MAC'S VIEW: The stats prove that we didn't make enough use of our possession on Sunday

All you can say about Sunday is that it was very, very disappointing. Donegal were very, very flat and can have no excuses. In hindsight, we were lucky to be just three points down at half-time and but for the intervention of Peadar Mogan, who got half of our six points, it would have been different.

I'm hearing that Mogan might be missing for the next match and that will be a huge loss. We just didn't compete in the first half and there are questions to be asked why we were again slow out of the blocks. Derry just seemed to have better penetration than us.

The stats from the game which emerged during the week make interesting reading. The fact that we had 32 shots as compared to Derry's 26 was the standout statistic. It was Derry's ability to convert their chances which made the difference. They got 17 scores from their 26 while Donegal only managed 15 from 32. 

Donegal just weren't as clinical and we ended up taking off four of our forwards and both our midfielders. We didn't go down the middle with most of our attacks down the wings and that is not the best way to create scores. We were also going individually, with Caolan Ward's run just before half-time an example. He didn't have any support runner.

As regards coaching, could the question be asked: Are we over-coached? The quickest way to transfer the ball is by foot and Derry are not good under the high ball, but we didn't use either.

There were rumours that Michael Murphy had an injury and it is not easy to play with an injury. I remember doing it in a county final and getting a pain killing injection and tablets and paid the price for it afterwards for six weeks. Hopefully, Mogan and Murphy will be ready for the qualifiers.

We could have won; I won't say we should have won. Derry were stronger in extra-time. I heard afterwards that they trained 20 out of 24 nights. They showed a great hunger and they celebrated the turnovers and took great joy out of it. But I  can't understand why we started slowly. We came out in second half with a different mentality.

We are still in the competition, not in a way we would have liked. We also need to get people behind the team. There was no atmosphere in the county last week, no flags. These things  can manage to get into the players. Talk that we were going to win, because of experience can seep in. The fact that Michael Murphy was hurt would have been known within the squad and that may have held them back, small things.

Derry are not as good a side as I thought they were but you have to give Rory Gallagher credit for getting the maximum out of them.

All is not lost. We are in the draw for the qualifiers on Monday morning. We will have to knuckle down and be ready.

It is a pity to hear that people on social media can say some desparating things about the team manager. That is not on.

Our players on the pitch need to show more confidence and should be able to make their own decisions. The young Naomh Columba lad, Aaron Doherty, did very well when he went in; he has an awareness. Ciaran Thompson also showed how to shoot. Some of the lads playing last Sunday need to take a look at themselves.  Everybody has to go that extra mile as long as they are on the pitch. But, as I say, all is not lost. Win one game and you're in an All-Ireland quarter-final.

As for Michael Murphy, I'm sure he will have heard the remarks Colm O'Rourke made about him on the Sunday Game. It will only spur him on.  Remember O'Rourke didn't set the world alight in 1990 when Razda (John Cunningham) was on his case. I would have expected a wee bit more from a man like that.

It was a long drive home on Sunday but  I'm sure the players will want to learn from it too and drive on for the next game.

Brian McEniff was in conversation with Peter Campbell