McGuinness on potentially fatal defeat: 'It feels that way, to be very honest with you'

Donegal manager Jim McGuinness after his side's defeat to Cork. Picture: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Was this fatal? Another home championship defeat. For Donegal boss Jim McGuinness, a one-point loss against Cork was extremely disappointing.

“Listen, it feels that way at the moment to be very honest with you,” he said of the 1-13 to 0-17 scoreline.

“It is a really tough blow for us. We were very happy with our performance the last day. We were coming home. It is our second championship match in this season that we have lost at home (after Down). We lost last year against Tyrone.” He continued: “Cork came, they had a game plan to slow the game, take the sting out of the game. From our own point of view, we just didn’t do enough.”

Donegal were two down in the final minute before Turlough Carr blasted over. For McGuinness, they would have been better going for goal earlier. They did not kick a two-pointer at all. Cork kicked six.

“To be honest with you, I think it would be easier to get a goal than a two-pointer with the breeze. People were tired then. If you get a couple of strong runners and a couple of guys off the shoulder, we proved that with the last attack; we just needed to be more direct and ask a question. Punch a hole and get a runner off it.”

Caolan McGonagle, right, and Peadar Mogan dejected after a deflating loss in Ballybofey. Picture: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

They led 1-7 to 0-5 at half-time having missed several chances after Conor O’Donnell’s goal. That proved costly in the end.

“We weren’t happy with our energy. We weren’t happy with our energy throughout. There wasn’t enough energy in us, there wasn’t enough fire, enough spark. As I said, Cork’s gameplan, they had their homework done.

“They had a plan for controlling the game and slowing the game. The way they set up from an attacking view, they had a hell of a lot of bodies inside. It was very difficult to get pressure on the arc. That left them controlling long, long phases of the game in the first half. That probably took a lot out of the legs as well.” It means they will now play in a knockout Round 3 next week.

“We haven’t got time to feel sorry for ourselves. That is the reality. We haven’t got time to feel sorry for ourselves. We have seven or eight days to get ready for the next one. That is what I just said to them downstairs.”

Scorers for Donegal: C. O’Donnell 1-0; O. Gallen 0-4; M. Murphy 0-2 (1 free); M. Langan 0-2; R. McHugh, S. O’Donnell, T. Carr, J. McGee, P. Mogan 0-1 each.

Scorers for Cork: S. Sherlock 0-9 (3 tpf, 1 tp, 1f); T. Walsh, L. Fahy (tp) 0-2 each; C. Corbett, I. Maguire, S. McDonnell, D. Sheedy 0-1 each.

DONEGAL: S. Patton; E. Gallagher, B. McCole, P. Mogan; R. McHugh, C. McGonagle, F. Roarty; J. McGee, H. McFadden; S. O’Donnell, M. Langan, C. Moore; C. O’Donnell, M. Murphy, O. Gallen.

Subs: C. McColgan for S. O’Donnell (55); T. Carr for C. O’Donnell (60);

CORK: P. Doyle; M. Shanley, D. O’Mahony, S. Meehan; B. O’Driscoll, T. Walsh, L. Fahy; I. Maguire, S. Walsh; P. Walsh, S McDonnell, D. Sheedy; M. Cronin, C. Og Jones, S. Sherlock.

Subs: R. Deane for Sheedy (45); C. Corbett for Cronin (50); J. O’Driscoll for Meehan (61, Inj); C. Cahalane for Walsh, B. Hurley for Og Jones (65);

Referee: D. Gough (Meath).