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20 Jan 2026
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20 Jan 2026
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In scenes of unbridled joy in Clones, Michael Murphy locked in an embrace with his father, Mick.
A little under three years ago, Murphy trooped out of Clones after a 3-17 to 0-16 defeat by Armagh in a qualifier.
He left that evening in the car with his dad. Five months later, he retired and recalled how he knew his “time was up”.
And yet, here he was, the 35-year-old man of the match in the Ulster final as Donegal prevailed after an epic struggle with Armagh.
Murphy, coaxed back last winter by Jim McGuinness, scored three points and contributed so much more in a 2-23 to 0-28 extra time triumph.
“Ulster is always our bread and butter,” the Glenswilly man said after his sixth Ulster success as a Donegal player.
“It was our thing for many years that we could never win. It’s just brilliant to get back in again.
“The heart and the desire of those lads out there and the people in Donegal…times we were in and we were out, but it’s great that we got out on the right side of it.”
Hugh McFadden, in normal time, and Ciaran Moore, in extra time, scored the goals for Donegal as they retained their provincial crown.
Last year, they needed penalties to eke past Armagh. The spot-kicks loomed again in St Tiernach’s Park, but Niall O’Donnell curled over the match-winning score.
Murphy said: “It’s a whole 70 minute game and you have to play the whole way through. You can’t have bad days in it.
“Armagh are an absolutely incredible side. They are All-Ireland champions. They have been in Ulster finals for the last number of years. They are a brilliant side and it’s not the last that we will see of them this year.”
Murphy was quick to play down a suggestion that Donegal would now be among the favourites for an assault on Sam Maguire - the trophy he lifted as Donegal’s captain in 2012.
Read next: Donegal find the going much too tough against Armagh in Ulster LGFA decider
He said: “We just need to go for the next game again and see where it takes us.”
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