Recent meetings: Dublin v Donegal (football)

Dublin face Donegal in this Saturday's Allianz FL Division 1 semi-final at Kingspan Breffni Park (7.15, Live on TG4). Both sides are unbeaten in their campaign to date - Dublin with two wins and a draw; Donegal a win and two draws. Here we look back on recent meetings between the counties.

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2020 FL DIVISION 1 ROUND 4

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22: Croke Park

DUBLIN 1-15 DONEGAL 1-14

Paul Mannion's late goal saw Dublin secure a one-point victory in this FL Division 1 clash at Croke Park before an attendance of 26,153.

The Kilmacud Crokes forward batted the ball to the net in the 66th minute after keeper Shaun Patton fumbled a point attempt from Brian Howard dropping short.

It gave Dublin a three-point lead, 1-14 to 1-11, after they had trailed throughout and Dessie Farrell's side held on in the face of plenty of late Donegal pressure.

Dublin started both halves on the back foot but improved significantly towards the three-quarter mark to record their first Croke Park league victory following draws against both Kerry and Monaghan.

Donegal led 1-6 to 0-7 at half-time with Hugh McFadden blasting past Evan Comerford in the sixth minute to give his side a 1-1 to 0-0 victory before the impressive Seán Bugler fired over to open Dublin's account in the ninth minute.

While beaten on that occasion Comerford was to have a very influential role in Dublin's win by making three excellent one-one-one stops over the course of the game to deny Ryan McHugh, Peadar Mogan and arguably the most important one when denying Paddy McBrearty in the 58th minute.

On the restart to the second period the Ulster side opened with points from Ciarán Thompson and Mogan before Dublin began to click into gear.

Dean Rock converted a free, following a foul on Niall Scully, sub Cormac Costello and Brian Howard added to Dublin's tally to make it 1-8 to 0-10.

Heading into the concluding 15 minutes Donegal were three points to the good, 1-11 to 0-11, before Brian Fenton kicked two excellent scores.

Evan Comerford had denied McBrearty before sub Colm Basquel showed great determination to work the scoring opportunity for a point to bring the sides level.

Then Mannion's goal edged Dublin a goal clear, Michael Murphy closed the gap with a free.

David Byrne broke forward with great pace and slotted over, it was the score that carried Dublin to victory.

SCORERS - Dublin: D Rock 0-4 (0-3f), P Mannion 1-0, S Bugler, C Kilkenny (0-1m) B Howard, B Fenton 0-2 each, C Costello, C Basquel, D Byrne 0-1 each. Donegal: M Murphy 0-5 (0-2f, 0-1m), H McFadden 1-1, J Brennan, C Thompson (0-1f), P Mogan 0-2 each. M Langan, P McBrearty 0-1 each.

DUBLIN: E Comerford; D Byrne, J Small, M Fitzsimons; B Howard, C O’Shea, E Murchan; B Fenton, C Dias; S Bugler, D Rock, N Scully; P Mannion, C Kilkenny, K McManamon. Subs: C Costello for Dias (ht), C Basquel for McManamon (54), A Byrne for Bugler (68), P Small for Rock (70+3),

DONEGAL: S Patton; N McGee, C Ward, E Bán Gallagher; P Brennan, R McHugh, O McFadden-Ferry; H McFadden, M Langan; D O Baoill, C Thompson, C McGonagle; P Mogan, M Murphy, J Brennan. Subs: N O’Donnell for P Brennan (47), P McBrearty for McGonagle (53), B McCole for Ward (53), E McHugh for J Brennan (62).

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2018 ALL-IRELAND QUARTER-FINAL GROUP 2 PHASE 1

SATURDAY, JULY 14: Croke Park

DUBLIN 2-15 DONEGAL 0-16

Dublin got their ‘Super 8’ campaign off to a winning start with room for improvement in this All-Ireland SFC quarter-final Group 2 Phase 1 victory at Croke Park.

Goals in either half from Niall Scully, scoring his first championship goals, did the real damage for Dublin but the reigning All-Ireland champions left a lot of scores behind them throughout the game.

A crowd of 53,501 were treated to a mixed bag of a game but there were some excellent scores from both sides while the high fielding of Brian Howard, who won four marks, and Brian Fenton was a feature of the game.

The Dubs did well in the kickout department with the Raheny duo having telling contributions with Howard enjoying a superb game which included two points from play, one off either foot.

