Donegal manager Jim McGuinness expressed sympathy with Armagh, after his side won a dramatic Ulster SFC final on penalties.
The two counties couldn't be separated, scoring 0-15 apiece in the regulation 70, before both adding five more points each in extra time.
The subsequent shoot-out saw 11 penalties scored and none missed until Armagh's Shane McPartlan saw his decisive kick saved by Shaun Patton.
It was a second narrow showpiece victory for Donegal over Armagh in a matter of months, after they overcame the Orchardmen by a point in the Division 2 decider back in March, and McGuinness feels that the attention to detail he has instilled in his side has paid off.
"Just immensely proud. The group of players have come in and put their heart and soul into it, coming from a low base on the back of last year. They've come together and worked hard.
"Everything that's been asked of them the last couple of months, they've responded to it very well. I'm just delighted we're in the winners' enclosure at the end of all that drama.
"It's a bit of everything. There's no real one bullet, if you like, it's really everything you do. All of the small details around the edges, around the support team and the team itself. Trying to support them as best we can, trying to develop them as best we can. Hopefully all of that will transpire into games like today."
Here is the magical moment Donegal supporters!
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) May 12, 2024
Shaun Patton denied Shane McPartlan at Clones in sudden death penalties #RTEGAA pic.twitter.com/KGYq9BTB6o
Sunday was the fourth time in three years that Armagh have lost a championship match on penalties and McGuinness empathised with their pain after the battle concluded.
"My heart goes out to Armagh," he said. "It's very difficult for Armagh and they were brilliant today, they threw everything at it, they had immense talent, skill, will, hunger, everything, they asked so many questions.
"Thankfully, we were able to hang in there at times and respond ourselves, which we've done really well over the course of the last number of months.
"Heartfelt commiserations to Armagh, they are a brilliant team and they will be back."
With penalties still being a relatively new way of deciding matters in the GAA, McGuinness gave an insight into how he and his opposite number experienced it on the sideline.
"You just make peace with it," he said. "I was speaking to Kieran McGeeney briefly before the penalty shoot-out happened and when you're standing watching it, it's the flick of a coin one way or the other.
"People are always going to get memories for a lifetime and the opposite of that. It's a tough one for the people that missed but we're delighted today.
"As Donegal people, we're back as Ulster champions, that's what we were all dreaming about. Some of these lads have fulfilled that ambition now, we'll enjoy it and we'll come back together during the week and start all over again."
As Ulster champions, Donegal will be top seeds in Group 3 of the All-Ireland Championship, where they will be joined by Clare, Cork and their Ulster foes Tyrone.
Armagh will be in Group 1, alongside Connacht champions Galway, as well as Derry and Westmeath.
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