Donegal 1-12
Dublin 1-11

It was first blood to Donegal at Croke Park this afternoon after super-sub Ethan O'Donnell's late point secured their place in the All-Ireland MFC final for the first time.

Declan Bonner's charges celebrated as if they had won the All-Ireland itself after a terrific contest had ebbed and flowed before O'Donnell shot the winner with two minutes to go. Dublin had two late chances from placed balls to force extra-time, but Donegal cleared their lines and can now look forward to a final showdown with Jack O'Connor's Kerry on September 21.

After a slow start, the winners finished the first half strongly to lead by 1-6 to 0-6 at the short whistle. The Ulster champions continued to hold a slender lead until midway through the second half when Jack Burke's goal put Dublin back in the driving seat. But Donegal scored the last three points to squeeze through, with four points from man of the match Stephen McBrearty - younger brother of Paddy who will feature in the senior semi-final between the same two counties - proving crucial to the outcome.

Having remained unbeaten since their U16 days, this appears to be an exceptional Donegal team and it's going to take something special from Kerry to deny them their first Tom Markham Cup in three weeks' time.

Dublin were first off the mark when Con O'Callaghan set up wing forward Jack Burke for a second-minute point. This was cancelled out by a Lorcan Connor free before Aaron Byrne jinxed past his marker and split the posts to restore the Metropolitan's lead.

Despite both sides creating plenty of chances, a 10-minute scoring drought ensued before Conor Kavanagh drilled over after selling a couple of dummies to give Cyril Kevlihan's side a 0-3 to 0-1 advantage.

Two O'Callaghan points from play extended Dublin's lead to four points after 21 minutes, but Donegal then suddenly came to life when scoring 1-3 without reply. They had the deficit back to the minimum in the 22nd minute when John Campbell rose highest to fist a high ball to the bottom right hand corner of the Dublin net.

The power behind the fist gave Dublin goalkeeper Eiven Whelan no chance.

The big full forward quickly added a point to restore parity before giving the Ulster champions the lead for the first time after he had intercepted a poor kick-out by the Dublin 'keeper.

Donegal were flying now and they went two points clear when Lorcan Connor's effort from 40 metres dropped over the crossbar. Chris Sallier scored a lovely point on the run for Dublin, but the momentum remained with the Tir Chonaill boys as the Gweedore pair Cian Mulligan and Stephen McBrearty tagged on points before half-time.

Eoghan McHugh soloed through for a Dublin point within 25 seconds of the restart before O'Callaghan left the minimum in it again from a 20-metre free. Another patient Donegal build-up culminated in wing back Mulligan's second point, but O'Callaghan kept the Leinster champions in touch with another close-in free.

A last-ditch block on Conor Kavanagh after the ball had come back off the upright prevented Dublin from regaining the lead before McBrearty restored Donegal's two-point advantage with a beauty off the outside of his right boot into the Hill 16 end.

Chris Sallier got a point back for the Dubs, only for McBrearty to cancel it out with his third point after Lorcan Connor had done the donkey work. That score left Donegal two points clear, 1-9 to 0-10, at the end of the third quarter, but Dublin then turned the tide back in their favour with an unanswered 1-2 in the space of three minutes.

Jack Burke's 46th minute goal was the result of some quick-thinking by Colm Basquel. The centre forward from Ballyboden St. Enda's was fouled about 25 metres from goal, but instead of leaving the free to O'Callaghan, he took it quickly as Aaron Byrne helped it on its way into the path of the raiding Burke who finished to the net.

Basquel immediately added a point to give the pre-match favourites a 1-11 to 1-9 advantage, but they weren't to score again as a determined Donegal finished the stronger.

A Connor free left the minimum between the sides before sub Gavin McBride missed chances from frees to level the tie. However, Donegal refused to panic and regained parity in the 56th minute when that man McBrearty sent over a booming point from just inside the 45-metre line.

O'Donnell then secured his place in the annals of Donegal GAA history when he rifled over after the Dublin 'keeper had fisted a high ball away. Amid unbearable tension, O'Callaghan had a chance to level from a difficult 40-metre free, but it dropped short as goalkeeper Danny Rogers punched away for a '45', which Dublin also failed to convert.

Donegal - D Rodgers; D Monagle, C Gillespie, C Kelly; S McMenamin, T McCleneghan, C Mulligan (0-2); N Harley, C McGonigle; S McBrearty (0-4), L Connor (0-3, 2f), M Carroll; J Brennan, J Campbell (1-2), N Friel. Subs: C Morrison for N Friel (BC), E O'Donnell (0-1) for N Harley, G McBride for J Brennan, C Doherty for J Campbell, C Bonner for C Kelly.

Dublin - E Whelan; E Murchan, J Mullins, D Monahan; A McGowan, S Clayton, G O'Reilly; A Foley, E McHugh (0-1); C Kavanagh (0-1), C Basquel (0-1), J Burke (1-1); A Byrne (0-1), C O'Callaghan (0-4, 2f), C Sallier (0-2). Subs: B Howard for C Kavanagh, D McIlgorm for A Foley, W Egan for A Byrne, A Fee for A McGowan.

Referee - D O'Mahony.

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