By Michael McMullan

WHEN the Donegal bus nosed out of Croke Park 12 months ago, beaten by Galway, Sunday’s semi-final return would’ve been the day they wanted.

The Anglo Celt Cup being ferried into Donegal Town is always on the Jim McGuinness radar but this is the bigger picture.

The Galway defeat was a day of regret. Shaun Patton unsighted for a freak goal. A collective loss of composure. Balls dropping short.

There was a scratching of heads when Eoghan Bán Gallagher pulled up. One of their line breakers. Jeaic MacCeallbhuí came in and Shane O’Donnell was pushed back. The classic case of robbing Peter to pay Paul.

Even at that, there were other fine margins. Oisín Gallen pulled a free wide that would’ve pushed Donegal ahead. Seconds later a falling Ciarán Thompson touched the ball on the ground resulting in a Galway free. A two-point swing.

Minutes later, in the same corner, Rob Finnerty just managed to get his elbow under the ball as he fell under Ciarán Moore’s pressure. The millimetres and milliseconds Thompson didn’t have.

Donegal’s well documented winter was a restocking of the panel. Michael Murphy came out of retirement. Finnbarr Roarty was old enough this time. Odhrán McFadden Ferry and Eoin McHugh returned.

It would seem Caolan McGonagle, who McGuinness reported is close to a return, was the only missing piece of the puzzle from the win over Monaghan.

It’s the hand Donegal needed when Eoghan Bán’s hamstring yelled ‘no’ 47 minutes into last summer’s All-Ireland semi-final.

Donegal might not have got this far. Monaghan posted 1-15 in the first half of the quarter-final and still passed up chances.

It was their zonal press that flummoxed Shaun Patton. Two rows of four. Behind that, another bank of three and that’s before the towering figure or Rory Beggan filled another pocket.

Between Mícheál Bannigan’s goal and Patton being blown for taking too long over another kick-out, Donegal were letting in water. There was another gush overboard when Beggan thumped over a two-pointer on the hooter.

Donegal turned up the heat. Moore thundered onto a kick-out he had no right to win.

A variation in Donegal’s game saw Langan kick to Murphy inside. It was crisper than the first half. Langan, on his 100th appearance, took the return after Dylan Byrne a swivel of the hips, he hammered to the net.

Donegal never really looked back but they’ve be relieved Monaghan didn’t push on. Then again, momentum stamped its authority.

Their kick-out performance from that first half is something Donegal will be doubt looking at but so will Meath. They’ve the skyscrapers to better what Monaghan brought.

They will also be wary of Meath’s traps on the short restarts. Fresh in the mind is Jordan Morris picking Johnny McGrath’s possession after Connor Gleeson went short to Daniel O’Flaherty to make the Royals’ killer second goal.

From a Meath point of view, Robbie Brennan has turned a corner since shipping four goals in the Leinster final. Along with Armagh, they are the only other team to have kept the rampant Kerry goal machine to a big fat zero.

At last week’s press day, Brennan confirmed his injury quartet Ronan Jones, James Conlon, Jack Kinlough, and Jack Flynn all had operations with the latter unlikely to even see club action.

Only Monaghan are ahead of Meath in the two-point bracket for the season. They’ve 14 more than Donegal.

The Ulster champions tend to get their shots away from the fringes of the small arc. It’s about high percentage and they almost always engineer a shot. Their pace punches them into the gaps.

It may tempt Meath to sit that bit tighter this weekend. Against Galway, a green jersey was always hugging Shane Walsh and Matthew Thompson. Even Paul Conroy’s late attempt for a two-pointer came under pressure.

The Donegal question this week is around their defensive line. They can learn from Armagh.

While Robbie Brennan doesn’t have a David Clifford or a Seán O’Shea, they’ve no shortage or long-range kickers. And they’ll also need to find a balance to always have someone on Jordan Morris.

Monaghan’s shifting of players had Donegal shopping and changed. Between Jack McCarron coming on, Ryan McAnespie going off and David Garland coming in, off and back on, Eoghan Bán Gallagher had his fingers in plenty of holes in the dam. Communication was key.

Brendan McCole is always handed the first bucket of water for the angriest fire and the St Naul’s man could be on Morris with Caolan McColgan trekking Matthew Costello as he did Aidan O’Shea.

Perhaps the biggest task for Donegal’s management team is the mental one. They’ll go in as favourites but the fact Meath have accounted for Dublin, Kerry and Galway so far will keep their eyes fully locked on the six inches in front of their face.

By the time Paul Faloon throws in the ball, Tyrone or Kerry will have made it through. Donegal have the tools to join them. It’s how they use them. They’ll need them all.