Women's Football All-Ireland finals/Cork 1-7 Armagh 1-6: This drama took in so many delightful byroads and secret passageways the hooter came as a disappointing reminder of reality.
It was never meant to be so close. An inexperienced Armagh were supposed to produce brave resistance and then melt away, but even as the 10-second countdown began they were still desperately attacking the Hill end.
It ended in a mix of ecstasy and misery as Cork continued their monopoly of woman's Gaelic games by completing a remarkable double-double of football and camogie. Leeside is set for another celebration this evening. They wear success with some style.
The trek home for the many Armagh supporters in the 25,665 crowd will also bring a familiar sensation. Armagh people love their football stories. That is why they are in thrall to a game that has so often betrayed them.
The Armagh women now become another statistic alongside 1953, 1977 and 2003. The 2002 All-Ireland stands out like a beacon but it has been tainted by failure to repeat the process.
Now this. But, like their male counterparts, Armagh proved immensely stubborn in defeat. The standard has been set and Cork have made a dangerous enemy that will hunt them relentlessly in the coming years.
Armagh raced ahead, 1-3 to 0-1, thanks to an expertly taken 17th-minute goal from Maireád Tennyson. There followed a calm revival from an experienced Cork team.
The Armagh management refused to use the costly sinbinning of corner back Caoimhe Marley after 38 minutes as an excuse, despite Cork scoring 1-1 to 0-1 in the 10 minutes they held a numerical advantage.
It was a harsh decision, although Marley did foul Geraldine O'Flynn and had been blown up earlier for fouling Valerie Mulcahy. Within four minutes Armagh's two-point lead became a one-point deficit as Nollaig Cleary finished to the net at the second time of asking.
Fortune edged towards Cork.
And yet, if Armagh had bustled an equalising score out of the champions in the tense final exchanges Cork would have had a genuine grievance about yet another official blunder.
The TG4 women's football championship had already been tainted by an umpiring blunder in Armagh's one-point victory over Galway, when a clear Galway point was disallowed.
Remarkably, television replays confirmed a similar mistake here when just before half-time Cork staged an impressive comeback only to see two gilt-edged goal chances denied, one by the crossbar, the other by Fionnuala McAtamney.
The Armagh goalkeeper deflected Amanda Murphy's shot into the path of Mulcahy, whose angled shot went over the bar. The better-placed umpire went for the flag but his partner waved for a wide. Referee Declan Corcoran went with the quicker decision without seeking further clarification.
It must also be noted that Cork spurned a multitude of scoring opportunities, especially during an avalanche of pressure midway through the second half. They kicked 14 wides in all.
Caroline O'Hanlon ensured a hugely exciting endgame as, along with the O'Donnell twins Alma and Bronagh, she began to dominate midfield and even posted an equalising score entering the final 12 minutes.
Tired legs were evident all over the field. The game opened up. Briege Corkery duly followed up her awesome display in the camogie final by running riot during this spell. She started as a corner back but occasionally abandoned the position whenever Cork required another attacking option.
Late on, Corkery broke up two Armagh attacks and laid off possession before racing 80 metres as a support runner. The ball never fell kindly enough for a score but her energy was immense.
Amanda Murphy put Cork back in front only to be subsequently replaced - the decision had been made in advance - but management, realising their error, had her back in the fray within three minutes.
Down the other end, Sharon Duncan was desperately trying to inspire Armagh but the breaks didn't go her way and she was, strangely, replaced.
Then a sucker-punch point from O'Flynn left Armagh two points behind with nine minutes left on the clock. In such a low-scoring game the gap was significant.
Armagh halved the lead with a Tennyson point but a wall of red shirts neutralised late attacking runs by Bronagh O'Donnell and O'Hanlon. A shooting chance never materialised.
Cork survived like only champions can.
CORK: E Harte; B Corkery, A Walsh, R Buckley; G O'Flynn (0-1), B Stack, S O'Reilly; J Murphy (0-1, capt), N Kelly; N Cleary (1-2), D O'Reilly, A Murphy (0-1); V Mulcahy, M O'Connor (0-1), C Creedon (0-1). Substitutes: M Kelly for Mulcahy (43 mins), C Walsh for A Murphy (48 mins), A Murphy for Creedon (51 mins).
ARMAGH: F McAtamney; C Marley, F Quinn, A Murphy; R O'Mahony, B O'Donnell (capt), S McCleary; A O'Donnell, C O'Hanlon (0-2); M Tennyson (1-1), S Duncan, S O'Hagan; M McAlinden (0-2), M O'Donnell, A Matthews (0-1). Substitutes: P McAvoy for Matthews (41 mins), O Murtagh for Murphy (44 mins), D Toal for M O'Donnell (53 mins), M Moriarty for Duncan (57 mins).
Referee: D Corcoran (Mayo).
