FORMER Donegal star Brendan Devenney expressed "disappointment and disbelief” at the county's defeat to Armagh in Sunday's All-Ireland SFC qualifier in Clones but isn't laying blame for the defeat at the door of the management.
Having already beaten the Orchardmen in the Ulster Championship, Donegal came up against a much-improved Armagh side in St Tiernach's Park with goals from Rory Grugan, Rian O'Neill and Stephen Sheridan helping seal a memorable win for Kieran McGeeney's men.
However, for Devenney, the match exposed some shortcomings in the Donegal team as well as highlight the stark reversal in fortunes for the Orchardmen.
“They destroyed us. I just can’t believe the Armagh performance after their display in Ballybofey," said Devenney.
“This is not the same team at all. They destroyed us and they actually could have won by more.
“Goals kill teams but once again we just did not look cohesive as a team.
“We have not looked cohesive for a long time and when we were one-on-one at the back, we were just not able to handle their power."
For Devenney, the opening 25 minutes of “end-to-end football” was “brilliant”.
“It was like a throwback to other days and very enjoyable and Donegal fans were getting into it but once Armagh squeezed up on us we dropped in and we could not get out with the ball”
He added: “And after the first goal we recovered well from that, and we were five points up.
“But Armagh just seemed to gain more possession around the middle, and they squeezed up on us and were hungry for the ball and their physical power was immense.
“There was a lot of talk about us lording them at midfield, but they were like a different team."
Many have suggested that the turning point of the game came just before half-time when Donegal goalkeeper Shaun Patton hauled down Aidan Nugent in small square and was black-carded before O'Neill fired home Armagh's second goal from the a penalty, but Devenney believes that that Armagh's purpose and determination in attack meant they weren't going be be denied.
“People might say [the penalty was a turning point] but I don’t think anything was going to stop that Armagh team.
“They were too cute for us all over the pitch and they had us blocked in all over the pitch.
“Armagh looked together as a team. They had poise, they worked the ball and Rian O’Neill was orchestrating things like Michael Murphy used to.
“I know we put him inside, but then we missed his orchestration around the middle. Two passes we hit in towards him, one went to the wing and the other one went to their sweeper.
“The one reasonable ball we sent into him he caught and got a mark. So, if you are going to hit Michael you are going to have to give him the right bloody ball.
“We did not have the leadership around the middle that Armagh had. Armagh were like a well-organised machine and we had no answer to them”.
When asked what is the future for Donegal and manager Declan Bonner whose position has come under scrutiny following the Ulster final defeat to Derry and Sunday loss, Devenney added:
“I don’t think we can blame the management as we went out and had a go and even in the second half, we had a go and we kept trying. So, I can’t say the boys didn’t have a go. We needed a goal, and we could not get it.
“So, I don’t think it was tactics. We just have not replaced some of our great players like Karl Lacey, the McGees, Frank McGlynn and these guys were outstanding.
“Armagh were very solid in midfield and physical and we could not match them."
