Here we go, all set for a blockbuster weekend of All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals.

First up at Croke Park is Donegal versus Monaghan.

The all-Ulster affair throws in at 4pm, with the action live on GAA+.

Emma Duffy here with you from GAA HQ, where Fintan O’Toole is also on duty.

Here’s both teams, as per programme. We’ll update you on any late changes.

Donegal

1. Shaun Patton (St. Eunan’s)

2. Finnbarr Roarty (Naomh Conaill), 3. Brendan McCole (St. Naul’s), 4. Peadar Mogan (St. Naul’s)

5. Ryan McHugh (Kilcar), 6. Eoghan Bán Gallagher (Killybegs), 7. Ciarán Moore (St. Eunan’s)

8. Jason McGee (Corduff, Monaghan), 9. Michael Langan (St. Michael’s)

10. Dáire Ó Baoill (Gaoth Dobhair), 11. Ciarán Thompson (Naomh Conaill), 12. Shane O’Donnell (St. Eunan’s)

13. Conor O’Donnell (Carndonagh), 14. Michael Murphy (Glenswilly), 15. Oisín Gallen (Seán Mac Cumhaills)

Monaghan

1. Rory Beggan (Scotstown)

2. Ryan Wylie (Ballybay), 3. Kieran Duffy (Latton), 4. Dylan Byrne (Magheracloone)

5. Ryan O’Toole (Scotstown), 6. Dessie Ward (Ballybay), 7. Conor McCarthy (Scotstown)

8. Mícheál McCarville (Scotstown). 9. Gavin McPhillips (Scotstown)

10. Aaron Carey (Clontibret), 11. Mícheál Bannigan (Aughnamullen), 12. Ryan McAnespie (Emyvale)

13. Jack McCarron (Scotstown), 14. Andrew Woods (Inniskeen), 15. Stephen O’Hanlon (Carrickmacross)

Two changes apiece…

Donegal - Hugh McFadden for Jason McGee, and Caolan McColgan for Dáire Ó Baoill.

Monaghan – Gary Mohan for Gavin McPhillips, and Ciarán McNulty for Jack McCarron.

Nearly show time at Croke Park.

Call it: who will win the first All-Ireland SFC quarter-final of the weekend?

Throw in – We’re underway at Croke Park.

Donegal 0-1 Monaghan 0-0

2 mins - Oisín Gallen with the first score of the game.

Donegal 0-1 Monaghan 0-1

4 mins - Conor McCarthy fists over to get Monaghan off the mark. That came after two wides, while their defence has been tested already. Lively group of Monaghan fans in Hill 16 singing Farney Army.

Donegal 0-2 Monaghan 0-1

5 mins - Gallen again after turning Ryan O’Toole inside and out. Fine score.

Monaghan drop one short at the other end.

Donegal 0-2 Monaghan 0-1

7 mins – Michael Murphy’s first attempt of the day drifts wide, a free from a central area just inside the two-point arc. Awarded after Aaron Carey was adjudged to have fouled Ciarán Moore.

Donegal 0-3 Monaghan 0-1

10 mins - Peadar Mogan points, after Rory Beggan steps up with a big save. Donegal broke after a brilliant Finnbarr Roarty interception.

Donegal 0-3 Monaghan 0-2

11 mins - Míchéal Bannigan fires over for Monaghan, who very nearly capitalised on a nervy Shaun Patton kick-out. 

Donegal 0-4 Monaghan 0-2

13 mins - Conor O’Donnell raises Donegal’s latest white flag. Not long beforehand, Roarty floated a dipped effort wide, keeping Beggan on his toes.

Donegal 0-4 Monaghan 0-4

15 mins – Beggan with a big two-point free, and we’re level. It was given after Dessie Ward was adjudged to have been fouled by Roarty, shooting wide after running the arc. That was Monaghan’s fifth wide of the game, while they dropped another short earlier.

Monaghan 0-6 Donegal 0-4 

17 mins - Monaghan raise another orange flag, Andrew Woods with a two-point score from play, and they hit the front for the first time.

Monaghan 0-6 Donegal 0-5

18 mins - Michael Murphy is on the scoresheet.

