Ger Brennan’s men will likely be without Con O’Callaghan and Paddy Small who both left the field injured, but they were able to outlast their fancied opponents in an absorbing clash in front of a 32,220 Croke Park crowd.

This game had almost everything. Small’s 67th minute goal appeared to propel Dublin to the last eight. When Lee Gannon fisted over a point, it felt like an insurance score.

But Donegal weren’t done. Michael Langan’s goal attempt fizzed over the bar and then referee Martin McNally brought forward a free that Michael Murphy drove over to secure 20 more minutes.

The free itself was a rough one on Dublin given Ross McGarry did all that would have been expected of him, placing the ball, having touched it on the ground. Something may have been said but on viewing it in real time there didn’t appear to be enough evidence to advance the ball.

Murphy’s reaction to scoring the equaliser was to accost Ciarán Kilkenny and hell broke out. Extra-time commenced without the Donegal great, Jason McGee and Dublin pair Niall Scully and Theo Clancy, who were all shown black cards.

Without Murphy and McGee, Donegal lost a platform in midfield and Dublin prospered. In the first 10-minute period, substitute Seán Guiden picked off four points including a two-pointer. A Charlie McMorrow outside-of-the-boot finish for a goal came back off the post.

Still, Dublin were five up when a breach was spotted and Gavin Mulreany blasted over the resultant two-pointer and Donegal were just three behind on the turnaround, 2-20 to 2-23.

What’s more, O’Callaghan had also retired injured and when Ryan McHugh opened the half with two points, the initiative seemed to be with Donegal. Shea Malone had also tested Evan Comerford just before the first score.

McHugh’s brace was cancelled out by two from Basquel, one from a free he won himself. A Peadar Ó Cofaigh-Byrne point put the cap on a defiant win for Brennan and his men.

Before throw-in, Shaun Patton appeared the fall guy for the defeat to Cork and Gavin Mulreany was restored to goal. In late switches, Ryan McHugh and Oisín Gallen were replaced by Max Campbell and Shea Malone.

Dublin themselves made three swaps – Lee Gannon, Peadar Ó Cofaigh-Byrne and Colm Basquel were in for Greg McEneaney, Eoin Kennedy and Seán Bugler.

An O’Callaghan two-pointer in the second minute that rode the breeze into the Davin Stand illustrated the conditions that could have defined the first half. It turned out to be the only orange flag of the half. Instead, goals punctuated the period.

Donegal hit Dublin for 1-2 in less than two minutes. After Langan landed his second of three first-half points, Comerford’s kick-out was intercepted by Campbell. He supplied Malone and his high finish was too good.

In his 200th appearance for Donegal, Murphy backed it up with a point to push Donegal five up, 1-6 to 0-4, and Dublin were staggering. They composed themselves with Brian Howard and O’Callaghan points, the Dublin captain’s first of two with his fist ahead of the break.

Langan’s third was followed by the hosts’ own 1-2 burst. After Basquel’s third came O’Callaghan’s fourth and then Small spoiled a short Mulreany restart intended for Caolan McGonagle. Small passed to O’Callaghan who tucked the ball under the Donegal goalkeeper and Dublin led 1-8 to 1-7.

Like Killarney on Saturday, another goal arrived in the final minute of the half. Murphy tapped on a long Mulreany kick-out, Peadar Mogan received and completed a one-two with Malone before sidefooting his cute finish beyond Comerford.

Donegal’s two-point lead, 2-7 to 1-8, was eventually swallowed by Dublin in the 54th minute when O’Callaghan curved over a 45. Parity was shortlived as Shane O’Donnell sent over Donegal’s first two-pointer.

Back Dublin came through a brace of points from substitute Ross McGarry and a goal beckoned in the 58th minute when Dublin turned over a Donegal kick-out with pace only for Gannon to spray the ball wide. Scully attempted to hook over a point in the 60th minute but it spun off the post and wide.

The profligacy was contagious as Conor O’Donnell missed from an easy spot at the other end a couple of minutes later and O’Callaghan also failed to find his range.

McGee stopped all the messing with a beaut of a two-pointer, and into the swirling wind Basquel responded with one of his own. McGee added a one-point variation in the 65th minute but Basquel couldn’t respond seconds later. Small did, as did Gannon but there was enough time for Murphy after a Langan point to force the extra periods at 2-18 apiece.

Scorers for Dublin: C. O’Callaghan (1-5, 1 tp, 1 45); C. Basquel (0-7, 1 tp, 1 free); P Small (1-2); S. Guiden (0-4); R McGarry (0-3, 1 tp); B Howard, C. Kilkenny, C. Costello (free), L. Gannon, P. Ó Cofaigh-Byrne (0-1 each).

Scorers for Donegal: P. Mogan (1-1); M. Langan, M. Murphy (1 tp free) (0-4 each); J. McGee (1 tp), R. McHugh (0-3 each); S. Malone (1-0); S. O’Donnell (tp), G. Mulreany (tp free) (0-2 each); E. Gallagher, C. O’Donnell, F. Roarty, (0-1 each).

DUBLIN: E. Comerford; D. Byrne, S. MacMahon, N. Doran; L. Gannon, T. Clancy, C. McMorrow; P. Ó Cofaigh-Byrne, B. Howard; P. Small, N. Scully, C. Costello; C. Kilkenny, C. O’Callaghan (c), C. Basquel.

Subs for Dublin: E. Kennedy for N. Doran (inj 29); R. McGarry for C. Costello (54); S. Guiden for P. Small (inj 67); S. Bugler for L. Gannon (75); T. Deering for C. O’Callaghan (inj 78); J. Bannon for S. MacMahon (85).

Black cards: T. Clancy, N. Scully (70-80).

DONEGAL: G. Mulreany; C. Moore, B. McCole, E. Gallagher; F. Roarty, C. McGonagle, P. Mogan; J. McGee, H. McFadden; M. Campbell, M. Langan, S. O’Donnell (j-c); C. O’Donnell, M. Murphy, S. Malone.

Subs for Donegal: R. McHugh for M. Campbell, O. Gallen for S. Malone (both h-t); C. Thompson for C. O’Donnell (63); S. Martin for H. McFadden (65); M. Campbell for F. Roarty, D. Ó Baoill for S. Martin (both 70); F. Roarty for C. Moore, C. O’Donnell for S. O’Donnell (80); C. Thompson for O. Gallen (87).

Black cards: J. McGee, M. Murphy (70-80).

Referee: M. McNally (Monaghan).