BBC Pundits Were Baffled By Donegal's Approach To Stopping Kerry Star

After a dominant performance against Donegal at Croke Park, there is no doubt that Kerry have emerged as deserving All-Ireland champions.

Jack O'Connor's men came in for some criticism earlier in their championship campaign. However, their displays in the last three games have been nothing short of sensational. The Kingdom would overcome Armagh, Tyrone, and Donegal during that stretch, cementing their place as the best team in the country.

As for the opposition, questions will be asked as to how they approached this game.

READ ALSO: Canavan And Harte Claim Donegal 'Disaster' Moment Cost Them All-Ireland Final

READ ALSO: GAA Fans Baffled By 'Awful' Change To Croke Park Pitch

Many assumed that Jim McGuinness would produce some sort of tactical masterplan in order to limit Kerry this afternoon. However, it quickly became apparent that the Ulster side were ill-equipped to deal with the threat provided by their opponents.

David Clifford was in imperious form, while his brother Paudie had an equally telling impact on the game.

Paudie Clifford acted as the conductor of the orchestra in the Kerry team, acting as the link man in delivering the ball into the full forward line. It was baffling to see Donegal allow him to continually cause them such issues, something that has resulted in some questions after the final whistle.

Speaking on the BBC, former Monaghan star said that Donegal made an error with the way they handled the elder Clifford brother in the final.

Paudie Clifford probably kicked two or three points today, but he was involved in everything good Kerry done. He handled so much ball.

The surprise part in all of that is how Donegal left him free for so long, they didn't really push out on him or tag him. Yes a lot of the ball he had was further out the field, but his impact in that game was immeasurable.

I would imagine that when Donegal look back at that game, that's something they would do different, to tag him.

Then again, Tyrone did tag him the last day and David Clifford kicked 1-9, so it's hard to shut them down.

It is certainly a case of 'pick your poison' when it comes to Kerry, although it must also be said that Donegal did little to limit David Clifford in this game either.

Oisín McConville was in agreement with McManus, saying Donegal will 'regret' their tactics in this game.

You look at Paudie Clifford. He has scored three or four points in this game, but that wasn't the impact he had. It was the possessions he had, he controlled the game.

When it needed slowing down, he slowed it down. When it needed ball inside to cut Donegal open, he was the one to do that.

I think Donegal will regret that, but you could do that and they would beat you another way. That's the problem with Kerry.

Do you know what, we've seen that in the last three games. They've played with a chip on their shoulder. If they continue to play with a chip on their shoulder nobody else in the country stands a chance with them, but they don't always play like that.

Today we seen the best of them.

Jim McGuinness is a master tactician, but questions will rightly be asked about the way he set up his Donegal team for this game.

None of that will matter to Kerry, who will celebrate long into the night of claiming a record 39th All-Ireland title.