Donegal 1-5 Monaghan 3-16 – An experimental Donegal did their best to keep in touch with Monaghan in their McKenna Cup clash at MacCumhaill Park today.
Jim McGuinness’ team only trailed by three points at half time thanks mainly to an Adrian Hanlon goal.
But any thoughts this young Donegal side had of upsetting the odds in the second half were quickly blown away.
In the end it proved nothing more than shooting practice for Monaghan who finally cantered away bt 3-16 to 1-05.
The Donegal manager won’t lose any sleep by the result – a similar outing to the first McKenna Cup game against Fermanagh during the week.
It was his chance to blood a number of players and give a chance for a start to a number of fringe players.
The eventual manner of defeat may give him some food for thought but little else at this stage of the season.
Monaghan had looked in control at MacCumhaill Park in the opening half.
Indeed they raced to a five point lead with scores from the likes of Kieran Hughes, Conor McManus and Kieran Duffy before 25 minutes.
Adrian Hanlon has managed to keep Donegal in touch with Donegal’s opening score – a goal on 28 minutes.
Glenswilly man Gary McFadden added a point with his left boot before Monaghan netted a couple more.
Donegal did well to hang in as the visitors looked like they could have pulled away in the first half.
But that inevitably came through in the second period as Monaghan scored at will.
It didn’t help that their first score was a goal by Keith McEleaney in the opening minutes of the restart which cancelled out Hanlon’s goal for Donegal.
Kieran Hughes scored almost at will with a personal tally of 1-5 for the visitors.
Dermot Malone added another goal for Monaghan as McGuinness continued to ring the changes knowing the chance of victory was long gone for his side.
Hughes grabbed Monaghan’s third goal as the scoreboard began to look slightly embarrassing on the day.