Donegal manager Jim McGuinness has insisted that the revenge factor played no part in his approach to the Ulster SFC final clash with Monaghan, a repeat of last year’s decider.
A 0-15 to 1-9 triumph landed an eighth provincial title for the men from Tir Chonail, and for the boss, it was all about bringing the Anglo-Celt Cup back to the Hills.
“The only revenge that we had on our mind was trying to get the cup back,” he said.
“That was the big one for us, because we played in an Ulster final last year and we lost it.
“And we were back today, and had it been Antrim or Derry or Tyrone or anybody else, it was the same thing, we had to try and get our hands back on the cup, and that’s what we have done.”
McGuinness felt his players delivered a more mature performance than they did last season, when they were pipped by the Farney men.
“It was 28 minutes gone last year when we got our first point, but we settled a lot better, we played more intelligent football, we used the ball clever, we moved the ball quicker, we didn’t take it into contact, and those things kinda added up over the course of the 70 minutes.”
Donegal led by 0-6 to 0-4 at half-time, but the manager was disappointed that they had not made more of attacking possession.
“We were disappointed that we were only two up at half-time, but not in the sense that it was going to impact on the game.
“We should have been maybe four up, but that’s football, and you just have to keep moving, keep grinding it out.
“When things are going for you, you take them, and when they’re not, you keep the mentality right and keep pushing on.
“And that’s what they did, that’s what they did when the goal went in in the second half.
“It didn’t really faze them, they kept pushing on, and they responded to it really well.”
Monaghan boss Malachy O’Rourke is confident his players can regroup and make a strong challenge in the Qualifiers against Kildare.
“It’s very disappointing on the day, but I know that the players have great character and will be determined to accept what happed today and redouble their efforts moving forward,” he said.
O’Rourke believed he had his players perfectly prepared for Ulster final day, but back to back titles proved a bridge too far.
“The boys had worked very hard, we felt we were coming in in a great frame of mind, relaxed and really looking forward to the game. We wanted to put in a big performance.
“But even early on, we missed a couple of frees and things that we had got last year to give us the lead. But that’s the way football works at times.
“We kept plugging away, we had periods when we were doing well, but just overall, I suppose we just didn’t play well enough on the day to win the game, and we just hold up our hands and accept that.”