Derry fall short of the mark

Derry got out of Ballybofey today by the skin of their arse.
You have to admire their fightback from four down just before half time but they didn't look like All-Ireland material on this performance.
Derry are solid, their midfield is excellent, they win lots of high ball and with Muldoon and Gilligan dropping in there too it's hard to win any ball against them in that sector of the field.
However, their defence looks vulnerable and better attacks than Donegal will make hay against the Derry full back line.
I also believe that the dependence on Paddy Bradley will be fatal to Derry's chances.
Paddy was hurt just before a kickable free in the first half and I don't think it's any coincidence that Derry failed to add to their tally as he tried to run off the effects of an ankle injury.
It was only when Bradley got going that Derry once again began to prosper.
Bradley ended up with ten points, only three from play, but he earned several of the frees himself with intelligent running to get out in front of his man.
I was surprised that Donegal did not employ a sweeper against the Derry man such is the dependence of his side on him.
There isn't an awful lot more to the Derry attack, his brother Eoin can produce the odd moment of instinctive brilliance but he is a bit brainless and while Mark Lynch works hard he doesn't score often enough to hurt.
Muldoon increasingly does his best work further out from goal although his first point of the second half was worth the admission fee.
On the evidence of this game Derry are a good strong side but they haven't got that little bit extra needed to win an All-Ireland.