Donegal joint-captains Ciarán Thompson, left, and Patrick McBrearty lift the trophy after the Allianz Football League Division 2 Final match between Armagh and Donegal at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile.
Allianz Football League Division 2 final
DONEGAL 0-15 ARMAGH 0-14
By Paul Keane at Croke Park
Jim McGuinness is winning matches again, and silverware too, with Aaron Doherty kicking Donegal to Allianz Football League Division 2 title success at Croke Park.
Trailing by a point entering stoppage time after conceding five Armagh scores in a row, it looked like an injury hit Donegal side may come up just short.
But the 2012 All-Ireland winners, back under the management of local legend McGuinness, ultimately outscored Armagh by 0-3 to 0-1 in the closing minutes with Doherty supplying the winner in the 73rd minute.
A draw to match their stalemate in the group wouldn't have surprised anyone with the teams tied 10 times throughout a cagey encounter in blustery conditions.
But Donegal showed their appetite for destruction in the closing minutes and will be particularly pleased to win in the absence of injury stars like Patrick McBrearty, Ryan McHugh and Eoghan Ban Gallagher.
They were superbly led in attack by Oisin Gallen who struck five points.
Donegal will return to action on April 20 against Derry in the Ulster SFC while Armagh will play Fermanagh in Enniskillen on April 14.
Both sides made significant alterations to their published lineups with Darragh McMullan replacing Barry McCambridge in the Armagh half-back line and Jarlath Og Burns taking Stefan Campbell's spot.
Jason McGee made his return to the Donegal lineup and in doing so became the 31st player to feature for them in the league.
There was a start too for Luke McGlynn, his first of the campaign having come on as a substitute in six of their previous seven games.
McGee slotted in at midfield beside Michael Langan who returned to the lineup having missed the Round 7 win over Meath.
Despite their patched up team, Donegal hit the interval with a 0-8 to 0-7 lead after a tight and tense opening half.
The sides were level on seven different occasions throughout the first-half and it was only back-to-back Donegal points from Peadar Mogan and Ciaran Thompson just before the break that nudged them ahead.
Thompson wore the captain's armband on the occasion of his 100th appearance for Donegal and kicked three points from play in the first-half.
All of them were from long-range as Donegal coped admirably with the wind whipping into their faces from the Hill 16 End.
Kevin McGettigan was twice blocked with goal chances for Donegal in the fourth minute but they were content to bypass Armagh's buttressed defence with points from distance for the most part.
Rory Grugan floated over two points on the stiff wind for Armagh at the other end while Aidan Forker was denied a goal by a Niall O'Donnell block, the ball eventually recycled for a Jarlath Og Burns point.
Armagh's scores dried up in the period either side of half-time with Donegal outscoring them by 0-6 to 0-1 in total between the 34th and 51st minutes to move 0-12 to 0-8 clear.
Armagh found scores much more difficult to come by when playing into the wind and they were further frustrated by Andrew Murnin and Grugan point attempts that hit the woodwork.
Rian O'Neill was only fit enough to come on for Armagh for the final 20 minutes or so and winced too as he pulled a point attempt from a free wide of the posts.
Grugan eventually got Armagh going again with a 61st minute score from a free before adding another after a foul on O'Neill.
Now Armagh had the momentum and with their press on Donegal goalkeeper Shaun Patton's kick-outs paying off, they penned in their opponents long enough to reel off five points in a row.
They led 0-13 to 0-12 after 68 minutes but only added one more score through Oisin Conaty as Donegal upped the ante with those three late points to steal the silverware.
Donegal scorers: Oisin Gallen 0-5 (0-2f, 0-1m), Ciaran Thomposon 0-3, Niall O'Donnell 0-3, Peadar Mogan 0-1, Shane O'Donnell 0-1, Caolan McGonagle 0-1, Aaron Doherty 0-1.
Armagh scorers: Conor Turbitt 0-4 (0-2f), Rory Grugan 0-4 (0-2f), Jarlath Og Burns 0-2, Oisin Conaty 0-2, Stefan Campbell 0-1. Oisin O'Neill 0-1.
Donegal: Shaun Patton; Mark Curran, Caolan McColgan, Ciaran Moore; Shane O'Donnell, Kevin McGettigan, Caolan McGonagle; Jason McGee, Michael Langan; Peadar Mogan, Ciaran Thompson, Luke McGlynn; Aaron Doherty, Oisin Gallen, Niall O'Donnell. Subs: Jamie Brennan for McGettigan h/t, Odhran Doherty for McGlynn h/t, Hugh McFadden for McGee 42, Jeaic MacCeallabhui for McColgan 60, Cathal MacAonghasa for N O'Donnell 61.
Armagh: Blaine Hughes; Peter McGrane, Paddy Burns, Aaron McKay; Jarlath Og Burns, Aidan Forker, Darragh McMullan; Ciaran Mackin, Ben Crealey; Greg McCabe, Rory Grugan, Joe McElroy; Andrew Murnin, Conor Turbitt, Oisin Conaty. Subs: Stefan Campbell for Forker 42, Rian O'Neill for McElroy 49, Oisin O'Neill for McMullan 60, Jason Duffy for Mackin 69.
Referee: Paul Faloon (Down).