Five-time All-Star Lee Keegan spoke of the pride he felt after the final whistle sounded in Sunday’s All-Ireland senior football championship final.

On duty for RTE at Croke Park, Keegan watched as Mayo defeated Kerry by 1-20 to 1-17 to claim their first Sam Maguire Cup success in 75 years and would be dragged over by a couple of the players to join in the celebrations.

Writing in his column for RTE Sport this week, the Westport man described what was “a special moment” for the group and the entire of Mayo.

“Speaking personally, I felt such pride in the moment as a Mayo man and someone who played with them for years. All the more so listening to Jack Coyne's speech afterwards which has to go down with one of the all-time great winning speeches,” wrote Keegan.

“I was briefly dragged over to the celebrations. I was waving at Paul Cunnane, who's involved with the side, and Matty Ruane and David McBrien. The three of them rushed over and accosted me. I was reluctant to insert myself into the moment - you don't want to do a John Terry on it. But the boys were too strong for me and I was hauled over.

“It was a moment for these players who had done the deed and gotten Mayo over the line. We had our era, we had our chances.

“But, listen, it was great to spend a brief moment on the pitch with the guys I'd soldiered with - Aido, Cillian, Paddy Durcan, Diarmuid O'Connor, and to see the elation on their faces after getting over the line. It was a special moment.”

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