Jim McGuinness admits Donegal 'weren't ready' as Down pull off shock

For the first time in Jim McGuinness' seven seasons as Donegal manager, the county will not play in the Ulster SFC final

Jim McGuinness: “We had a lot of the ball in the first half, but weren’t ourselves in front of the posts." Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Jim McGuinness says it’s a case of back to the drawing board following Donegal’s surprise 3-21 to 1-21 loss to Down in the Ulster SFC quarter-final.

It’s the first time in his seventh season in charge over two spells that the Donegal boss will not be participating in the provincial final and instead, his panel face a month on the training fields before they enter the All-Ireland series in May.

Down were good value for their victory and now will take on Armagh in Clones on Sunday and McGuinness said the Mourne County were “worthy winners.” 

“Very, very disappointed with the overall performance,” McGuinness said. “Our energy levels and our intensity levels just weren’t there. We weren’t really in a position. Down cut through us on many an occasion.

“We had a lot of the ball in the first half, but weren’t ourselves in front of the posts. We were in the 30s [percent] in terms of conversion rate and that’s not us. We have a lot to think about.

“Down were written off in every quarter and that was fuel for them. They weren’t even in the picture and that was obviously going to be fuel to the fire. We needed to be ready for that and we weren’t ready for that.” 

With Michael Langan sidelined with an ankle injury picked up in a challenge match last week, McGuinness named Ciaran Moore in his place, while Oisín Gallen and Finnbarr Roarty were also drafted into the team, having missed the latter part of the victorious Division 1 campaign.

“Clearly, we need to get fellas back through the gears,” McGuinness added. “We have to take it on the chin and re-evaluate. We were lacking energy and lacking accuracy. When it was going the other direction, Down were getting through. We just have to take stock and go back to the drawing board.

“We’re out of the Ulster Championship. There are two championships, and we always take the two on their own merits. We will refocus now. Down were worthy winners. For Ulster Championship football, you have to be at it from the first minute. We have to lick our wounds and just get on with it.”