Brendan Devenney: ‘Perfect’ Rory Gallagher has brought Donegal to another level

Rory Gallagher brought an end to the Jim McGuinness era when masterminding Donegal’s nine-point hammering of Armagh in the Ulster quarter-final, according to Brendan Devenney.

The former Donegal footballer admits he held huge reservations the Donegal set-up would disintegrate in the wake of McGuinness’ departure last October and believes Gallagher did not successfully stamp his mark on this team until the 2-11 to 0-8 victory over the Orchard County earlier this month.

Armagh folk had congregated in the Athletic Grounds in the growing belief that half-a-dozen years in the wilderness were behind them, a Paddy McBrearty goal two minutes in shredded that optimism and, in the process, sent out a statement of intent as to Donegal’s summer ambitions.