Louth were always kept at arm’s length at Croke Park after a polished display from McGuinness’s men, with inspirational defender Peadar Mogan once again lighting it up with 0-5 – part of their sensational 1-21 haul from play – and it continues a dream season thus far.
Division 2 league honours were followed by an Ulster crown via a treacherous route as McGuinness quickly worked the oracle in his second coming, and the Donegal supremo is “extremely happy” to be back where it matters most.
“At the beginning of the year, if we were told that, we would have taken your arm off, so we have to be very thankful for that. We’re here now,” he said.
“The most important thing in championship football is to get into the next round and we’re in the next round now. We’ve got two weeks and we must try to make that fortnight count now.”
This is not the Donegal that we saw in McGuinness’s first reign with an array of shooters from all over the pitch, although he wasn’t happy with the 0-18 tally which they conceded.
His opposite number Ger Brennan reflected on Louth’s best season in 67 years, with midfielder Tommy Durnin delivering a virtuoso display in their first All-Ireland quarter-final appearance.
His Wee outfit struggled to create goalscoring chances, though, while their inaccuracy in front of the posts hurt them at important times.
Brennan hopes this taste of the big time will make them thirst for more of the same.
Sam Mulroy shows his disappointment after Louth’s All-Ireland adventure was ended by Donegal at Croke Park. Photo: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
“I remember when you were younger and you’re trying to get into the local nightclub and the bouncers say, ‘Regulars only’. ‘How do you become a regular if you don’t let us in?’” he quipped.
“The fact that lads have gotten into the All-Ireland quarter-final series and the knockout stages, that means that they have been given the opportunity. They had to fight for it obviously, and they’ll be hungry for more next year.
“They’ll want to get in more often and with that experience and exposure comes a bit more comfortable approach, a more relaxed approach that they know that they are good enough to mix with the best.”
Louth kept this as competitive as possible for as long as possible, despite getting off to a slow start on their third week in succession as they trailed 0-5 to 0-1 after just 11 minutes.
Mogan and Ryan McHugh both raided forward from the back to score, but Louth eventually gained a foothold through a Sam Mulroy point, while Niall McDonnell denied Mogan a goal at the other end with a superb stop.
That further spurred Louth into action with Ryan Burns firing over after the ball was quickly recycled up field. And they only trailed by one, 0-8 to 0-7, when Durnin fired over a beauty off the outside of his right boot on the half-hour mark.
Donegal had the better of the exchanges from there until the break, however, with Mogan and Oisín Gallen punishing Louth mistakes as they deservedly held a three-point advantage at the break, 0-11 to 0-8.
McGuinness’s men kicked on in a dominant third quarter, with Michael Langan sending over a couple of beauties to put clear daylight between the sides, 0-18 to 0-11, but Louth rallied with a hat-trick of points to keep them honest.
The game’s complexion changed drastically in the 59th minute, though, as a breakaway Donegal goal punctured Louth hopes, with Eoghan Ban Gallagher on hand to blast the ball to the net from close range.
That capped a significant contribution of 1-9 from Donegal defenders and it was elementary from there as they coasted home with a date against old buddy Pádraic Joyce next on the radar.
“I am looking forward to that because I know one of us will progress to the final,” McGuinness said.
“The radio silence might kick in for a wee while, but I might send him a cheeky text tonight. Apart from that, I think that will be it for a fortnight.”
SCORERS – Donegal: P Mogan 0-5; O Gallen 0-4 (1f); M Langan 0-3; EB Gallagher 1-0; C Moore, C Thompson, R McHugh, C O’Donnell 0-2 each; P McBrearty (m), A Doherty, J Brennan 0-1 each. Louth: S Mulroy 0-6 (4f); T Durnin 0-4; R Burns, C Byrne 0-2 each; L Jackson, C Lennon, C Early, T Jackson 0-1 each.
DONEGAL: S Patton 6; EB Gallagher 7, B McCole 6, P Mogan 9; R McHugh 7, C McGonagle 7, C Moore 7; C Thompson 7, M Langan 8; S O’Donnell 6, C O’Donnell 7, D Ó Baoill 5; P McBrearty 6, O Gallen 8, N O’Donnell 5. Subs: A Doherty 6 for N O’Donnell (h-t), C McColgan 6 for Ó Baoill (45), J Mac Ceallbhuí 6 for C O’Donnell (49), J Brennan 7 for McBrearty (59), H McFadden for S O’Donnell (66).
LOUTH: N McDonnell 7; D Corcoran 6, D Campbell 6, D McKenny 7; B Duffy 6, A Williams 6, C Lennon 7; T Durnin 9, C Grimes 6; L Grey 5, C Murphy 5, C McKeever 6; C Keenan 7, S Mulroy 7, R Burns 6. Subs: C Early 6 for McKeever temp (17), P Matthews 6 for Grey, L Jackson 7 for Burns and T Jackson 7 for Murphy (all 43), C Byrne 7 for Williams (68), T McDonnell for Corcoran (71).
REF: J McQuillan (Cavan)
