Kerry manager James Costello: 'We lost and we take our beating. There is no blaming anyone'

“I said to them, don’t blame each other, don’t blame me, don’t blame the ref, take it on the chin and the great thing with Kerry is there’s always another thing.”

Kerry manager James Costello. Photo by Matt Browne/Sportsfile

Kerry manager James Costello and Derry manager Martin Boyle were in agreement on one key thing after this afternoon’s 2020 All-Ireland minor football final in Tullamore – that Derry’s more demanding slate of games in 2021 stood to the Oak Leaf County as they edged a thrilling encounter by the minimum margin.

“Finals are there to be won and we didn’t,” said Costello after the game. “Derry were superb, I thought they played exceptionally well. We rattled them a few times and I was hoping they wouldn’t get back up but they got back up every single time so I’d like to take my hat off to them.