Advertisement League of Ireland Horse Racing TV Listings GAA Fixtures The Video Review Sport meets news, current affairs, society & pop culture Rugby Weekly Extra Dive into all the news and analysis 3 times a week The Football Family Weekly insights from the week’s big talking points Advertisement More Stories Donegal's Brendan McCole tackles Mícheál Bannigan of Monaghan.Leah Scholes/INPHO FreeMarch on Monaghan mount huge late charge but Donegal survive to reach Ulster semi-final The title holders are through to the last four to face Down. 4.58pm, 20 Apr 2025 Share options Donegal 0-23 Monaghan 0-21 Alan Foley reports from Clones MONAGHAN WERE LEFT licking their wounds after a gallant fightback from seven down almost yielded something against Donegal in a tense Ulster senior football quarter-final. Trailing 0-9 to 0-2 in the first half and 0-15 to 0-8 at one stage in the second, Monaghan, driven on by the brilliant Dessie Ward, got it back to just one down on a couple of occasions and were two down as the clock hit 70. Some thought they were due another shot at it when Shaun Patton’s kick-out went out for a sideline ball in front of the Hill, but referee David Coldrick called for the ball, and Donegal were through to the last four and a clash with Down back at St Tiernach’s Park next Sunday. The hooter sounded before Ryan O’Toole, the Monaghan full-back, put the ball back into play, which backed up Coldrick’s call and Donegal had squeezed through. Monaghan, with much to build on from their Division 2 league success, will feel their championship might have a few more chapters yet. The current Ulster title holders were six to the good at half-time, 0-14 to 0-8, with Michael Murphy pulling the strings, alongside a more than capable list of protagonists in the form, with top-class showings from Ciaran Thompson with four points in the first half and Peadar Mogan three. Monaghan's Dessie Ward and Ryan McHugh of Donegal.Bryan Keane / INPHO Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO With conditions slippery underfoot, both teams took a little while to find their feet and after Gary Mohan had scored for the home team to open it, by the 22nd minute, they’d added just the one more from a Rory Beggan ’45, with Donegal 0-9 to 0-2 ahead. That came after Shaun Patton made a save to deny Ryan McAnespie, who had played a neat give-and-go with Andrew Woods. Donegal, at the other end, were pressing up and making life tough for Beggan off the tee and Peadar Mogan and Ciaran Thompson, in particular, putting in impressive first-half performances. Monaghan did finish the half reasonably well, with a two-pointer from Dessie Ward giving them some hope before the break and another from Conor McCarthy after it, meaning just a 0-15 to 0-10 deficit by the 40th minute. Monaghan' players protest to Referee David Coldrick after the game finished.Bryan Keane / INPHO Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO Donegal still seemed in control and had the luxury of bringing on Oisin Gallen but deciding to kitchen-sink it, Monaghan got immense backing from the majority of the 16,120 in attendance as they went for broke, with substitutes Jack McCarron and Stephen Mooney having big impacts. Michéal Bannigan’s stylish two-pointer brought the largest cheer of the afternoon and Monaghan were just one point down. They never got level, though, with Donegal, through Michael Langan, whose influence grew and grew, and Jamie Brennan in particular, ensuring they were always just that inch in front. When Ward fired the second of his two-pointers, having also made a brilliant block from Langan to prevent a possible goal at the other end, Monaghan had hope. Ward would try one more shot, only to see it drift wide, and Donegal and manager Jim McGuinness had another up-close and personal reason to add to their beliefs about just how competitive Ulster can be. Advertisement Scorers for Donegal: Ciaran Thompson 0-5 (2pt, 1f); Peadar Mogan and Michael Langan 0-4; Michael Murphy 0-3 (2ptf), Daire Ó Baoill and Jamie Brennan 0-2; Oisin Gallen, Patrick McBrearty and Finnbarr Roarty 0-1 Scorers for Monaghan: Dessie Ward 0-6, (2 2pt play), Micheál Bannigan 0-5 (1 2pt play, 0-1f), Conor McCarthy 0-3 (1 2pt play), Jack McCarron 0-2 (1 2pt play), Stephen Mooney (0-2), Rory Beggan (0-1 ’45), Gary Mohan 0-1, Ryan McAnespie 0-1. Shaun Patton Finbarr Roarty, Brendan McCole, Peadar Mogan Ryan Mc Hugh, Michael Langan, Stephen McMenamin Hugh McFadden, Ciaran Thompson Dáire Ó Baoill, Shane O’Donnell, Ciaran Moore Patrick McBrearty, Michael Murphy, Conor O’Donnell Oisin Gallen for C O’Donnell (half-time) Jason McGee for McFadden (47) Jamie Brennan and Aaron Doherty for McBrearty and Ó Baoill (52) Rory Beggan Ryan Wylie, Ryan O’Toole, Dylan Byrne Kieran Duffy, Dessie Ward, Conor McCarthy Michael McCarville, Gary Mohan Stephen O’Hanlon, Michael Bannigan, Ciaran McNulty David Garland, Andrew Woods,Ryan McAnespie Jack McCarron and Gavin McPhillips for McCarville and Garland (32) Stephen Mooney for Woods (53) Joel Wilson for McNulty (61) Karl O’Connell for Byrne (65) Referee: David Coldrick (Meath) Viewcomments Send Tip or Correction Embed this post To embed this post, copy the code below on your site Email “Monaghan mount huge late charge but Donegal survive to reach Ulster semi-final”. 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