"IT WAS their best game of the year, it has to be. To win an All-Ireland final, no matter how it's achieved, needs a lot of character, because there's a lot of pressure. People have to perform, at the battlefront, at the cutting edge. And they did that, when it's required.

"They came under pressure from Nemo, who are a brilliant team, and were always going to have their period of dominance. But they just didn't get the scores, because we didn't lie down. Simple as that."

When you're Mickey Whelan and you've just led St Vincent's to their first All-Ireland title since 1976, and only second ever, you deserve a monologue intro. He'd have kept going as well, except he was constantly interrupted by his players walking past, each insisting on a hug and a kiss.

It's put to him that the name St Vincent's seemed to be on this trophy from day one. Strangely enough, he agrees.

"Yeah, I felt we were going to win it. That doesn't mean I have to go about babbling it. We felt we could win every game this year.

"But then everyone feels that. It's about confidence, and these guys believe in themselves now. They're able to think on their feet.

"There are a lot of leaders out there, and I'm thrilled for them all. They . . . got their just reward. I think they're worthy champions.

"Kids came down in their hundreds this morning, walked down from the club. It was just inspiring to see it. And I'd be delighted for everyone in the club."

Whelan paused, before paying tribute to the defender Pat Kelly, whose father died at the weekend: "It had to be extremely difficult. But he turned two games this year. It was his father's wishes that he play. It's a very difficult thing, but it's also a marvellous way to mark his father's death."

Whelan had endured some hard times himself over the past decade or so, but maybe he wouldn't want those days back, as Beckett would say. Not with the fire in him now.

"I was nearly going to say 'redemption'. For me, it's just great to take a group of young people and see them grow. That's just phenomenal. And I've the height of praise for them all."

But he'll be back next year?

"I doubt that. But I'll stay on as manager for the rest of the night."

The mood of Ephie Fitzgerald, the Nemo Rangers manager, could not have been a bigger contrast. Straightaway he cited the apparent brevity of injury time.

"We came up here expecting to win . . . didn't perform that well in the first half, but showed the true Nemo in the second half, and came back at them," he said.

"But playing one minute of injury time was absolutely crazy. Look at the number of substitutions, the number of injuries. I can't say too much here about the referee, now, but I was absolutely disgusted.

"That's not taking from Vincent's, fair play to them. But it was out there for everyone to see, today. I'd like to see the stats."

The day, however, marked a new era for St Vincent's, maybe even for Dublin football.

"Yeah, please God," said team captain Tomás Quinn. "There's a great history in this club, but we were all sick and tired of hearing about it. All the pictures up there are black and white, or not very good colour, so it will be nice to move them down the wall. I don't think they'll have to go . . . We'll just bump them to the side a bit, and that will be a good feeling."