A disappointed Declan Bonner said there was nothing between his Donegal team and new Ulster Champions Derry.
The Donegal manager was speaking after his side were beaten after extra time in Clones before a capacity crowd of more than 30,000 fans.
Bonner said that he fully expected the game with Derry would be a battle to the death.
But the Na Rossa man said his side must now put behind the defeat and dust themselves down.
“We knew it was going to be a war of attrition and that’s exactly what it turned out to be,” Bonner told RTE.
“It went down to the wire and ultimately Derry got the scores when it mattered most.
“It was the same last year, it also went down to the wire. Paddy McBrearty’s point got us over the line.
“There was nothing between both teams and it was played in a good sporting manner. Ultimately, we came up short.”
As Rory Gallagher and his Derry side celebrated their first Anglo Celt Cup in 24 years, the Donegal dressing room was a very different place.
“The losing dressing room is a disappointing place to be in a provincial final,” added Bonner.
“We have got to dust ourselves down, we’ve another campaign ahead of us hopefully.”