Cormac Costello and Paul Flynn came off the bench to make positive contributions, both getting two points from play.

Dublin opened with two Dean Rock scores (one free, one ‘45’) inside four minutes but trailed by the 11th minute after Donegal’s Jamie Brennan, Frank McGlynn and Ryan McHugh were on target.

The Dubs elected to start Eoin Murchan, making his senior championship starting debut, to track McHugh and the young Na Fianna man did a fine job of curtailing his influence.

Dublin led 1-9 to 0-8 at the break but it should have been more as they squandered several clearcut chances.

The only goal of the opening half came in the 27th minute when Scully cut through the defence before angling back around onto his right foot and slipping the ball to the net for a vital score.

Dublin’s goal remained intact at the other end but there were nervy moments with one last-ditch tackle from Michael Fitzsimons on Jamie Brennan forcing him to skew wide from close range.

Two minutes into the second half Scully found the net again after quick interplay in the Dublin attack.Dublin moved eight clear at one stage 2-10 to 0-8 but then missed opportunities with Brian Fenton denied by Shaun Patton while Jack McCaffrey and Con O’Callaghan were also in good positions on other occasions to put Dublin out of sight.

SCORERS - Dublin: D Rock 0-7 (0-5f, 0-1 ‘45’), N Scully 2-0, B Howard, C Costello, P Flynn 0-2 each, C Kilkenny, J McCarthy 0-1 each. Donegal: M Murphy 0-6 (0-3f, 0-1 ‘45’), J Brennan 0-3, R McHugh, M Langan 0-2 each, F McGlynn, C Thompson, E Doherty 0-1 each.

DUBLIN: S Cluxton; E Murchan, M Fitzsimons, J Cooper; J McCarthy, C O'Sullivan, J McCaffrey; B Fenton, MD Macauley; N Scully, C O'Callaghan, B Howard; P Mannion, D Rock, C Kilkenny. Subs: C Costello for Macauley (46), K McManamin for Mannion (48), P Flynn for Howard (54), E Lowndes for McCaffrey (62), C Basquel for O'Callaghan (70).

DONEGAL: S Patton; EB Gallagher, S McMenamin, E Doherty; F McGlynn, P Brennan, P McGrath; H McFadden, M Murphy; L McLoone, R McHugh, C Thompson; M Langan, O MacNiallais, J Brennan. Subs: N McGee for M McGrath (ht), D Ó Baoill for MacNiallais (51), C Mulligan for Thompson (53), C Ward for Doherty (57), A Thompson for P Brennan (62), S McBrearty for J Brennan (66).

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2018 FL DIVISION 1

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10: Croke Park

DUBLIN 0-20 DONEGAL 0-15

Dublin made it three wins from three starts at the start of their FL campaign but had to show all their big game experience to edge out Donegal at GAA headquarters.

Dublin led 0-11 to 0-5 at half-time after an impressive first half showing and despite extending that advantage they had to hold off a rampant Donegal fightback as the Ulster men twice got to within a point.

It was Dublin, however, who had the final word as they sparked back to life late on to close out the game by kicking the last four points to secure victory with Paul Mannion and three subs - Eoghan O'Gara, Ciarán Reddin and Paddy Small, off his less favoured right foot, all on target.

Donegal carried the fight to Dublin early on to lead 0-2 to 0-1 with their pace and impressive support running an early portent of what was the follow in the second period.

The Jim Gavin's men began to work their way into the contest, which was attended by a crowd of 21,469, with the dynamic Niall Scully kick-starting a run of five unanswered points.

Dublin also had a goal-scoring chance but Colm Basquel's effort cleared the crossbar as the young Ballyboden St Enda's man continued to impress in the early games of his senior career.

Donegal too had a goal opportunity but Jamie Brennan's effort cannoned off of an upright at the Hill 16 end as Dublin took a six-point lead into the break.

Immediately on the restart Brian Fenton strode through the middle of the Donegal defence before clipping a point to push his side seven clear.

But then came the Donegal comeback with the McBrearty brothers, Paddy and Stephen, central to their improvement.

Paddy shot six second half points, four from play, as the Kilcar man led Dublin a merry dance in the second half and soon Donegal were only the minimum in arrears.

But two Colm Basquel points, one a free, steadied the Dubs.

Donegal came with a second surge and at one stage had Dublin pinned into their own half for a long period and but for some superb defending by Jonny Cooper in particular Dublin were in even greater trouble.

