It was supposed to be a dream finale for Donegal at Croke Park, but instead it ended in cruel heartbreak as Dublin snatched the spoils from their grasp in an extra-time thriller. Manager Jim McGuinness was left lamenting his team's inconsistency after they let slip a 2-22 lead with just minutes remaining, forcing the replay and ultimately succumbing to the Dubs' superior fitness.
Donegal had been written off by many at one stage or another this season - after all, who could forget that stunning All-Ireland group-stage win over Kerry in Killarney? And when they claimed the National Football League title, few gave them a prayer of getting to the quarters. But that's exactly what happened.
But McGuinness knows only too well why his team ultimately fell short - and it wasn't for want of trying. "We just didn't do enough in the game in terms of consistency," he confessed to BBC Sport NI, pinpointing the lacklustre kick-out performance as a major culprit. With their own kick-outs being booted into touch at an alarming rate (just 50%, if you can believe it), Donegal were forced to play catch-up all day long.
The turning point, of course, came when four players - including the irrepressible Michael Murphy and Jason McGee - picked up black cards in a chaotic melee that left McGuinness shaking his head. "When you have two men down, it's hard enough under the new rules," he acknowledged wryly. "Teams are looking for those spaces, and that's what happened."
Despite the pain of defeat, McGuinness was full of praise for his team's never-say-die spirit - particularly Murphy's incredible heroics in forcing extra-time with a 2-point free after the final whistle had gone. And he wasn't afraid to sound the alarm about the increasing physical demands of modern Gaelic football, estimating that games are now "30 or 35 per cent more intense than before".
As one of the favourites going into the championship, McGuinness knows that consistency is key - and Donegal just didn't have enough of it. "There are a lot of talented players in that dressing room," he noted, "but it's what they do on the big stage that counts. And we've still got work to do."