Jack O'Connor: 'We expected a few hundred. Instead we see thousands filling Denny Street. This really gives us a big lift'

Kingdom boss tells well-wishers in Tralee: 'On balance they deserved it and if anyone was going to beat us you can’t begrudge Mayo after 75 years'

WE'LL BE BACK: Two and a half year old Rían Horhan from Tralee comes to terms with Kerry's All-Ireland final defeat at the team's homecoming in Tralee. 

Mayo’s hunger and “a few tight, marginal calls” that went against his team were cited as the reasons for Kerry’s defeat by Jack O’Connor at their homecoming in Tralee on Monday evening.

O’Connor, who was inspired by the large turnout on Denny Street for his players, mentioned decisions that went against his side in their defeat to Mayo in Sunday’s All-Ireland SFC final.

A Ryan O’Donoghue third-man tackle on David Clifford before the end of the first half went unpunished as did a double-hop by Darragh Beirne before his score in the first minute of the second half.

But O’Connor, as was the case on Sunday, acknowledged the work ethic of Mayo in ending their 75-year wait for the Sam Maguire Cup and felt they “deserved” the victory.

“We’re hugely disappointed we didn’t do the business yesterday but it wasn’t for the want of trying,” he told supporters. “I thought our team was very brave, kept coming back and we were still within a score at the end, even though a few things didn’t go right for us.

“That extra bit of hunger that Mayo had and a few tight, marginal calls went their way. You have to say that on balance they deserved it and if anyone was going to beat us you can’t begrudge Mayo after 75 years, so congratulations to them.” O’Connor, who has one year remaining in his current term, said the group “will do everything in our power” to win the All-Ireland SFC next year. 

He added: “Most of us aren’t getting any younger so time might be running out on us, but there are still a few years left in this team behind me.” 

Kerry manager Jack O'Connor: 'Most of us aren’t getting any younger so time might be running out on us, but there are still a few years left in this team.”  Pic: Domnick Walsh

The five-time All-Ireland SFC winning manager credited the large numbers that greeted the players. “We are genuinely thrilled by the size of the crowd in front of us here. We expected there would maybe be a few hundred and instead we see thousands filling Denny Street.

“It’s a huge disappointment to lose an All-Ireland final, particularly the following 24 hours is tough going, but this really gives us a big lift. It’s means an awful lot to the players, and it will just give them a bigger incentive than ever to make sure we have the cup when we come back here.” 

Continuing on the theme of support, O’Connor added: “It’s no consolation to our boys but I think you can be very proud of this team behind me. They carried themselves with great style and great standards and why wouldn’t when they know that they mean so much to the county and have such a following.

“You were tremendous supporters this year. We had three big games in Killarney – the Munster final with Cork, the game against Donegal and the game against Armagh – and they were three fantastic occasions where you packed out the stadium.

“And the quarter-final, semi-final and final yesterday. Even the semi-final against Dublin, that was an atmosphere that I hadn’t seen in a semi-final for many a year.”