Donegal manager Jim McGuinness was naturally “delighted” as his team claimed the county’s first National Football League title in 19 years and second overall with a thumping 3-20 to 2-10 win over Kerry at Croke Park.
When the side’s last met in a final, it was Kerry celebrating their 39th All-Ireland title last July, but the roles were emphatically reversed with Donegal out of sight long before the final hooter sounded.
Kerry’s platform for victory last summer was laid around the middle of the field, but this time it was Donegal who won in that key area.
“Coming up the road you’d take any kind of a result, but the manner of it was great,” McGuinness told BBC Sport NI’s Odhran Crumley.
“Around the middle in particular gave us a foothold.”
In last summer’s All-Ireland final defeat, Donegal failed to land a two-pointer, but hit four this time around on top of an incredible three-goal blitz in the space of as many second half minutes.
“You have to get your hands on the ball to do those things,” McGuinness continued.
“We were fortunate we got the ball away early on and did a good job in terms of putting pressure on the Kerry kick-out. That put us in those positions and if that’s not happening, you’re in real bother.”