After a spirited first half display in Croke Park, it looked as if Donegal were on their way to becoming the first team in the 2016 League to defeat Dublin.

But as the game picked up in pace, many of the Donegal contingent were left fatigued after the grueling efforts of the first half and Dublin duly profited from that.

While it won't be remembered as a particularly dirty game, mild ructions erupted at times which resulted in the distribution of a flurry of yellow cards and two players were sent to the line.

Donegal's Michael Murphy slid in to battle for possession with Brian Fenton but his timing was adjudged to be late after he collided with the Dublin midfielder. Murphy, who was on a yellow card already for a challenge in the first half was issued a second yellow and promptly directed to the sideline by referee Conor Lane.

That moment proved to be a decisive turning point in the game and Glenties manager Rory Gallagher felt his team captain was harshly treated.

"I think he didn't deserve the first yellow card. I think Michael Murphy gets refereed differently to other players. I think there was an incident in the Kerry game, very early on, and the player got no card."

Referring to the first yellow-card incident, he said:

"I felt the incident today, I think the player mis-soloed the ball. He (Michael) stood his ground and it's a yellow card. I don't see what the yellow card was for."