Donegal 3-12
Galway 0-11
Donegal showed glimpses of their unstoppable brilliance today as they disposed of a spirited Galway side by 3-12 to 11 points.
Michael Murphy was a late inclusion in the starting XV, but his presence did little to disrupt the Tribesmen in the opening half of the contest.
The Ulster side endured a 28-minute scoreless spell, but made their opportunities count with two late goals to sink Kevin Walsh's side.
Odhran Mac Niallais, Colm McFadden and Michael Murphy all had stellar performances in the last half hour of the game, after the 2012 champions looked out of ideas and Galway were surging back into the game.
Donegal’s afternoon looked like it would be quite comfortable when Paddy McBrearty struck the game’s opening goal in the sixth minute.
That gave them an early 1-2 to 0-1 lead and it looked for all the world that Galway were doomed to endure a painful 70 minutes of championship football.
But Galway grew into the game and scores from Gary Sice and Paul Conroy meant that the the sides went in at the break primed for a highly competitive second half.
Donegal trailed by one before the 45th minute when they reeled off the first of three points in succession, Murphy ending their point drought with a superb free.
On 60 minutes, McHugh all but secured their spot in the quarter final, a well worked move allowed him the time and space to slot home Donegal's second goal of the afternoon.
As proceedings were winding down, substitute Christy Toye added another goal in injury-time and Donegal will go into their next game against Mayo a team transformed from the side that were beaten in the Ulster final.
Tyrone will have the pleasure of facing fellow Ulstermen Monaghan in the next round.
Scorers for Donegal: P McBrearty (1-1); C McFadden (0-4, 1 free); O Mac Niallais, M Murphy (2 frees) (0-3 each); R McHugh, C Toye (1-0 each); L McLoone (0-1).
Scorers for Galway: G Sice (0-4, frees); A Varley (0-2); D Cummins, T Flynn, P Conroy, D Comer (free), S Walsh (0-1 each).
Subs for Donegal: A Thompson for É McGee (inj), M McElhinney for M O'Reilly (both h-t); D Walsh for P McGrath (black, 51); L McLoone for P McBrearty (54); C Toye for H McFadden (68); David Walsh for C McFadden (70+2).
Subs for Galway: S Walsh for A Varley, P Sweeney for P Conroy (both 57); P Ó Gríofa for D Cummins (63); S Denvir for M Lundy (67); M Martin for T Flynn, E Tierney for G Sice (both 69).
DONEGAL: P Durkin; N McGee, É McGee, P McGrath; R McHugh, F McGlynn, É Doherty; N Gallagher, M Murphy; M McHugh, H McFadden, O Mac Niallais; C McFadden, P McBrearty, M O'Reilly.
GALWAY: B O'Donoghue; F Hanley, C Sweeney, J Duane; G Bradshaw, G O'Donnell, L Silke; F Ó Curraoin, T Flynn; G Sice, P Conroy, M Lundy; D Cummins, A Varley, D Comer.
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