‘Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.’

As the familiar scene played out – Stephen Cluxton and the Dubs going up the steps of the Hogan Stand while below on the field Mayo men gazed disbelievingly once again into the distance – neutrals above in the press box struggled to catch their breath and process just what they had witnessed.

The most instinctive and obvious reflex was a sense of profound sympathy for Mayo, but if anything that was equalled by a sense of deep respect for them. And yet if you could only have immense respect for Mayo, how could you respect Dublin any less, if not even more?

Once again they had won. Once again they had denied Mayo. Once again they had relented the relentless.