Here's what lies ahead for Donegal as they enter the All-Ireland series
Sunday's loss to Down on Sunday means Donegal will now take to a road less travelled when the All-Ireland Series gets underway next month
For the first time in what is now his seventh season as Donegal manager, Jim McGuinness will not be contesting the Ulster SFC final.
Down came to O’Donnell Park to win the quarter-final tie on a 3-21 to 1-21 scoreline and can now look forward to an Ulster semi-final against Armagh in Clones on Sunday.
McGuinness had guided Donegal to the Anglo-Celt Cup in 2011, 2012, 2014, 2024 and 2025, winning 20 from 21 games, with the only previous blip being the 2013 final loss against Monaghan in Clones.
However, the loss to Down on Sunday means Donegal will now take to a road less travelled when the All-Ireland Series gets underway next month.
There won't be a group stage this time as the GAA introduced a new format for this season.
Sixteen teams will compete for Sam Maguire - the eight provincial finalists, and the next eight highest-ranked teams at the conclusion of the National Football League.
A special exception applies to the previous year’s Tailteann Cup Winners, in this case, Kildare. As Division 1 champions of the National Football League, Donegal were always assured of a place in the race for Sam Maguire had they not reached the Ulster final.
The eight provincial finalists will have home advantage in the first round, so Donegal supporters will definitely have to travel.
To date, Galway and Roscommon will meet in the Connacht final on May 10 at Hyde Park and that same day Kerry and Cork clash in the Munster decider in Killarney.
The Ulster SFC is only at the semi-final stage yet, with Derry taking on Monaghan at the Athletic Grounds this coming Saturday before the meeting of Armagh and Down in Clones on Sunday. The winners of those ties will then play one another in the final, on Sunday, May 17, in Clones.
In Leinster, they are also at the last four stage. Louth are scheduled to play Dublin this Saturday in Portlaoise, with Mark McHugh’s Westmeath in Tullamore on Sunday against Kildare. The Leinster final will take place then on Sunday, May 17, at Croke Park in Dublin.
Round 1 will take place on two weekends: May 23/24 and May 30/31. The finalists from the Munster and Connacht provincial finals will play their Round 1 games on May 23/24, and the finalists from Ulster and Leinster will play their Round 1 games on May 30/31. Donegal, at the moment, could be playing on either weekend.
Eight Round 1 winners advance to Round 2A, with the losers going to Round 2B. The four Round 2A winners will qualify directly for the All-Ireland quarter-final stage. Round 2A losers will meet Round 2B winners in Round 3, which is the last 12, the preliminary quarter-finals.