John O'Mahony Football analyst: As an All-Ireland winning manager I know there is a certain stage in the season when you honestly believe you have a chance of winning the championship. Dublin reached that stage on Saturday. It will either frighten them or give them more confidence, but the way Tommy Lyons is working with them I expect it will give them more confidence.

But I think as well Lyons would have liked that sort of performance to come a little further on in the championship. Saturday was their best performance of the year, and maybe before the drawn game they didn't feel they needed to reach that peak yet. Now they have, and it will be interesting to see where they go from here.

If Dublin can dominate other games at midfield like they did on Saturday, they will be in with a serious chance of winning the thing. Up to now I wouldn't have said they were serious All-Ireland contenders, but after this I would have to say they are.

In the drawn game, Dublin definitely struggled in midfield. On Saturday they got a great game out of Ciarán Whelan - perhaps his best ever - and to a slightly less extent Darren Magee, and that meant they totally dominated midfield this time.

Before the game I felt that for Donegal to win they would have to score goals and they would have to shut out Dublin. Plus they'd have to play more consistently at midfield. They could do none of those things. Jim McGuinness was substituted before half-time, and John Gildea picked up some sort of leg injury. And Ray Cosgrove went on to score another 1-3.

Overall the side that improved the most from the drawn game would have the greater chance, and Dublin improved all over. Their defence was in control practically from the throw-in. They were so dominant at midfield the supply into Adrian Sweeney and Brendan Devenney was almost non-existent. Most of the balls those players did get were only half chances, and even when there was any quality ball it was totally snuffed out by Coman Goggins and Paddy Christie.

Donegal didn't have any B plan. They have a simple game, yet when that didn't work there was nothing else to fall back on. Once supply to Sweeney and Devenney was cut off it was game over. The Donegal bench just couldn't provide any cover either.

The Dublin half-forward line stepped up a huge amount as well. They were all replaced the last day, but this time I thought Senan Connell had a very good game. John McNally did well also, and Colin Moran to a lesser extent, but along with the total dominance at midfield it meant a tremendous improvement for Dublin.

Donegal were so overrun at midfield they needed to do something, but the bench couldn't provide it. McGuinness came off though he wasn't doing too badly but they just had to do something. In fairness, the Donegal defence did battle away under great pressure. There was an enormous amount of supply coming into the Dublin forwards, and I thought Eamonn Doherty was having a lot of trouble with Cosgrove.

Damien Diver did okay but it's difficult to play in the defence when your midfield is being so comprehensively beaten. Whatever sway Donegal may have got at midfield the last day never resurfaced. That meant their defence was on the back foot right from the start.

Another key area for Donegal was the half-forward line, where they needed to get some more presence. That didn't happen for them either, and Christy Toye and Brian Roper were totally out of it. Michael Hegarty was left playing a lone role, but there was nothing coming his way either.

Defensively, Dublin had no real problems, and again that comes back to their domination at midfield. Sweeney ended up having a nightmare game, and Devenney was booked towards the end out of pure frustration. It was fitting, too, Christie should step up for the last score because he was outstanding at full back.

Another indication of Dublin's dominance was in their substitutions, most of which were just rewards for players, either for this season or other years. Darren Homan was brought back in at midfield just to give Magee a rest, because I've no doubt Magee is there for the rest of the season.

Eoin Bennis was brought in to break the ice a little, and the only change that was perhaps made for tactical reasons was Jason Sherlock for Dessie Farrell. A few things didn't run for Dessie, yet he's still a great influence, and there's a couple of places up for grabs in that forward line.

Donegal get nothing out of the season now, but they have uncovered some good young players in, say, Kevin Cassidy. They have made progress, but they need a plan B in their forward line. They just have to face into a long winter now, like the rest of us.

In an interview with Ian O'Riordan