However, not for the first time Dublin's subs rose to the occasion with match-winning contributions from O'Gara, Reddin and Paddy Small.SCORERS - Dublin: N Scully, C Basquel (0-1f) 0-4 each, B Fenton, C Kilkenny, P Mannion (0-1f) 0-2 each, P Andrews, E Lowndes, B Howard, E O'Gara, C Reddin, P Small 0-1 each. Donegal: P McBrearty 0-7 (0-3f), R McHugh, J Brennan, S McBrearty 0-2 each, L McLoone, M McHugh 0-1 each.

DUBLIN: S Cluxton; E Lowndes, P McMahon, D Byrne; J McCarthy, J Cooper, J Small; B Fenton, MD Macauley; N Scully, C Kilkenny, B Howard; P Mannion, P Andrews, C Basquel. Subs: E O'Gara for Andrews (46), C O'Sullivan for McMahon (46), D Rock for Macauley (65), C Reddin for Scully (72), P Small for Basquel (73).

DONEGAL: P Boyle; E Doherty, C Ward, E Gallagher; T McClenaghan, L McLoone, R McHugh; N Mullins, H McFadden; MMcHugh, S McBrearty, C Thompson; P McBrearty, O Mac Niallais, J Brennan. Subs: C McGonigle for Mullins (27), N O'Donnell for Thompson (43), M Murphy for Mac Niallais (55), C McGinley for M McHugh (65), M O'Reilly for S McBrearty (69), P Brennan for R McHugh (72).

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2017 FL DIVISION 1

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 26: MacCumhnaill Park, Ballybofey

DONEGAL 2-5 DUBLIN 1-8

Dublin recovered from the hammerblow of conceding two goals inside a minute late in the first half to draw with Donegal in this FL Division 1 encounter in Ballybofey before an attendance of over 10,000.

The Dubs looked set to edge out their opponents before a free in the second minute of added time afforded Michael Murphy the opportunity to level the scoring.

In underfoot conditions that did not lend themselves to great football Donegal opened the scoring inside the first minute when midfielder Jason McGee split the posts.

However, the Ulster side did not score again for over 25 minutes when Ciarán Thompson converted a free after Dublin had scored five unanswered points.

Shane Carthy, with the left from near the endline, got Dublin going before scores from Dean Rock (free), Ciarán Kilkenny, Conor McHugh and Niall Scully, following good vision by Brian Fenton, propelled their side into a 0-5 to 0-1 lead.

But Donegal concluded the half in amazing fashion with goals from Jason McGee, after Stephen Cluxton could only parry his initial effort, and Ryan McHugh to lead 2-2 to 0-5 at the break.

Four minutes into the second half Michael Murphy put Donegal four clear and Dublin needed to lift their game.

Two Dean Rock frees, following fouls on Jack McCaffrey and then Paul Flynn, cut into the deficit before Dublin put together an incisive hand-passing move that culminated with Niall Scully driving the ball to the net to see his side 1-7 to 2-3 clear.

Dean Rock saw a free come back off the upright in the 59th minute before a fine David Byrne point put Dublin two clear with eight minutes of normal time remaining.

But Donegal rallied back with frees from Thompson and Murphy to earn a share of the spoils.

SCORERS - Donegal: J McGee 1-1, R McHugh 1-0, C Thompson (0-2f), M Murphy (0-2f) 0-2 each. Dublin: N Scully 1-1, D Rock 0-3 (0-3f), S Carthy, C Kilkenny, C McHugh, D Byrne 0-1 each.

DONEGAL: MA McGinley; P McGrath, N McGee, C Ward; R McHugh, P Brennan, E Gallagher; J McGee, M Murphy; F McGlynn, M Carroll, M O'Reilly; C Thompson, E McHugh, J Brennan. Subs: H McFadden for J Brennan (40), D O'Connor for P Brennan (46), E Doherty for Carroll (57), S McBrearty for E McHugh (63),

DUBLIN: S Cluxton; P McMahon, M Fitzsimons, E Lowndes; D Daly, J McCaffrey, J Small; B Fenton, C Reddin; S B Carthy (St Vincent's), C Kilkenny, N Scully; D Rock, E O'Gara, C McHugh. Subs: P Flynn for Carthy (42), MD Macauley for Reddin (42), K McManamon for O'Gara (44), D Byrne for McCaffrey (57), J Whelan for McHugh (62), E Ó Conghaile for Daly (69).