As far as regicide goes, this was particularly brutal. The kings and pioneers of last year, Donegal, today found themselves battered and humiliated by a Mayo side with a seemingly insatiable appetite for inflicting pain on their conquerors from last year’s All Ireland final. While Donegal leave with their legacy dented and weakened, Mayo go into the final four as the team all others will fear.

Cillian O’Connor and Aidan O’Shea were the stand out performers for Mayo, with O’Connor taking a hat-trick (his second in a row following his three goal feat against London in the Connacht final) and O’Shea named man of the match following a dominating midfield display.

O’Shea’s afternoon was tarnished somewhat by a red card in the closing moments, due to a foolish second bookable offence. He joined Donegal’s Eamonn McGee who had been sent off for an off the ball stamp.

Michael Murphy managed 6 points as he offered the brightest attempt at resistance from Donegal but the entire second half felt like little more than a formality as Mayo raced after each score and Donegal scrambled to fight a battle they could never win.