Donegal's Paul Brennan relishing the passion play that is knockout football 

Paul Brennan of Donegal in action against Kieran McGeary of Tyrone during the Ulster SFC win. The win means Donegal are one of just 12 teams left in the race for Sam Maguire. Picture: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

Moments after referee David Coldrick called time on Donegal’s epic 2011 All-Ireland quarter-final win over Kildare, Marty Morrissey in the gantry hailed “a game of tactics, strategies" that "eventually came down to just sheer raw passion". 

That breathless win-or-bust feel was once the championship’s default setting, prior to the introduction of the qualifiers in 2001 and then, two years ago, the Super 8s.