Former Donegal forward Brendan Devenney said his county have found a better balance between defence in attack after watching Declan Bonner’s team cruise into an Ulster Football final.
Despite losing full-back Neil McGee to a red card after just 12 minutes, the 2012 All-Ireland champions were never in danger against a highly disappointing Down outfit.
By the time Down registered their first score of the game, Donegal already had 1-08 on the scoreboard, and a full-forward line of Paddy McBrearty, Michael Murphy and Jamie Brennan finished with a total of 1-14, with six points coming from frees.
After failing to convince against Derry and Cavan, Donegal move into the Ulster final in fine form and Devenney told RTÉ Sport that the attitude was right from the very first whistle.
"It was a different Donegal today all over the pitch. They were on the money," he said.
"The first 10 kick-outs, Donegal won nine of them. They bossed the game all around the pitch. It was over about 25 minutes into the game. It looked like men against boys, even with Donegal losing their full-back."
With the Sam Maguire success six years ago under the stewardship of Jim McGuinness built on a strong defensive platform with bodies flooding back, critics of Donegal’s in recent years have suggested that it has nullified their threat in attack as teams become more adept with dealing with defensive strategies.
"Any teams that are successful now are realising it’s not about defence, it’s about attack"
Devenney has lamented on occasions in recent years the over-emphasis on flooding numbers back in defence, but feels Bonner has got the balance right with "serious talent" peppered around the team.
"They have put more emphasis on attack. Any teams that are successful now are realising it’s not about defence, it’s about attack.
"As much as people use sweepers and bring players back, they know they have to commit enough players forward and get scores all around the pitch.
"It was a very dynamic performance from Donegal."
