'They rolled over . . . they let themselves down' - Colm Cooper on Donegal

Kerry football legend Colm Cooper has said that Donegal players 'let themselves down' in Sunday's loss to Roscommon.

Donegal limped to a 0-21 to 0-9 defeat at Dr Hyde Park, confirming relegation to Division 2.

After a turbulent week that saw the departure of manager Paddy Carr, Donegal went down tamely.

“I thought that the Donegal players would galvanise themselves, an 'us versus the world' type of an attitude,” Cooper, speaking on RTE's League Sunday, said.

Aidan O'Rourke non-committal on his future with Donegal after heavy defeat

After a difficult week on and off the pitch, Donegal supporters were looking for a response from their team but it was more of the same as they were dished out a 12-point drubbing by Roscommon

“But, no, they rolled over. Very, very disappointing. Whether you want to blame Paddy Carr or blame whoever you want, the players have to take accountability here as well.”

Donegal were 0-12 to 0-7 in arrears at half-time and they scored only two points in the second half.

Cooper said: “They didn't put up any fight and I think it's really, really disappointing. It was a really, really disappointing performance by the players today and they let themselves down.”

Carr departed on Wednesday after meeting with three senior players – Patrick McBrearty, Eoghan Ban Gallagher and Hugh McFadden – in Monaghan the previous evening.

Aidan O'Rourke and Paddy Bradley took temporary charge for Sunday's game, but there are question marks over whether they will still be in place when Donegal go to Newry to face Down on April 23 in the Ulster Championship.

“What happens from here is a different conversation," O'Rourke said after Sunday's game.

With the row over the Donegal Academy continuing to rumble, Cooper described the scene in Donegal as a 'soap opera' and has implored GAA officials in the county to sort the issues out.

He said: “The whole of Donegal seems to be in disarray and it's very disappointing because they're a proud county. They bring a lot to Gaelic games, but it is a real mess up there and they need to get people behind closed doors and get things sorted.”