Hello and welcome to our coverage of a pretty intriguing clash at Croker. Throw-in is at 6pm and if this clash is as tight as the Tyrone/Mayo battle, we’re in for a treat.

Kerry and Tipperary have already booked their place in the final four but who will join them there?

James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Could it possibly be a repeat of two years ago, when Donegal got the better of Jim Gavin’s team at the semi-final stage?

Or, will the Dubs deliver another firm statement of intent as they look to claim Sam for a fourth time in six years?

Dublin are able to recall three-time All-Ireland winner James McCarthy for this. The Ballymun Kickhams man missed the Leinster final win over Westmeath with a quad injury but returns in place of Eric Lowndes.

1. Stephen Cluxton (Parnells – captain)

2. Philip McMahon (Ballymun Kickhams)
3. John Cooper (Na Fianna)
4. David Byrne (Naomh Olaf)

5. James McCarthy (Ballymun Kickhams)
6. Cian O’Sullivan (Kilmacud Crokes)
7. John Small (Ballymun Kickhams)

8. Brian Fenton (Raheny)
9. Michael Darragh MacAuley (Ballyboden St Enda’s)

10. Paul Flynn (Fingallians)
11. Kevin McManamon (St Jude’s)
12. Ciaran Kilkenny (Castleknock)

13. Dean Rock (Ballymun Kickhams)
14. Diarmuid Connolly (St Vincent’s)
15. Bernard Brogan (St. Oliver Plunkett’s-Eoghan Ruadh)

Meanwhile, Donegal have named an unchanged team from the side that got the better of Cork last time out.

Mark Anthony McGinley (St Michael’s)

Paddy McGrath (Ardara)
Neil McGee (Gaoth Dobhair)
Eamon McGee (Gaoth Dobhair)

Ryan McHugh (Kilcar)
Karl Lacey (Four Masters)
Frank McGlynn (Glenfin)

Rory Kavanagh (St Eunan’s)
Odhran MacNiallais (Gaoth Dobhair)

Anthony Thompson (Naomh Conaill)
Martin McElhinney (St Michael’s)
Eoin McHugh (Kilcar)

Patrick McBrearty (Kilcar)
Michael Murphy (Glenswilly – captain)
Martin O’Reilly (Sean Mac Cumhaill)

By the way, we’ve just had the full-time whistle blow in the first game at Croker and it’s Mayo who progress to the semi-finals of this year’s All-Ireland after a 1-point win over Tyrone. They’ll face Tipp in the final four.

All eyes will be on this man this evening.

Presseye / Lorcan Doherty/INPHO Presseye / Lorcan Doherty/INPHO / Lorcan Doherty/INPHO

Paddy McBrearty tallied 0-11 against Cork last weekend but will hardly get as much scope against the Dubs.

Still, he’s the focal point of the Donegal attack. Keep him quiet and Gavin’s men are halfway there.

The teams are on the field. How are the nerves, Dubs fans?

And will we ever find out why? Probably not.

So, please list your best conspiracy theories in the comments section.

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AND WE’RE OFF! 

What a start that is! Diarmuid Connolly gets through on goal but is denied by Mark Anthony McGinley.

At the other end, McBrearty kicks an early wide.

Another wide for Donegal as Murphy tries to point a free from a difficult angle – it drifts away from Cluxton’s goal and was never on target.

Dublin 0-01 Donegal 0-00

Dean Rock kicks the first score of the game from a free to give Dublin and early lead here. A couple of messy wides from Donegal and they need to settle here.

BOOKINGS! Ryan McHugh and Diarmuid Connolly are involved in an off-the-ball clash and are both shown a yellow card for their troubles.

Dublin 0-002 0-00 Donegal

Philly McMahon pops up to drive over a second score for the Dubs. Already, Donegal have racked up five unforced errors to Dublin’s one.

Great skill by Brogan as he darts in front of Neil McGee – that zone is proving pretty fruitful for Dublin already and is certainly a pattern – before he picks out Paul Flynn  with a superb pass. The half-forward mis-controls and the chance of another score is gone.

Dublin 0-02 0-01 Donegal

Murphy gets Donegal on the board with a free but moments later, he’s booked after catching Brian Fenton with a hand to the face.

That’s so, so close! Connolly has started really brightly but he’s missed another great goal chance. This time he races through in the left channel and looks to send his shot to the far corner but it bounces a fraction of an inch past the far upright.

Dublin 0-03 0-02 Donegal

Michael Murphy levels with a 45 but Dean Rock has just pushed Dublin into the lead once more with a close-range free.

Dublin 0-04 0-02 Donegal

Kevin McManamon makes it a two-point game once more with a neat shot from the right aside that just dropped over the bar.

Dublin 0-05 0-02 Donegal

Good running initially from John Small before Dublin have to work hard to recycle possession and make an angle. Eventually, they give themselves a platform and Ciaran Kilkenny taps over another point. Donegal are struggling here.

