Declan Bonner’s team looked to be in firm control eight minutes into part two when Ciaran Thompson slammed a goal past Ronan Ó Beoláin in the Galway goal for a 2-5 to 0-4 Donegal lead.

However, Galway’s instant response went a long way to turning the contest when Johnny Heaney got in on the end of a pass from Shane Walsh to smash past Shaun Patton in the Donegal goal they were back in business.

Then, on 53 minutes, Padraig Joyce’s other corner-back Séan Kelly slipped a tackle and saw the whole Donegal defence open as he strode in to plant the ball in the bottom corner of Patton’s net.

A Michael Murphy free brought Donegal level at 2-6 to 2-6, only for Walsh’s fourth of the day and a Michael Daly score to put Galway two up late in the day. Daly was sent off by Joe McQuillan with three minutes to play for picking up a second yellow card and Donegal will rue their missed chances late on.

Murphy saw what he thought was an equalizing point chalked off for a square ball and both Thompson and the Donegal captain missed injury-time frees for a share of the spoils as Galway held on to post the narrowest of wins.

Donegal had led at half-time 1-3 to 0-4 with Murphy scoring a penalty on 22 minutes after Jamie Brennan was toppled and Connor Gleeson, the Galway goalkeeper, was black-carded.

Scorers - Donegal: M Murphy 1-3, (1-0 pen, 1f, 1 ’45, 1m), C Thompson 1-1 (1f), J Brennan 0-2 (0-1 am), P Mogan 0-1.

Galway: S Walsh 0-4 (2f), S Kelly, J Heaney 1-0 each, R Finnerty 0-2, Michael Daly, Damien Comer 0-1 each.

Donegal: S Patton; C Ward, N McGee, E Ban Gallagher; R McHugh, C O’Donnell, O McFadden-Ferry; C McGonagle, M Langan; E McHugh, P Mogan, P Brennan; C Thompson, M Murphy, J Brennan.

Subs: N O’Donnell for Mogan (35), A McClean for McGonagle (half-time), D Ó Baoill for E McHugh (55).

Galway: C Gleeson; S Kelly, S Mulkerrin, J Heaney; G O’Donnell, J Daly, C McDaid; Ronan Steede, C D’Arcy; F Ó Laoí, D Comer, M Daly; R Finnerty, S Walsh, M Boyle.

Subs: Subs: R Ó Beoláin for 22 (22), O Laoi for Gleeson (32), C Campbell for McDaid (35+3), R Varley for Steed (half-time), P Conroy for O Laoi (44)

Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan).