Donegal beat Monaghan to lift Dr McKenna Cup

Two goals from Shea Malone helped Donegal claim the Dr McKenna Cup with a 2-17 to 0-11 win over Monaghan in the Healy Park decider.

Two, two-point frees from goalkeeper Gavin Mulreany, an orange flag from substitute Jason McGee, alongside a goal in each half from Malone, helped Donegal to a comfortable victory.

There were 11 Donegal players able to register scores over the course of the hour in Omagh.

Monaghan were guilty of some off-colour shooting, registering 10 wides and leaving three more efforts short of the target.

Despite all of his success over the course of his two tenures in charge for the Tir Chonaill, this is the first time that Jim McGuinness has lifted the Dr McKenna Cup as a manager, and it is the county's first success since 2018.

Attention for both sides now turns to their opening fixtures in the National League, Donegal will head to Croke Park to face Dublin on Saturday, 24 January.

While Monaghan will welcome the 2024 All-Ireland champions Armagh to Clones, one day later on Sunday, 25 January.

It took six minutes for the first score of the game to arrive, with Stephen Mooney slotting over a close-range free.

The decisive score of the half came from the very next attack, Kieran Gallagher grabbing the restart with Conor O'Donnell and Max Campbell combining to set-up Malone to fire into the net.

Turlough Carr and O'Donnell were on target either side of Ryan Duffy score, before Mulreany was called into action, making a brilliant save to deny Ryan Wylie a sure goal.

Hugh McFadden then landed his second point as Monaghan went 12 minutes without a score as five wides were the price for some first-half wayward shooting.

Three-in-a-row from Jason Irwin, Thomas Hughes and Mooney brought Monaghan to within two points, but Mulreany's two-point free had the Tir Chonaill leading 1-7 to 0-6 at the break.

Mulreany landed his second two-point free early in the second half, as both sides traded scores.

Donegal were six clear when two substitutes combined to set-up Malone for his second goal.

McGee broke the ball down to Paedar Mogan, who showed real vision to find Malone and he almost burst the net with his strike.

The strength of the Donegal bench was starting to show as McGee landed a two-point score from play.

Kian Mulligan and Eddie Walsh tried to revive the Farney cause, but late scores from Conor McCahill and Ryan McHugh sealed a 12-point win for McGuinness' men.

Donegal: Gavin Mulreany (0-4 2x2ptf); Ultan Doherty, Brendan McCole, Mark Curran; Paul O'Hare, Caolan McGonigle, Max Campbell; Kieran Gallagher, Hugh McFadden (0-2); Shane O'Donnell, Turlough Carr (0-1), Kevin Muldoon (0-1); Conor O'Donnell (0-2), Conor McCahill (0-1), Shea Malone (2-1).

Subs: Caolan McColgan (0-1) for B McCole (21), Finbarr Roarty for T Carr, Ryan McHugh (0-1) for P O'Hare, Eoghan Ban Gallagher for U Doherty (all HT), Peadar Mogan for C McGonagle (41), Jason McGee (0-2 2pt) for K Gallagher (44), Domhnall Mac Giolla Bhride for H McFadden (44), Eoin McGeehin (0-1) for C O'Donnell (44), Seanan Carr for S O'Donnell (48), Oisin Caulfield for K Muldoon (49)

Monaghan: Jack Kiernan; Ryan Wylie, Darragh Treanor, Dylan Byrne; Ryan Duffy (0-1), Shane Hanratty, Thomas Hughes (0-2); Alistair Stewart, Karl Gallagher; Jason Irwin (0-1), Liam McDonald, Fionan Carolan; David Garland (0-1), Andrew Woods (0-1 1f), Stephen Mooney (0-2 1f).

Subs: Darragh McElearney for S Hanratty (21), Michael Bannigan for J Irwin, Stephen O'Hanlon for S Mooney, Dessie Ward for K Gallagher, Kian Mulligan (0-1) 1'45) for J Kiernan (all HT), Louis Kelly (0-1) for L McDonald (43), Eddie Walsh (0-1) for A Woods (46), Cameron Dowd for D Byrne (50), Sean Callan for F Carolan (56)

Referee: Shane Murphy (Armagh)