Donoghue represented the United States at the 1983 Pan American Games, where he finished second overall in the men's 1500 meters.

On November 20, 1976, he ran his last cross country race as a high schooler at the New York State Federation meet, where he placed first out of 550 runners on a 3-mile course, recording a time of 15:06.

During his spell at Villanova, Donoghue was the men's 1500 meter Big East (both indoor and outdoor) champion in 1982.

[5] Donoghue continued to train for the 1500 meters and the mile after college, and was called up to the US track team for the 1983 Pan American Games.

There he finished second in the 1500 meters ahead of countryman Chuck Aragon, but was edged out by Brazilian champion Agberto Guimarães.