'It means everything' - Jim McGuinness embracing Ulster battles

Donegal manager Jim McGuinness said the intensity and heat of the Ulster SFC makes victory all the sweeter as he savoured a massive semi-final win over Tyrone.

McGuinness's men edged out the Red Hand in an exhausting extra-time battle at Celtic Park to set up a provincial final showdown with Armagh in a fortnight's time.

Back at the helm for a second spell, McGuinness has his eyes on another Ulster title - and perhaps even a crack at the Sam Maguire. However he insisted nothing can be taken for granted in a ferociously competitive landscape.

"It's the Ulster championship," he told RTÉ Sport. "Teams are very well organised, very well prepared, they play on the edge and ask a lot of questions of you and you just have to try and find those solutions.

"That's really what it's all about and we'll be back to ground zero in two weeks' time. That's why we love the Ulster championship. If you can eventually get over the line, that's why it's so special. I'm sure the Armagh lads will be thinking exactly the same as us.

"It's going to be a really tough battle and everybody has to prepare for that."

Reflecting on the passionate support his team enjoyed in the stands, McGuinness added: "It means everything. There was a chant for Donegal there in the last couple of minutes of injury time in extra-time.

"You could just sense that energy and listen, that's what it's all about. We want that for our supporters. But we also want it for the players. This is what it's all about. It's the players being part of big days and trying to get over the line on big days.

"So that part of it was brilliant, but as I say we'll be back to ground zero tomorrow."

McGuinness had sympathy for Tyrone who poured a massive amount of energy into their performance.

"When