s hat-trick and another goal by Conor McManus had Monaghan firmly in command, but their grip was loosened by a determined Donegal side.
At times, the scoreboard seemed to be tallying as rapidly as the tills of McElhinney’s, the department store across the road welcoming shoppers back for its first post-restrictions weekend.
McCarthy rattled in an 11-minute hat-trick and Donegal were nine behind, but yet, somehow, they weren’t out of sight.
Even before McCarthy’s purple patch, the sight of Michael Murphy nursing a hamstring injury that forced him off after only five minutes will be a huge worry for Declan Bonner, with just five weeks until their Championship opener against Down.

Donegal’s Michael Murphy heads to the dressingrooms at half-time having earlier come off with a hamstring injury. Photograph: Tommy Dickson/Inpho


A rapid-fire opener had the teams level 0-3 apiece when McCarthy rounded Shaun Patton for the game’s opening goal in the 10th minute.
Seven minutes later, McCarthy held off three Donegal players to fire home and the Scotstown man was toasting a treble when he made further hay with the home defence left seeing stars.
Donegal needed a tonic and it arrived via a cracker from Michael Langan. whose arrow to the top corner, gave them a glimmer of hope.
McBrearty hit three points late in the first half, but there was further worry for Donegal in the number of chances they passed up on top of McCarthy’s goals.
Patton saved with his feet from Darren Hughes as Monaghan continued to punch holes, but the visitors saw full back Conor Boyle sent off for a second black-card infringement late in the first half.
McManus, sent on at the break to give Donegal’s rearguard a further headache, piled on the pressure when he rattled home after Steven O’Hanlon made the break down the left-hand side.
Donegal seemed out of lives, but their powers of durability at Seán MacCumhaill Park – where they have now lost just once in 29 League and Championship games since 2010 – came good again.
Donegal, who lost Daire Ó Baoill to a second yellow card in the 52nd minute, scored nine of the 11 points that were posted in the final 20 minutes.
In Murphy’s absence, McBrearty took the baton and Monaghan were left to scratch the heads.
A final chance to sneak a winner fell McCarthy’s way deep into the added minutes, but his shot trailed off and Donegal, somehow, had survived.
DONEGAL: S Patton; E Gallagher (0-1), N McGee, B McCole; R McHugh, P Brennan, P Mogan (0-1); H McFadden, C McGonagle (0-1); N O’Donnell (0-2), C Thompson (0-2), M Langan (1-1); P McBrearty (0-8, three frees, 1 mark), M Murphy, O Gallen (0-3).
Subs: E McHugh (0-1) for Brennan (h/t), O Mac Niallais for McFadden (45), S McMenamin for McGee (54), P McGrath for Gallagher, J McGee for McCole (both 63).
MONAGHAN: R Beggan; K Duffy, C Boyle, R Wylie; K O’Connell (0-1), K McMenamin, R McAnespie (0-1); D Hughes, K Lavelle; S O’Hanlon, A Mulligan (0-3, two frees), M Bannigan (0-2, one free); C McCarthy (3-1), A Woods (0-1), S Jones.
Subs: C McManus (1-2, two frees) for Jones (h/t), S Hanratty for Bannigan (42), N Kearns for Woods (52), J McCarron for O’Hanlon, C Lennon for O’Connell (both 58), G Mohan for Mulligan (70+4)
Referee: B Cassidy (Derry).