The Alternative View: Leeside lesson could be blessing in disguise

Did anyone think about the No 13 - unlucky for some. For Jim  McGuinness and Donegal the 13th game was the end of a great run. 11 wins, one draw in league and championship and then Cork go and become spoilsports.

The Rebels were waiting in the long grass and took full advantage when Donegal had an off day in Pairc Ui Rinn on Saturday. The six day turnaround, the long journey south and the searing heat must have taken its toll.

Cork had the benefit of the two week run-in which again underlines the lack of fairness in the group stages.  Just because the Munster and Connacht finals were played a week before Ulster and Leinster, they get the advantage of having their three games with a break in between. It would be better to have all the group games on the same weekends to level the playing field. 

Back to Pairc Ui Rinn, what an atmosphere there was and the Donegal supporters travelled in their thousands and made themselves heard. After the gates opened around 12.30 it looked as if the Donegal colours would outnumber the red of Cork, but the home support arrived before throw-in. 

At half-time the official attendance was given as 7,251 but nobody was buying that. There were at least 10,000 in the ground. The official capacity of Pairc Ui Rinn, a very tidy venue, is listed as 16,400 and both stands were full to  capacity, as was behind one of the goals. Where you would put another 5,000 would be a good question.

The colour provided by both teams was impressive and although a lovely venue to view a game, the press facilities were the one negative with just a small area which was filled with radio personnel. Indeed, it wasn’t even able to accommodate all the radios covering the game and the written press were left with laptops on their knees in the ordinary seats outside. It was a throwback to Covid times.

In the contest on the field, which was a strange game, Donegal went gung-ho for Cork but were continually turned over and punished severely. It wasn't just the three goals they conceded, it was the alarming lack of cover when those turnovers occurred. It seemed a mirror image in reverse to what happened in the opening game against Derry in Celtic Park. And when we sat down to watch Derry and Armagh on Sunday, it was even more surprising to see the same scenario repeated by Derry, and they were punished again spectacularly.

For Donegal, it may well have been a case of trying things out because of the nature of the All-Ireland series not being knockout. There was a sense of that also in the previous game against Tyrone, but going forward there will have to be a much better defensive strategy because there are better teams than Cork out there and they would relish so much open grass in front of them.

The first Cork goal was a real warning and Donegal recovered very well to go to the dressing rooms at half-time two points up 0-9 to 1-4, but in the third quarter, the one that Jim McGuinness built his success on in the past, was a real disaster for Donegal. The concession of two goals in less than two  minutes left them reeling, the second goal something of a shambles as regards defending.

In the aftermatch interview, Jim McGuinness, was forthright as usual, congratulating Cork and admitting that when you concede three goals you will rarely win any championship match. He also felt that his side had conceded more turnovers in this game than they did in total in the previous four championship encounters.

While the turnover count was high in Cork I would like to see the number for the other games. It was probably one of the negatives over all of Donegal's games so far this year, getting turned over pretty consistently. What made it look so concerning on Saturday last in Pairc Ui Rinn was that those turnovers were punished severely.

Even conceding three goals,  it looked good for Donegal to get something from the contest when they fought back bravely in the final quarter with Caolan McGonagle a real driving force. When Aaron Doherty equalised with a few minutes left, the gut feeling was that Donegal would win the game. But it wasn't to be and maybe in a weird way, it will be a lesson. When they needed composure, they found it at the end of normal time and extra-time in the Ulster final. This time around, it didn't happen for them.

Indeed, at times in the match it seemed that anything that could go wrong, did go wrong. And yet at the same time, the large Donegal support weren't too down, because they had watched their side, despite not firing on many cylinders, haul themselves back into contention only to let it slip.

Cork were primed and they pounced every time that Donegal made a slip. How good are they? We will see how they go when they face Tyrone at a neutral venue in the final round.

There is no doubt that the loss of Jason McGee early in the second half can be cited as a mitigating factor. Arguably the most consistent Donegal player so far in the championship, McGee was instrumental in turning Donegal’s fortunates after they were hit with the first goal. His directness in attack and his strength in defence were evident and hopefully his hamstring will have enough time to heal over the next few weeks. He may have to be rested for the Clare game and fingers crossed, if Donegal can win and top the group, he would have another two weeks’ rest before a quarter-final.

After beating Tyrone twice already this year, Donegal will now be hoping that their neighbours can do them a big favour in the final group game against Cork. A win for Tyrone (and Donegal) would leave Donegal, Cork and Tyrone on four points and it would come down to score difference. And in that regard Donegal will know what they have to do, defeat Clare by three points more than Tyrone beat Cork.

It all seems so simple, but Cork could upset the plans for a second time. A draw or win for the Rebels and Donegal will end up in second place (if they don’t lose against Clare)

Could the reverse at the weekend be a wake-up call for Donegal? Or was it the result of four tough championship games in such a short period and then being asked to make a trip the length of the country?

The argument that teams from Ulster will suffer down the line because of the toughness of the Ulster championship is still a live one. Jim McGuinness has gone on record that he loves the  Ulster championship but I’m sure he would also love to have the time that Kerry and Dublin have in preparing for the All-Ireland challenge. There has to be a better reward for winning the provincial championship. Otherwise change is inevitable.

The final round of group games will see Donegal travel to Hastings Insurance McHale Park, Castlebar to play Clare. I can remember them playing the Banner county at the same venue in a league quarter-final in 1995 and we had just a point to spare at the finish (2-11 to 3-7). It looks as if everything isn’t rosy in the Clare camp with four squad members asked to pay their own way if they wanted to travel to Omagh last weekend. They also had one of their best players, big midfielder Darragh Bohannon, red carded late on and he will miss the Donegal game.

Donegal won their only championship encounter with Clare in 2009 and on present form they should have enough to win the game by the margin needed. But after Cork  in Pairc  Ui Rinn they are forewarned that any complacency will be severely punished.

Stats for Cork game

Cork scorers: Matty Taylor, Rory Maguire, Sean Powter 1-0 each; Brian Hurley 0-3,2f; Chris Og Jones, Colm O'Callaghan  0-2 each; Paul Walsh, Stephen Sherlock 0-1 each.

Donegal scorers: Patrick McBrearty 0-7,3f; Ciaran Moore 0-2; Oisin Gallen 0-3,2f, Niall O'Donnell, Caolan McGonagle, Ryan McHugh, Aaron Doherty 0-1 each

Cork: Christopher Kelly; Kevin Flahive, Daniel O'Mahony, Maurice Shanley; Rory Maguire, Tommy Walsh, Matty Taylor; Ian Maguire, Colm O'Callaghan; Paul Walsh, Sean Powter, Brian O'Driscoll; Chris Og Jones, Mark Cronin, Brian Hurley.

Subs: Stephen Sherlock for  Jones (50); Thomas Clancy for T Walsh (57); Ruairi Deane for Cronin (65); Eoghan McSweeney for Hurley (69); Sean Meehan for Walsh (70+3)

Donegal: Shaun Patton; Eoghan Ban Gallagher, Brendan McCole, Ciaran Moore; Ryan McHugh, Caolan McGonagle, Peadar Mogan; Jason McGee, Michael Langan; Shane O'Donnell, Ciaran Thompson, Dáire Ó Baoill; Patrick  McBrearty, Oisin Gallen, Niall O'Donnell.

Subs: Aaron Doherty for O Baoill (ht); Odhran Doherty for J McGee (40); Jamie Brennan for N O'Donnell (53);  Jeaic Mac Ceallabhuí for S O'Donnell (61)

Referee: Brendan Griffin (Kerry)