Ciaran Kilkenny: Dublin's win means absolutely everything
Sunday 15 September 2019 12:29, UK
Four points from play and a fifth consecutive All-Ireland title - it wasn't a bad day at the office for Ciaran Kilkenny.
The Castleknock club man saved his best display of 2019 for the opportune moment, and he could barely contain himself at full-time.
"It means absolutely everything," he beamed, speaking to Sky Sports. "What we put into the last couple of weeks, in terms of preparation, recovery, getting around each other. Our families having to put up with us at home. It just means so much to us. Everyone is so emotional out there on the field.
"Fair play to Kerry, they're such a great team. Getting over the line just means so much to us. I've never felt anything like that before in my life. Everyone running around to each other after the game, it's an incredible feeling.
"That's what football is for, that's what the GAA is all about, and we're absolutely delighted."
And as the three-time All-Star looks back on the year that was, he knows others made sacrifices.
"I'm so lucky - my Dad packs my bag before the games and polishes my boots," he continued. "They do everything for me. My Mam just has to put up with me being cranky around the house.
"My family, my close network of friends, they've been so supportive throughout the year and we're just delighted we've done it."
The elation was evident right across the Dublin team, and it was a sense of relief as much as anything else after so much pressure was piled on them.
"The elephant in the room was the five in a row," noted Brian Howard. "But we didn't pay much attention to it. there's a lot of young hungry lads on that team.
"This is my third - I don't want to stop here."
The Sky Blues have won an unprecedented fifth All-Ireland title in succession, and it's going to take a serious team to stop them in the coming years.
Howard added: "We're still as hungry as ever, even though it's close after the final whistle, we don't want to stop here, even though it's so close after the final whistle because it's a massive achievement."
Sky Sports' Gaelic games coverage continues on Monday evening, the All-Ireland ladies football final on Sky Sports Arena at 7pm!
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