Galway manager Pádraic Joyce believes his side's greater experience told coming down the stretch as his side booked their place in a second All-Ireland final in three years at Donegal’s expense.
In a tense semi-final at Croke Park, the Tribesmen nudged ahead with five minutes to go and held on for a two-point victory.
Donegal’s incredible rise in a year under Jim McGuinness threatened to continue to the showpiece, but it’s Galway who will now take on Armagh in a fortnight.
"I thought it was a great game," Joyce told RTÉ Sport. "There were a few mistakes here and there, but every score you got had to worked really hard.
"We worked the ball really well and we probably have that little bit more experience…I think Galway are probably further down the line than Donegal as a group.
"That probably showed a bit there in the end."
Joyce paid tribute to a "fantastic" Donegal side, highlighting their rapid improvement under his old Sigerson team-mate McGuinness after a hugely challenging 2023.
"It means the world to us"
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 14, 2024
Pádraic Joyce lavishes praise on his Galway players and casts an eye ahead to an All-Ireland final date with Armagh
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The Connacht champions will now bid to go one better than their final defeat to Kerry in 2022, and having encountered significant injury problems throughout the season – they were without 21 players at one stage earlier in the year - Joyce is particularly pleased with the resilience of his panel.
"It’s the belief in the lads," he said. "I have never questioned these guys for character. To a man they worked their socks off.
"We survived in Division 1, got through Connacht, and it’s always a big thing to win your provincial. You get great momentum out of that, which we did.
"The big win the last day against Dublin, and again today, we’ve beaten some serious teams along the way
"It means the world to us, as Galway people, to get back to a final again."
Dylan McHugh popped up from defence with two crucial scores on his way to a player of the match display, and the Corofin man is looking forward for another tilt at claiming Sam Maguire.
"Unreal"
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 14, 2024
Man of the Match Dylan McHugh reacts after book their place in the All-Ireland final
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"It's unreal," he said. "It's what you dream about growing up playing in these big games at a full Croke Park, so yeah it's unreal.
"The bench drove us on again, as they always do. Just keeping the scoreboard ticking as well and a bit of luck along the way.
"There was nothing in it the whole game and I'm just happy to get over the line."
