McGuinness rues lack of consistency in Donegal exit

McGuinness rues lack of consistency in Donegal exitImage source, InphoImage caption, McGuinness felt his side didn't do enough to warrant victory ByJohn McGovernBBC Sport NI Contributor at Croke ParkPublished1 hour agoDonegal manager Jim McGuinness admitted his side "didn't do enough" after their All-Ireland Senior Football Championship campaign ended in dramatic fashion with an extra-time defeat by Dublin at Croke Park. The Tir Chonaill men looked destined for elimination before Michael Murphy converted a sensational two-point free after the hooter to force extra-time, but Dublin ultimately prevailed 2-26 to 2-22 to secure a place in the quarter-finals. It brought the curtain down on a mixed campaign for Donegal. Having won the National Football League and recorded an impressive All-Ireland group-stage victory over Kerry in Killarney, they also suffered a shock Ulster Championship defeat by Down before consecutive losses to Cork and Dublin ended their season. Reflecting on the defeat, McGuinness felt a lack of consistency proved costly. "On reflection, we just didn't do enough in the game in terms of consistency," he told BBC Sport NI. "We tried to arrive with as many healthy bodies as possible, but we just didn't have enough in the bank. That's the bottom line." Dublin see off Donegal after extra-time thriller Published3 hours agoMcGuinness highlighted Donegal's struggles on kick-outs as a key factor in the result, with Dublin repeatedly gaining possession and putting pressure on his side. "Our own kick-out wasn't where it normally would be, and Dublin did well. They were getting them away very early and stretching us around the field. "We were probably down around 50 per cent over the course of the game, which isn't enough. You're chasing the game then and working from scraps." Despite the disappointment, the Donegal boss praised his players' resilience after they appeared to be heading out before Murphy's late heroics forced an additional 20 minutes. "The positive today was that we kept going and kept going," he said. "Michael's two-pointer at the end of normal time showed real courage. The players kept battling and that's something positive." Black cards 'didn't help matters' - McGuinnessImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Tempers flared at the end of normal time A major turning point arrived at the start of extra-time when Murphy and Jason McGee were among four players shown black cards following a melee at the end of normal time. McGuinness felt the sanctions made an already difficult task even harder. "It didn't help matters, and we didn't know what was going to happen heading into the dressing room," he said. "When you have two men down, it's hard enough under the new rules. Teams are looking for those spaces, and that's what happened. "The lads were trying their best, but Dublin had fresh players coming in off the bench while some of our lads had played the whole game." The Donegal manager also pointed to the increased physical demands of the new rules, arguing that the intensity of games has risen significantly. "The games are probably 30 or 35 per cent more intense than before," he added. "You're trying to manage players and get as many healthy bodies to the line as possible. Every county is dealing with that." Having entered the championship as one of the favourites after reaching last year's All-Ireland final, McGuinness believes Donegal ultimately paid the price for inconsistency. "There are a lot of talented players in that dressing room, and they've shown that over the last number of years," he said. "But it's consistency. That's what it's about. We just weren't consistent enough." Donegal's season is now over, while Dublin march on to Monday's quarter-final draw. Related topicsGaelic Games