Monaghan 0-7 Donegal 0-5

21 mins - Beggan nails a ’45. Came after an impressive block from Eoghan Bán Gallagher on Ryan McAnespie, Monaghan previously holding the ball for an extended period after a turnover in defence.

Monaghan 0-8 Donegal 0-5

23 mins - Stephen O’Hanlon clips over after his shot on goal was smothered by Patton. The Carrickmacross man has pace to burn and is causing Donegal problems out on the left. Monaghan’s break came after another interception, this one seeing Murphy robbed.

Monaghan 0-8 Donegal 0-8

26 mins - A Ciarán Thompson two-pointer and another score from Ryan McHugh have Donegal back on level terms.

Monaghan 0-9 Donegal 0-8

27 mins - McNulty taps over after Monaghan threaten Donegal’s rearguard again.

Monaghan 1-9 Donegal 0-8

GOAL FOR MONAGHAN! Míchéal Bannigan.

Comes from another poor Patton kickout, pretty much straight to O’Hanlon, who finds Bannigan and the captain drills home – despite the best efforts of Patton.

Monaghan 1-9 Donegal 0-10

28 mins - Thompson hits back with another two-pointer.

Monaghan 1-10 Donegal 0-10

29 mins - Ryan O’Toole points for the Farney.

Monaghan 1-12 Donegal 0-10 

31 mins - Woods with another two-pointer for Monaghan, shortly after HawkEye had confirmed their latest wide. Patton has just been pinged for taking too long over his kick-out…

Monaghan 1-13 Donegal 0-10

33 mins - Bannigan makes no mistake with the free to extend the lead to six.

Monaghan 1-13 Donegal 0-11

34 mins - Shane O’Donnell points for Donegal. They’re on the hunt for another, but Monaghan turn them over and go on the hunt once more…

Monaghan 1-15 Donegal 0-11 

35 mins – Beggan with a mammoth two-pointer after the buzzer. 

HALF TIME: Monaghan 1-15 Donegal 0-11 

Tom Maher / INPHO Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO

Well, that was a brilliant first half to kick off All-Ireland SFC quarter-final weekend. 

Monaghan lead by seven, 1-15 to 0-11. Captain Míchéal Bannigan with the goal, while they’ve kicked four two-pointers, with Rory Beggan on song. They’ve kicked their fair share of wides too.

Donegal, namely Ciarán Thompson, have fired over two two-pointers, but will be disappointed with many aspects of their play, including Patton’s kickout which has been squeezed. Jim McGuinness’ side need a big second half to stay in the championship.

Here’s a look at the half time highlights:

🚨HT Highlights @monaghangaa 1-15@officialdonegal 0-11#DONVMON pic.twitter.com/iLE2isOpIw

— The GAA (@officialgaa) June 28, 2025

Monaghan are out on the field first, it’s almost time for the second half here at Croke Park.

We’re off again. A reminder of the score: Monaghan lead 1-15 to 0-11.

Monaghan 1-15 Donegal 0-12

37 mins - Murphy free into the Canal End, first blood of this second half goes to Donegal.

O’Donnell was adjudged to have been fouled for the free, he shot wide.

Monaghan 1-15 Donegal 0-13

39 mins – Gallen bends one over, back on the scoring charge after his bright start to the game.

Monaghan 1-15 Donegal 0-14

40 mins - Conor O’Donnell puts four between the sides.

Jack McCarron replaces Ryan McAnespie, who looked to have been dispossessed cleanly by a Donegal player but is now limping off. 

Dáire Ó Baoill is on for Caolan McColgan for Donegal.

Monaghan 1-16 Donegal 0-14 

42 mins - O’Hanlon with Monaghan’s first score since the restart, he blazes over. Goal could have been on.

Monaghan 1-17 Donegal 0-14 

43 mins - McCarthy shows a clean pair of heels down the left to fist over another.

Monaghan 1-17 Donegal 0-15

43 mins - O’Donnell points for Donegal.

Monaghan 1-17 Donegal 1-15

GOAL FOR DONEGAL! Michael Langan, what a rocket!!!

Jason McGee in for Hugh McFadden, just after Murphy fires wide.

Monaghan 1-18 Donegal 1-16

46 mins - O’Hanlon and O’Donnell trade efforts, the latter blazing just over.

