The Championship

Kerry manager Jack O’Connor has admitted that the manner of Kerry’s All-Ireland final defeat to Dublin was desperately hard to take.

With seven minutes to go, the Kingdom looked in control of proceedings at headquarters; they were four points up and all set to cruise to yet another All-Ireland title until Kevin McManamon’s goal changed the tide and Dublin went on to claim their first All-Ireland title since 1995.

Magnanimous in defeat, Kerry boss O’Connor acknowledged that he had thought that Kerry had the game won until the Dubs’ late salvo and that the dramatic way the game was lost was particularly galling for the Munster champions.

"It's tough to lose an All-Ireland any day but we looked like we were in control of that situation there," he said.

"I'm not too sure what was left, eight or 10, four points up. We had come back from three down. To go four up took a huge effort out of our fellas. Maybe that effort took its toll in the last five minutes.

"The two or three scores that Dublin got to win were turnovers, you know. So maybe the intensity and the pace of the game took its toll on our legs in the last five or six minutes.

"But in the general scheme of things, I have to be very proud of the way our lads played. I don't think many people would give us a chance of lasting with the Dubs the way we did.

"They played well and we rolled with the punches for a long time, played a lot of good football in the second half but of course to lose the way we did was devastating."

The manner in which McManamon’s goal was conceded will be the cause of plenty of nightmares down Kerry way in the next few days and although O’Connor admitted that it was the most significant moment in what was an enthralling encounter at Croke Park, he wasn’t playing the blame game in the immediate aftermath and instead spoke of the huge pride he had in his players.

"I'm not going to be hanging any guy out to dry, but of course the goal was a huge momentum-changer because we couldn't see Dublin getting it back on points,” O’Connor added.

“We were quite solid at the back, we had kept it tight at the back all day. We reduced them to the odd point or a few frees. But the goal was worth more than a goal really, because it just gave them life and gave them energy in the critical last five minutes to let them go on and win the game."

"It's a tough one to take. It's hard to take – 15 minutes to go, we thought we had it won. That's life though, you know? Who said life is fair, like?

"I'd have to say, we can look ourselves in the mirror and hold our heads high. We gave absolutely everything and prepared thoroughly. We trained very well and hard, really hard. It showed today, we had plenty in the tank.

"Maybe it looked like Dublin's name was written on it. They got one or two breaks. They got a sniff. 'Twas snatched away from us and we have to live with it. When you've one hand on it ... "