"I promised at my dead father's grave to bring back Sam" - Mayo supporter
It was referenced at some many speeches and by so many supporters, that Mayo’s All-Ireland final win over Kerry belongs to everyone associated with Mayo and Mayo GAA.
It was a special occasion for Dave Donoghue from Ross, a Parke GAA club man.
“This is my seventh Mayo final. I dreamed of this day, it's come true,” Dave said ecstatically, speaking to The Mayo News after the final whistle, standing on the steps of Hill 16, which was firmly soaked in green and red, sprinkled by some white jerseys.
“ I lost my father two years ago, so I visited his grave this morning, left a flag on the grave. I promised him to come back with Sam. It's been a rollercoaster of a year with the results, I came out of the Roscommon game and Jesus, I didn't know what to make of the season.
To be honest, I thought it was over. But fair play to Andy and the coaches. I went to an attacking workshop for coaches with him and he got me on board straight away. The belief in the team went on and they just peaked at the right time.”
Next to him, Michael Wilson from Castlebar, went through a nerve-wrecking 70 minutes.
“This is probably the final where I wasn't comfortable at all,” Michael admitted.
“I thought as long as we keep in it, if it's close at half-time, and the pulled it out of the bag. I lost my father in March, so he didn't get to see it. It means a lot for me.My dad would have come to Mayo games with me, it;s a special day and I thought of him.”