All-Ireland SFC: Donegal boss Jim McGuinness bemoans lack of ‘spark’ as Cork claim shock win

Donegal boss Jim McGuinness admitted his side “didn’t have enough energy” as they let a seven-point lead slip to a 0-17 to 1-13 loss to Cork in their All-Ireland SFC Round 2A game in Ballybofey.

McGuinness’s side were heavily fancied for Saturday’s game as they looked to secure a place in the quarter-finals.

But Cork bounced back to reach the last eight, leaving Donegal with an unwanted extra game in round three the following week.

“We didn’t have enough energy, we didn’t have enough fire, we didn’t have enough spark,” McGuinness said.

“It’s really disappointing to be honest with you, we didn’t do enough in the game.

“Cork came in and their game plan was to try and slow the game down and take the sting out of the game but from our own point of view we couldn’t do enough.

Donegal led by seven comfortably early in the second half, but six two-pointers – including four from Steven Sherlock who finished with 0-9 – sealed a famous comeback win for the rebel county.

“I think just a few moments here and there cost us. We conceded a couple of free kicks, two-point free kicks, put them back in it,” McGuinness added.

“The game changes so quickly. Once that gap closes, seven to five, it really makes a difference on the scoreboard and in the mentality and Cork sense it then and you can tell they feel it in the stadium and they get more after it.”

It was Donegal’s third home Championship loss in the last 12 months following an Ulster SFC quarter-final defeat to Down in Letterkenny in April and a reverse to Tyrone last year.

Although the injury is not fatal, it makes the path to winning the Sam Maguire Cup more difficult.

“It feels like it at the moment to be very honest with you. It’s a really, really hard blow for us. We were very, very happy with our performance on the last day.

“We’re coming home, our second championship game this season we’ve lost at home, we lost against Tyrone last year as well.

“It’s three home games in a row. It’s not good enough, it can’t happen.”

McGuinness added: “We had a long road last year. We had four games in Ulster and we had three games in a group. We still got into the preliminary quarter-finals because we lost a game against Tyrone.

“We played half the games we played last year. It really shouldn’t be a problem. We just have to dust ourselves off.

“We’ve got to go again. When we wake up tomorrow morning and realize we’re still in the Championship, even though we wanted to go to Croke Park on the back of this win, especially when you’re playing at home in front of your own supporters, that part sticks in your throat.”