Jim McGuinness pointed to Michael Murphy's enforced departure as the defining moment in Donegal's defeat to Dublin.

The sides were level when the Donegal captain was forced off with a knee injury with 11 minutes to go, and the Ulster champions eventually lost by nine points.

"Definitely," replied the Donegal manager when asked about the Murphy injury.

"We would have been very happy with the second half with the way we went at them.

"We seemed to be finding a bit of space as well by going at them. They were playing well, but we got it to 0-11 apiece and it looked like anybody's game at that stage.

"So to be beaten by nine points when it was 0-11 each, I didn't think that was going to happen, but the goals came very late and we did fatigue in the last five or 10 minutes.

"I don't think our fitness levels are at the same level as Dublin's and you'd expect that. It was just disappointing to concede two goals in the 70th and 72nd minutes. Generally speaking, we'll take a lot of positives."

McGuinness is hoping both Murphy and fellow attacker Colm McFadden will be available for Donegal's crucial last round clash with Armagh in two weeks' time. McFadden was a late withdrawal from last Saturday's game because of a hamstring injury. Tweet

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