Corofin manager Kevin O'Brien praised the resilience of his players after they made history at Croke Park today by becoming the first-ever side to win three AIB All-Ireland club senior football titles in a row.
The Galway side needed extra-time to seal the win after they ended level at seven points apiece after normal time.
In the added time the reigning champions showed their class though, scoring 1-5 and keeping the Down kingpins scoreless.
Speaking to Off the Ball at full-time, O'Brien said he was well aware it wasn't going to be an easy day out.
"We knew coming into it that it was going to be a tough game and scores were going to be hard to come by and that's what it proved to be.
"Kilcoo have shown all year this never say die spirit and I suppose our lads have that as well. It was a change for us in our system and I think we adapted to that, but it took us a while.
"In fairness to Kilcoo, we were over the line I thought - time nearly up and three points up and they came back brilliantly. I suppose we re-grouped and in extra-time our bench was really, really strong so fair play.
"Going into the last few minutes we wanted time to be up and that's probably a bit unusual. We probably struggled to get out of our own half and we turned over ball kind of silly - brought it into the tackle, that probably happens under pressure and Kilcoo really pushed up and pinned us in.
"We were happy to get in and regroup. We talked about extra-time in the week and we knew we had that panel and that resolve if it went to extra-time and the lads showed that."
The hour of normal time was disappointing to many who had hoped to see Corofin give an exhibition of their impressive free-flowing attacking style.
This didn't transpire however and it took them 24 minutes to get on the scoreboard as Mikey Moran's side frustrated them.
O'Brien explained why he felt this happened.
"It's one thing to go out and say you want to play football but the system they [Kilcoo] play doesn't allow you to do that and that was a challenge to us.
"You keep the ball and I'm sure people at home were saying 'kick it in, kick it in' but that's not an option, you have to adapt.
"They ply a very well organised system, they allow you to come on the ball and they're just waiting to get turn-overs and the pace they have is phenomenal, they get in behind you and it's very hard to adapt to that. Credit to the lads, they did that."
O'Brien also spoke about the importance of this victory to the north Galway club and the community.
"We had a tough week within the club and the family unity kept us together. The last thing I said to the lads today was 'we're going to enjoy this game today and we're going to enjoy the challenge that Kilcoo are going to throw at us.
"I told them to go out and enjoy it, play with a smile on your face, let your shoulders back and enjoy this because these opportunities don't come too often.
"I'm a firm believer that if you're happy you'll play better, we don't do any shouting and roaring and that's important."
There were distasteful scenes at the end of normal time as a scuffle broke out between players from both sides as they made their way to the dressing rooms.
O'Brien feels a tweak to the organisational set-up could see incidents such as this eliminated in the future.
"I think the system has to be looked at where you let two teams come into the dressing room at the same time. There's going to be issues and there's going to be pushing.
"I think it's important, it's something that needs to be addressed and looked at - if you're going to put players into those situations you may have problems and it needs to be looked at."
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