Brian Cuthbert isn't one of these managers who denies the evidence in front of his eyes.

Cork took Donegal on with two sweepers back and he didn’t try and peddle a line afterwards to the effect that they were just forwards following their men back. This is the sport now – you adapt or you die.

“I suppose Cork would have been looked on as a free-flowing team over the years when they were at their best,” he said.

“But the game has moved on. Most teams are defensive in nature and every team has a different system.

“Through the league, in the seven games we played we came up against seven different systems in different guises.

Pleasing for us

“It’s pleasing for us with Donegal, who are the architects of this in many ways with Jim McGuinness and so on, that we were able to open them up a few times today. But, without being smart, we conceded [19] points, so we obviously have plenty of work to do.

“In Ballyshannon we only got the ball to Colm O’Neill once. Today he got a lot more ball.

“But those league games are totally different to this, and this is completely different to championship. That realisation is there, totally.

“The team has shown real fortitude in coming back from the death in lots of games but they know they have bigger tests ahead.

“I think we took a small step forward today but this is sport – we know the next day we might have to take two steps forward.”

For Donegal, Rory Gallagher wasn't exactly heartbroken at missing out on the final. We put it to him that the game had a challenge-match feel to it at times and he didn't feel the need to quibble.

“I’d say it might have looked a bit like that and it’s difficult playing in Croke Park with so few there. It was definitely a bit soft.

Usual style

“I can’t speak for Cork, but we went out and we opened up maybe a wee bit more than normal from our usual style of play. We’re still disappointed to concede the four goals that we did.”