Ulster SFC: Donegal conserve energy for huge Armagh provincial final rematch

For Donegal, it was job done as they accounted for Down 1-19 to 0-16.

Nothing more, nothing less as Jim McGuinness maintained his record of managing the county to the Ulster decider in each of his six seasons in charge.

“We just had to be patient I suppose in some aspects and try and get over the line by hook or by crook,” McGuinness told BBC Sport NI shortly after the final whistle.

His first specific piece of planning for Ulster Final day at Clones on Saturday week was removing Michael Murphy from the fray 10 minutes into the second half moments after his side had increased their advantage to nine points.

Oisin Gallen, teenage corner-back talent Finbarr Roarty and Patrick McBrearty were also called ashore with more than 15 minutes remaining and Down profited from the disruption as they hit three unanswered points to cut Donegal’s advantage to six.

After Daire O Baoill spurned a glorious goal chance which would have put the contest to bed, as impressive Down keeper Ronan Burns made his first of two pointblank second-half saves, Michael Langan’s thumping two-point free left eight between the sides with 12 minutes remaining.

But by now, Donegal were looking a little rattled and ragged and had substitute Shay Millar punished Shaun Patton’s misdirected short kickout in the 60th by finding the net or perhaps by squaring to Pat Havern, it could have been a nervy finish for McGuinness’s men.

But as had been the case in the first half when John McGeough failed to pick out the unmarked Patrick McCarthy with his hand pass across Shaun Patton’s goal, the chance was butchered and with that, Down’s faint hopes of another great escape expired.