Monaghan 1-18 Donegal 1-17

48 mins - O’Donnell puts the minimum between the sides, Donegal will be enthused by their third-quarter showing.

Here’s a look at Langan’s goal:

GOAL! 🏐🚨
Michael Langan with a clinical finish for @officialdonegal 📋#DONVMON pic.twitter.com/gDDQZf06kS

— The GAA (@officialgaa) June 28, 2025

Monaghan 1-18 Donegal 1-17

49 mins - Beggan’s two-point free effort crashes off the post, and the follow-up shot is sent wide.

Patrick McBrearty enters the fray for Donegal, replacing Gallen.

Monaghan 1-18 Donegal 1-18

50 mins - Langan levels matters.

Two Monaghan changes: Louis Kelly for Michael McCarville, David Garland for McNulty.

Donegal 1-19 Monaghan 1-18

52 mins – Murphy sends a straightfoward free over to move Donegal in front.

James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Donegal 1-20 Monaghan 1-18

55 mins - Murphy adds another from play, after Donegal break after a big block on O’Hanlon. Jim McGuinness’ men are two to the good now.

Donegal 1-21 Monaghan 1-18

56 mins -Peadar Mogan fists over after linking up well with McBrearty.

Eoin McHugh replaces Ryan McHugh

Donegal 1-22 Monaghan 1-18

57 mins - McBrearty gets in on the scoring act. He clenches his fist and lets out a roar, he loved that!

Donegal 1-23 Monaghan 1-18

59 mins - Conor O’Donnell scores Donegal’s latest point, after the initial effort hit the post.

Monaghan changes: Darren Hughes for Gary Mohan, Karl O’Connell for Conor McCarthy. 

Kieran Duffy shown a yellow card, can’t quite see what for.

Another Monaghan change, this one temporary: Stephen Mooney for David Garland.

Donegal 1-23 Monaghan 1-18

62 mins – Bit of a lull the last few minutes, Murphy sending a ’45 wide and Monaghan’s wastefulness continues. Garland back in for Mooney.

Donegal 1-24 Monaghan 1-18

64 mins – McBrearty bags another, while Monaghan shoot wide at the other end. They haven’t scored since the 46th minute.

Donegal 1-24 Monaghan 1-18

65 mins - Monaghan try desparately to work a goal, but Patton easily deals with a tame palmed effort. Their latest wide is cheered ironically by the Donegal support.

Donegal 1-24 Monaghan 1-18

67 mins - One of the biggest cheers of the day as Murphy leaves the field, Niall O’Donnell coming on in his wake.

Another ironic roar from the Donegal crowd before that as Jack McCarron’s outside of the boot effort goes awry.

Donegal 1-26 Monaghan 1-18

68 mins - Langan with an impressive two pointer. ‘Donegal, Donegal’ ringing out around Croke Park. What a second half they have had.

Donegal 1-26 Monaghan 1-20 

69 mins - Garland responds with a two-pointer at the other end to end Monaghan’s scoring drought.

FULL TIME: Donegal 1-26 Monaghan 1-20

Tom Maher / INPHO Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO

Drama at the end there – Monaghan had the ball in the back of the net after a Beggan free, but it was disallowed. Donegal blew them away in a stunning second half, outscoring them 1-15 to 0-5. The Farney didn’t score for over 20 minutes at one stage.

Man of the Match Shane O’Donnell is talking about “a big wakeup call” in his interview with GAA+ on the pitch, and the “few harsh words” Jim McGuinness shared at half time. They clearly worked, and they now return to the All-Ireland semi-finals.

Dominant stuff by Donegal in second half, outscored Monaghan 1-15 to 0-5.

Between 46th and 68th minutes, Donegal won that phase 0-11 to 0-0, were in complete control in last quarter.

— Fintan O'Toole (@fotoole13) June 28, 2025

That’s all from our liveblog, Donegal coming good to down Monaghan and progress to the final four.

A match report is available to read on The 42, and myself and Fintan will have all the usual reaction and analysis over the coming hours and days. 

Thanks for reading, stay with us for extensive coverage of All-Ireland SFC quarter-final weekend. Have a good one!