Donegal retained their title in impressive fashion at Dunmoyle when they had eight points to spare over a Cavan side who failed to build on their promising start.

With only 10 minutes gone, the Breffni lads were 1-3 to 0-1 ahead and seemingly in control despite playing against the wind, with Tomas Cooney and Kevin Mulvany among their point scorers and Killian McSherry grabbing a goal.

However, Donegal then hit 2-7 without reply either side of the interval. Patrick McBrearty and Raymond McNamee scored points, while Eoin McHugh got a goal as they led 1-7 to 1-3 at the break.

Cavan failed to make a good start to the second half as Brendan McLaughlin netted a well-worked goal to leave Donegal firmly in the driving seat.

A Mulvany free in the 42nd minute stopped the rot for Cavan, but two minutes later it was game over when a flowing move ended with Cathal McGettigan scoring their third goal.

Mulvany was Cavan's only second-half scorer, but they never looked like getting back into the game on a day when they finished with 14 men after Michael Argue was shown a straight red card.

SCORERS - Donegal: P McBrearty 0-4, E McHugh, C McGettigan 1-0 each, B McLaughlin 1-1, D Mulgrew, J Doherty, R McNamee 0-1 each. Cavan: K Mulvany 0-4, K McSherry 1-1, T Cooney 0-1.

Donegal - S McClafferty; O Porter, J Coyle, C Cunningham; D Mulgrew, J Doherty, K Herron; R McNamee, H McFadden; C McGettigan, P McBrearty, E McHugh; B McLaughlin, C Greene, W Gillespie. Subs: K McNern for Greene, J Fitzpatrick for Gillespie, K Thompson for McGettigan, P Sweeney for Cunningham, R McAteer for Herron.

Cavan - C Smith; C O'Reilly, J Cunningham, L McCabe; D Donegan, A Watson, F Reilly; L Buchanan, D Harper; G Smith, S Jackson, M Argue; T Cooney, K Mulvany, K McSherry. Subs: G McGovern for Harper, G Watters for Cooney, P Smith for Jackson, B Carty for McSherry.

Ref - B Cassidy (Derry).