The father of late Tipperary player Dillon Quirke has said that he was "on their shoulders yesterday" at Croke Park as they won the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final.
Dillon, who played for Tipperary and captained his club Clonoulty-Rossmore, collapsed on the pitch and died three years ago.
Since his death, his family have worked to raise awareness of Sudden Adult Death Syndrome and to fund cardiac screening for young people involved in sport.
His father Dan and mother Hazel watched Tipperary win from their home, opting not to travel to Dublin for the game.
Amid the celebrations at Croke Park yesterday, both Tipperary captain Ronan Maher and manager Liam Cahill paid tribute to Dillon.
Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, Mr Quirke said it was a day of "mixed emotions" and he was delighted that the team performed so well.
"[They] gave a super exhibition of hurling in the second half. I don't know did we see that coming earlier on in the year, but God they’ve been magnificent and hats off to Liam Cahill for what he's done with all these young men," he said.
"They're great young guys. We actually had a few of them out to us here on Friday evening, they visited Dillon’s grave after. They are lovely young men.
"We are delighted with what has happened, it’s great for Tipperary. Obviously we have mixed emotions.
"I shed a tear on Saturday night when I went to bed and it wasn't that Dillon wasn’t in Croke Park yesterday. It was more a case that Dillion wasn’t with us today, and he won't be with us tomorrow.
"So it's been difficult, but it's been great for Tipperary."
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He said they opted not to travel to Croke Park for the final as, they found the semi-final "very emotional and very difficult".
"We just felt it to be easier to watch it on TV, even though we were shouting our heads off while watching it," Mr Quirke said.
"Dillon was a great friend of all these young guys and I think he was on their shoulders yesterday. Liam Cahill mentioned that everywhere he went, he felt Dillon was with him.
"We probably felt it too as a family to watch these guys perform at the best it meant an awful lot to us and we're thrilled as a family, both Hazel and the two girls and myself are very proud.
"I'm proud that Dillon maybe had some little bit to do with it something to do from upstairs, as I call it."