Dublin 0-06 0-03 Donegal

Murphy’s third from placed balls but Dublin show their smarts as Connolly races right down the other end and pops it over.

Dublin 0-07 0-03 Donegal

What a score. Paddy Andrews – who was a late replacement for James McCarthy – curls one over from an impossible angle and Dublin are in complete control here.

Dublin 0-08 0-04 Donegal

Kilkenny is shown a yellow but it doesn’t seem to matter much as Rock kicks another free to put the Dubs five up. Anthony Thompson knocks one over for Donegal to get it back to double scores.

Dublin 0-09 0-04 Donegal

Connolly steadies himself and launches one with his left boot that dissects the posts. He’s really on song here.

HALF-TIME! 

That has not gone according to plan for Rory Gallagher’s side, that’s for sure. They’ve managed one point from play while Michael Murphy has added three more scores from placed balls but they’ve been out-thought by the Dubs.

Connolly has been excellent, despite missing two excellent goal chances. He’s got two from play – both of them superb – while Paddy Andrews also kicked an absolute beauty.

Dean Rock, meanwhile, has been unerring with his frees and Gallagher desperately needs to change things at the break.

SECOND HALF! 

SUBSTITUTION! Ciaran Gilespie (on) - Odhrán Mac Niallais (off)

Rory Gallagher has blinked first and makes his first change at the break.

Dublin 0-10 0-04 Donegal 

Strong running from McManamon and he ends up fisting it over the bar from a tight angle. The Dubs are just squeezing the life out of Donegal here.

Dublin 0-11 0-04 Donegal

Small is unceremoniously dumped to the ground and from close in, Rock makes little mistake with the free.

Dublin 0-11 0-05 Donegal

We haven’t seen McBrearty all day but he’s popped up with a decent score here to make it a six-point game.

GOAL! Ryan McHugh! 

Well, what is Eamon McGee doing up in attack? It all came from a bit of rejigging regarding Donegal’s system and after a lovely collection of hand-passes, the ball is lofted to the far post where McHugh taps to the net. That could be huge.

RED CARD! Diarmuid Connolly is off here and there’s chaos. He goes in high and he’s already been booked so has to go. Dublin are suddenly up against it now.

Dublin 0-12 1-05 Donegal

By the way, just before the sending-off, Dean Rock put Dublin four in front.

SUBSTITUTIONS! Toye (on) – Thompson (off) & Daly (on) – Brogan (off)

There have been a raft of changes in the last few minutes as well. Toye has come in for Donegal while Bernard Brogan has been replaced for the Dubs.

BOOKING! Eamon McGee is the latest player to get shown a yellow card.

SUBSTITUTION! Bastick (on) – MacAuley (off)

MDMA is replaced and we have about 15 minutes to go here. Will there be a memorable comeback?

Dublin 0-12 1-06 Donegal

Michael Murphy curls one from his hands and it’s a three point game.

SUBSTITUTIONS! McHugh (on) – McGee (off) & Mannion (on) – Andrews (off)

It’s been 13 minutes since Dublin last scored. Losing Connolly has been a massive blow to their attack and they’re going to grind this out here – it doesn’t look like it will be a free-flowing finale for them.

Dublin 0-14 1-06 Donegal

That’s crucial. McManamon puts over his third from play and then Cooper gets in on the act. Dublin by five.

Mannion swings one towards the sticks with his left and it looks to be sailing over…but catches the outside of the upright and drops wide.

Dublin 0-14 1-07 Donegal

McBrearty sends over a free from close in and it’s back to four.

Dublin 0-14 1-08 Donegal

Cooper is dripping in blood here after a challenge on McHugh. He has to go off and get some running repairs. Murphy taps over a free to reduce the gap to three.

Dublin 0-15 1-08 Donegal

That should be that, barring a miracle. Paul Mannion didn’t miss by much earlier on and he nails this one from distance. Dublin by four with just a few minutes to go.

There’s going to be six minutes of injury time and we’ve alreayd played a minute of it. O’Gara is on for McManamon while Donegal have brought in McFadden for Lacey. Donegal need something special and fast.

RED CARD! O’Gara is off! It’s an open-handed slap into the chest of Neil McGee and that’s a second dismissal for Dublin. They finish this with 13 men. Incredible stuff.

Dublin 0-15 1-09 Donegal

McBrearty taps over another free and it’s a three-point game. We have about two minutes left.

GOAL! Mannion! 

That’s absolutely magnificent from the substitute, who just races past the Donegal defence before casually slotting to the net!

FULL-TIME! 

Donegal add a late free to make it a five-point game but that’s it and Dublin march on to face Kerry in the semi-finals.

Thanks for staying with us throughout the game and thanks, as always, for your comments.

We’ll have reports and analysis on the site shortly on what’s been a very busy day of action at GAA HQ.