Jim McGuinness: Heart goes out to 'brilliant' Armagh

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.

"It's hard to get the head around that," McGuinness told RTÉ's Sunday Sport after that breathless finale in Clones.

"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!

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