For Armagh, it was yet more heartbreak in the Ulster SFC final, as they lost out to Donegal in Clones.
Sunday's tie was one of the tensest provincial deciders in recent memory and with under 20 minutes to go it seemed as though Armagh were on their way to a first Ulster title in 16 years.
Stefan Campbell's point in the 53rd minute put Armagh four points clear, with the Orchard men surely dreaming of bringing the Anglo-Celt Cup back to the county.
Credit is due to Jim McGuinness' Donegal, who fought back in tremendous style to first force extra-time and then bring the game to penalties after Armagh had surged forward again in the additional period.
12 May 2024; Donegal goalkeeper Shaun Patton saves a penalty by Shane McPartlan of Armagh during the Ulster GAA Football Senior Championship final match between Armagh and Donegal at St Tiernach's Park in Clones, Monaghan. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Remarkably, however, this is the second year in a row that Armagh have lost an Ulster final on penalties - and they have two spot-kick defeats in the All-Ireland series over the past two years to boot as well.
The fact that Armagh let their lead slip in the closing stages on Sunday will have been the toughest element of the defeat for their fans to take. Lee Keegan believes that the fact Armagh let the game go to penalties in the first place is perhaps the most telling factor.
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Lee Keegan claims Armagh struggles are all in the head
Writing in his column for RTÉ, Mayo legend Keegan said that the manner in which Armagh "seized up" in normal time before kicking on once again in extra-time proved that the mental pressures of the closing stages had gotten to Kieran McGeeney's side:
[Armagh] seemed to seize up in sight of the finish line.
It was as if someone had fastened a straitjacket on them. You could see them tightening up, trying to manage the game to a conclusion rather than playing the match before them.
We know it could hardly be a question of running out of steam. After all, they were liberated again in extra-time and built up another lead until the closing minutes. That shows it's a psychological and mental thing.
Their approach in the last 20 minutes of normal time demonstrated that they made a lot of their own bad luck.
It is hard to argue with Keegan's logic, with Armagh consistently coming up short from promising positions over the past few years.
They have an extra week to regroup ahead of their All-Ireland campaign getting underway - and they will need it, having landed in the "Group of Death" for the second straight year.
Their first assignment is a home game against Westmeath next weekend but, with Galway and Derry waiting further down the line, Armagh will know they have to hit the ground running.
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