Dubs put faith in same starting 15

Dublin have elected not to change a winning formula as manager Jim Gavin has named an unchanged team for Sunday's All-Ireland SFC semi-final against Donegal in Croke Park (3.30).

The Dubs will take the field with the same starting 15 that eased their way past Monaghan in their quarter-final for this weekend's eagerly-awaited duel at a packed Croker.

The minors of Dublin and Donegal, both their respective provincial champions, provides the curtain-raiser (1.30).

DUBLIN (SFC v Donegal): Stephen Cluxton; Mick Fitzsimons, Rory O'Carroll, Philly McMahon; James McCarthy, Johnny Cooper, Nicky Devereux; MD Macauley, Cian O'Sullivan; Paul Flynn, Kevin McManamon, Diarmuid Connolly; Alan Brogan, Eoghan O'Gara, Bernard Brogan.

DUBLIN v DONEGAL

Both arrive in the semi-final as provincial champions. Dublin won the Leinster title for a fourth successive year before beating Monaghan in the All-Ireland quarter-final, while Donegal won the Ulster title for a third time in four seasons before beating Armagh in the quarter-final.

Dublin, the defending All-Ireland champions, are attempting to reach the final for the third time in four seasons while Donegal are searching for a final spot for the second time in three seasons.

The minor semi-final (1.30pm) will also feature Dublin v Donegal.

Paths to the semi-final

Donegal

Donegal 1-11 Derry 0-11 (Ulster quarter-final)

Donegal 3-16 Antrim 0-12 (Ulster semi-final)

Donegal 0-15 Monaghan 1-9 (Ulster final)

Donegal 1-12 Armagh 1-11 (All-Ireland quarter-final)

Average For: 1-15

Average Against: 1-10

Donegal scorers

Michael Murphy.......................0-14 (0-9 frees, 0-1 ‘45’, 0-1 sideline)

Odran MacNiallais....................1-8

Leo McLoone...........................2-3

Colm McFadden......................0-9 (0-7 frees)

Darach O’Connor.....................1-3

Dermot Molloy.........................1-1

Patrick McBrearty....................0-6

Christy Toye.............................0-3

Karl Lacey................................0-2

Anthony Thompson..................0-2

Ryan McHugh..........................0-1

Martin McElhinney..................0-1

Neil McGee..............................0-1

Paths to the semi-final

Dublin

Dublin 2-21 Laois 0-16 (Leinster quarter-final)

Dublin 2-25 Wexford 1-12 (Leinster semi-final)

Dublin 3-20 Meath 1-11 (Leinster final)

Dublin 2-22 Monaghan 0-11 (All-Ireland quarter-final)

Average For: 2-23;

Average Against: 1-11

Dublin scorers

Bernard Brogan.......................2-14 (0-10 frees)

Cormac Costello......................1-10

Diarmuid Connolly..................2-6 (0-2 frees)

Kevin McManamon.................1-8

Paul Flynn................................1-8

Dean Rock...............................0-10 (0-7 frees)

Eoghan O’Gara........................1-6

Alan Brogan.............................0-6

Stephen Cluxton......................0-5 (0-5‘45s’)

Michael Darragh Macauley.....1-1

Paul Mannion...........................0-3

Tomas Brady...........................0-2

Cian O’Sullivan.......................0-2

Paddy Andrews.......................0-1

James McCarthy......................0-1

Bryan Cullen............................0-1

Philly McMahon......................0-1

Nicky Devereux.......................0-1

Jack McCaffrey........................0-1

Jonny Cooper...........................0-1

Previous Championship Clashes

This will be the fifth championship clash between the counties with wins standing at 2-1 to Dublin and one draw from their previous four games.

2011: Dublin 0-8 Donegal 0-6 (All-Ireland semi-final)

2002: Dublin 1-14 Donegal 0-7 (All-Ireland quarter-final) Replay

2002: Dublin 2-8 Donegal 0-14 (All-Ireland quarter-final)

1992: Donegal 0-18 Dublin 0-14 (All-Ireland final)

All-Ireland SFC semi-final appearances

Dublin

2013: Dublin 3-18 Kerry 3-11

2012: Mayo 0-19 Dublin 0-16

2011: Dublin 0-8 Donegal 0-6

2010: Cork 1-15 Dublin 1-14

2007: Kerry 1-15 Dublin 0-16

2006: Mayo 1-16 Dublin 2-12

2002: Armagh 1-14 Dublin 1-13

1995: Dublin 1-12 Cork 0-12

1994: Dublin 3-15 Leitrim 1-9

1993: Derry 0-15 Dublin 0-14

Won 6, Lost 4.

All-Ireland SFC semi-final appearances

Donegal

This will be their 9th appearance in an All-Ireland semi-final, having won two and lost six of the previous eight.

2012: Donegal 0-16 Cork 1-11

2011: Dublin 0-8 Donegal 0-6

2003: Armagh 2-10 Donegal 1-9

1992: Donegal 0-13 Mayo 0-9

1990: Meath 3-9 Donegal 1-7

1983: Galway 1-12 Donegal 1-11

1974: Galway 3-13 Dublin 1-14

1972: Offaly 1-17 Donegal 2-10

Last championship clash

Dublin 0-8 Donegal 0-6 (2011 All-Ireland semi-final)

An unusually low-scoring semi-final had Donegal leading by 0-4 to 0-2 at half-time and by 0-5 to 0-2 after 44 minutes before Dublin gradually unlocked the Ulster champions’ defence to add six points.

Dublin: Stephen Cluxton (0-2, 0-1 free, 0-1 ‘45’); Cian O’Sullivan, Rory O’Carroll, Michael Fitzsimons; James McCarthy, Ger Brennan, Kevin Nolan; Denis Bastick, Michael Darragh Macauley; Paul Flynn, Barry Cahill, Bryan Cullen (0-1); Alan Brogan, Diarmuid Connolly, Bernard Brogan (0-4, 0-4 frees).

Subs: Philip McMahon for O’Carroll; Kevin McManamon (0-1) for Cahill; Eoghan O’Gara for McCarthy; Eamonn Fennel for Bastick; Ross McConnell for Flynn.

Donegal: Paul Durcan; Karl Lacey, Eamonn McGee, Neil McGee; Kevin Cassidy (0-1), Paddy McGrath, Anthony Thompson; Christy Toye, Rory Kavanagh’ Ryan Bradley (0-1), Mark McHugh, Frank McGlynn; David Walsh, Michael Murphy, Colm McFadden (0-4, 0-2 frees).

Subs: Michael Hegarty for Toye; Marty Boyle for Lacey; Martin McElhinney for Hegarty; Paddy McBrearty for Boyle.