Donegal see off Mayo to top Division 1 table

The side managed by Jim McGuinness had too much for Mayo in front of a packed house of 8,900 at O’Donnell Park in Letterkenny.

Andy Moran’s team had come through Barnesmore with a spring in their step, having also won their opening two fixtures this term, but would go back down it with their tail between their legs.

The warning signs for Mayo were there early, as, despite having a huge wind in their faces, it was Donegal who were dictating the terms of the contest.

Mayo couldn’t get the ball to stick inside and Donegal were gobbling up all the breaks around the middle of the field. The home side went in at the break with a decent advantage, considering, 0-11 to 0-5 in front.

The hosts’ latest one to-watch, an 18-year-old Leaving Cert student named Conor McCahill from Four Masters Donegal Town, hit the opening two scores and would end up with three from play on his first league start.

Oisin Gallen was making his first start of 2026 and blew off the cobwebs with 0-6, with five of those coming in the first half.

Conor O’Donnell capped a fine performance with the game’s only goal on 46 minutes, which put Donegal nine up.

Mayo didn’t score a point from play for 25 minutes, with Jordan Flynn on the mark on his return, and at the break, his manager had plenty to ponder.

Early in the second half, they created goal chances from Loftus and Darragh Beirne but with Gavin Mulreany in the Donegal goal equal to both, the visitors had to be content with points.

Although there was a glimmer at only four down, 0-11 to 0-7, Donegal soon pressed ahead again and Ryan McHugh’s two-pointer took advantage of the fact the wind was now behind them.

Mayo’s showing was certainly better in part two, although they never got near striking distance and O’Donnell was on hand to tap home a centre from Peadar Mogan to score the goal.

That put Donegal 1-14 to 0-8 in front and came just before Michael Murphy was introduced.

With the pace of the game slower later on, Sam Callinan, Darragh Beirne, Enda Hession and Fergal Boland all posted Mayo points and it was left to Ciaran Moore – the St Eunan’s clubman playing on his local patch – who finished out the scoring.

Donegal scorers: O Gallen 0-6, 2f; C O’Donnell 1-3; C McCahill 0-3; R McHugh 0-3, tp; F Roarty 0-2; S O’Donnell and C Moore 0-1;

Mayo scorers: Ryan O’Donoghue 0-4, 1f, tpf; Jordan Flynn, Sam Callinan 0-2 and Darragh Beirne 0-2; Bob Tuohy, C Loftus, E Hession and F Boland 0-1 

Donegal: G Mulreany; E Bán Gallagher, B McCole, P Mogan; R McHugh, C McGonagle, F Roarty; H McFadden, M Langan; S O’Donnell, C O’Donnell, C Moore; C McCahill, J McGee, O Gallen. 

Subs: M Murphy for Gallen (47), T Carr for Gallagher (57), D Mac Giolla Bhríde for McGee (60), K Muldoon and S Malone for McCahill and McHugh (66) 

Mayo: R Hennelly; J Coyne, R Brickenden, E Hession; S Callinan, D McHugh, F Kelly; B Tuohy, D O’Connor; J Carney, R O’Donoghue, J Flynn; D Beirne, J Carr, A O’Shea. C Loftus for Carr (28), P Durcan and F Boland for McHugh and O’Connor (half-time), D Duffy for O’Shea (52), S Howard for Kelly (58) 

Referee: Sean Hurson (Tyrone).