The provincials may not be everyone's cup of tea in 2024 but try telling that to anyone in Clones today.

For the second year in a row, there was no splitting the Ulster finalists with penalties required to decide the winner.

A horrible way for Armagh to lose, all the more so after the last couple of years, but what a story Jim McGuinness has provided through this early summer of Ulster football.

You can read our report here. There'll be plenty more to come on BBC Sport NI online too.

What a day...thanks for joining us!

Results at Clones and Croke Park today have completed the draw for the All-Ireland series

Group One: Galway, Armagh, Derry, Westmeath

Group Two: Dublin, Mayo, Roscommon, Cavan

Group Three: Donegal, Clare, Tyrone, Cork

Group Four: Kerry, Louth, Monaghan, Meath

Oisin McConville
Armagh All-Ireland winner on BBC Sport

It;s absolutely devastating for those Armagh players. It's cruel for Armagh, for the Armagh people and players and Geezer [Kieran McGeeney]. You just have to believe it's going to turn your way at some stage.

Donegal manager Jim McGuinness speaking to BBC NI: "It's incredible.

"I really feel for Armagh. What that group has gone through is really, really tough.

"They were brilliant for a lot of the game and we were holding on at times, we came back into it strong at times. Both sets of players went to the wire and the penalties were the same.

"We'll go home now and have an amazing trip down the road. Armagh have a different journey. That's life and football. There's no sentiment in football.

"I'm so proud of these boys from where they were last year and where they've come to today. There's too much talk about management and that there, these are the boys that have done it.

"They came from a low base, they got their heads down, they worked hard and they're Ulster champions."

Michael Murphy
Former Donegal captain and All-Ireland winner on BBC Sport

It's tough on Armagh but from a Donegal point of view it's great to see the pride and the colour back. It is phenomenal to see and you are just so proud of what Jim has brought to this group.

Player of the match Niall O'Donnell speaking to BBC NI: "To be back here at Clones, to win it in that manner...we thought we'd won it, we thought we'd lost it, we thought we'd won it and to come out on the right side is unbelievable.

"It might be cliched but when we spoke to Jim, there was no doubt in our minds. Once we got working, we knew we'd be hard beat.

"When it starts happening, it's hard to describe.

"We don't tend to look at the scoreboard. We just keep tipping and tipping, looking for scores and the final whistle went.

"As a group we fully believed we could win, it never entered my head that we were going to lose regardless of how many points we went down.

"We're very fortunate to come out on the right side of it today."

Image source, Getty Images

Philly McMahon
Eight-time All-Ireland winner with Dublin on BBC Sport

Me and Michael Murphy were in Newry and saying how it's gone to this level and a year later Donegal have turned it around.

And they've done it the hard way beating Derry, beating Tyrone and nopw beating Armagh. Now they are top of the table.

Bruce Springsteen's Glory Days blaring out at Clones and Jim McGuinness has brought them back to Donegal again.

Just as he did in the first season of his first spell in 2011, he's got his hands on the Anglo Celt.

Incredible!

Armagh, who looked to have the momentum in the second half, suffer penalty heartbreak again.

Matt Gault
BBC Sport NI at St Tiernach's Park

Shaun Patton is the Donegal hero!

That penalty shootout felt like it went on for hours. Such drama.

Shane McPartlan for Armagh...saved by Shaun Patton!

Donegal are Ulster champions!

Image source, BBC Sport

Aaron Doherty for Donegal...scores! 6-5 Donegal

Tiernan Kelly for Armagh....scores...just! 5-5

Daire O Baoill...scores! 5-4 Donegal

Aidan Nugent for Armagh...scores! 4-4

Jason McGee for Donegal....scores! 4-3 Donegal

Conor Turbitt....scores! 3-3

Michael Langan...scores! 3-2 Donegal

Oisin Conaty....scores! 2-2

Aaron Doherty for Donegal...scores! 2-1.