Donegal are the Ulster Senior Football champions for the first time in 19 years after overcoming Derry with sound tactics and classy finishing at Clones on Sunday.
A controversially-awarded penalty, which Michael Murphy slotted home, left Derry up against it from the start of the second half, and thereafter they could not negotiate their way through Donegal's stout defence too often as they went down by 1-11 to 0-8 in their first Ulster final appearance in over a decade.
Derry now face a less than appetising qualifier against in-form Kildare in just six days' time, while Donegal can plan for a championship quarter-final, their long-awaited latest Ulster crown secured after four straight wins in the province.
Murphy thought he had broken the deadlock right from the off, but his effort at a point from a narrow angle on the left was deemed wide.
Instead it was Colm McFadden who kicked over the first score from a free after five minutes. Further back, his defensive team-mates were doing the expected and crowding out the Oak Leafers attackers as they looked to get back on terms. In the end it was a punt from a long way out that got them level as Charlie Kielt expertly shot over.
Donegal had been typically defending in numbers but their attacks often came in the same vein as defenders Karl Lacey and Anthony Thompson surged forward, with the latter slotting over to restore the Tir Chonaiil advantage.
Derry were following Kielt's lead in shooting from range but Conleth Gilligan and Joe Diver were among a number of men in white and red to miss the target from that ploy, the game's next score instead proving to be Murphy's opening salvo.
James Kielt kicked over a free, in an otherwise poor first half personally, to make it a one-point game again. Derry, though, you feel could really have down with their missing injured Bradley brothers Paddy and Eoin. Donegal's own Bradley, Ryan, was available and he made it 0-4 to 0-2 with a fine point.
Wing back Thompson ran clear to slot over his second of the day and put Donegal three clear, but a divine Charlie Kielt effort halted the momentum that Jim McGuinness' side were trying to increase.
Sean Leo McGoldrick tried to make the gap just one but his effort was woeful, however Gilligan did better from a free and first half sub Martin Donaghy was then able to level the game once again as Derry ended the half in the ascendency.
They did though spurn a couple of half chances for a goal in this period, with Paul Durcan fisting clear a Donaghy cross towards McGoldrick and Gilligan then failing to pick McGoldrick out when his team-mate was unmarked in the middle.
Patrick McBrearty did put the ball in the net at the other end but the whistle had already gone for a Donegal free. Murphy surprised everyone with an awful wide effort though, leaving the half-time score at 0-5 apiece.
The second half began in controversial fashion as Derry goalkeeper Danny Devlin was harshly adjudged by referee referee Maurice Deegan to have grounded Murphy in the danger zone. A penalty was awarded and the 2009 Young Footballer of the Year smashed past his rival to put a goal between the sides.
McBrearty ended up on the ground and Murphy and Derry's Dermot McBride booked in a brief melee that followed the goal, but following that Donegal upped it a couple of gears. McFadden finished off a lovely move with a great kick over after Murphy held up the ball and fed him. Michael Hegarty then belted over another super effort and all of a sudden the Tir Chonaill men led by 1-7 to 0-5.
James Kielt got one back and, with his own game improving, then made the gap one of a goal again when turning onto his left foot and delivering a great point from the right-hand side.
But it was now rare that John Brennan's men got space to shoot as Donegal crowded them out all over the field. McFadden kicked his third point of the day from a free to make the gap four again, with Kielt's next effort not up to it ahead of Murphy's high effort leaving the Oak Leafers with an awful lot to do in the final 12 minutes.
What few chances Derry were now getting were not making it to their desired targets. Things were all going right for Donegal though as Hegarty - three times an Ulster final loser - fired over his second point to end the contest.
A final James Kielt score was responded to emphatically by McFadden brilliantly nailing his fourth score of the day, pre-empting joyous scenes from his team-mates once Deegan sounded the day's last whistle.