McCann ‘sick to the stomach’ following harrowing loss in McGurk Cup final

If heartache had a picture, it would be the disappointed figure of Donegal boss Mickey McCann as he struggled to come to terms with a stunning piece of grand larceny.

Down snatched the sweet cup of victory from Donegal at the death by a single point, 1-22 to 2-18 at the Dub Arena in Belfast.

“Even the Down people said the best team lost tonight”, said a rueful McCann. “It is just so hard to take. We were six points up and just a couple of defensive errors let them in and I have no doubt that the best team lost tonight as we had more hunger and were in control for long periods. We just did not see it out and we have only ourselves to blame.”

Donegal left heart-broken by injury-time Down winner in Conor McGurk Cup

Micky McCann's side had the scent of victory in their nostrils only for Down to mount a late winning charge in Belfast

McCann agreed that Down sub Marc Fisher had a huge impact on the game, coming off the bench to sway the tide towards the Mourne men.

“Marc Fisher is a top-class player and he usually starts for Down,” McCann said. “Look, Down have quality everywhere but I thought we did a very good job and when they had a man sent off we came back into the game well and were six points up and it was in our own hands. But a few errors and a wee bit of nerves cost us too”.

“That goal from the free that Fisher got was a momentum swinger, it deflated us and it gave them a boost and I was just saying with eight minutes left that no lead was safe. “But I felt if we did not concede a goal that we would win it but they finished the game strongly.

“But we are taking a lot of positives too. In this competition, we beat Antrim U-20s and a very strong UUJ team and we know we should have beaten Down as well.

“A few years ago, Down beat Offaly in the Christy Ring Cup so that shows us how far we have come. We are moving in the right direction, but that was just so hard to take, and I am a bad loser.

“I am sick to the stomach, and you can’t beat success for us to get our names on the Conor McGurk Cup. That would have been a huge psychological boost for hurling in the county. We will have to lick our wounds and move one and performances like that will get us points in the League”.

Donegal play London, Sligo and Derry in Division 2B and Donegal need to get something out of those three games, their manager said.

“Look, we are hurling well,” McCann added. “We didn’t see it out, but Davin Flynn and Ronan McDermott were very good for us tonight.

“Ronan gets through so much work and Davin is so skillful and very clinical and very hard to hook or block as he can change his swing of the stick so quickly. He is a real poacher”.

“We have more men to come back with the likes of Danny Cullen and Declan Coulter in particular and we are heading in the right direction”.