Donegal’s All-Ireland SFC final performance was the only blot on the copybook for Jim McGuinness in 2025.

The Tir Chonaill men put Ulster SFC titles back-to-back with a dramatic victory over Armagh before going on to lose the Sam Maguire Cup decider to Kerry in disappointing circumstances.

“We just didn’t bring our true colours on the day,” the manager said at last weekend’s Donegal GAA awards banquet.

“That’s the reality of the situation, and there is a lot of learning in that game for us. We believe we have a good idea now of why the game was lost.

“There are things we certainly need to work on and bring forward into 2026. There is no sentiment in football. Kerry were at it and they took the game to us from the very off.

“After the first quarter, we’d a real battle on our hands. So we have a lot of learning to take from the game. But at the same time, there is a lot of talent in our group, a lot of good fellas in our group”.

McGuinness added: “The reality is we’re back to ground zero now. And it’s going to take a huge amount of work to get back to where we were. 

“But we do have a plan in our head. And we’ll get back to business very shortly and look to go again.”

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