Louth captain Sam Mulroy savoured a "special" day at the office as the Wee County ended a 49-year wait for a championship win over neighbours Meath.
Ger Brennan's charges swept to a ten-point All-Ireland SFC round-robin success at Grattan Park in Inniskeen to build on their excellent showing in defeat to Dublin in the Leinster final.
The margin of victory was not flattering to Louth, who once again exhibited steel, organisation and composure.
For Mulroy, it was a display to take pride in.
"It was amazing," he told RTÉ Sport. "It was a box we had to tick. We knew we had a job and a massive task coming here but to sum up the emotion, I suppose it's a relief. I'm very proud of the team.
"The crowd we had here and seeing the people on the pitch after is what makes it special.
"We knew they were going to bring intensity from the start and they brought that. They've some really big players, big runners and quality so it was always going to happen.
"I thought our lads dug in well, we worked our way into the game pretty well. We grew as the game went on."
Louth really pushed the Dubs in the provincial decider before falling to a four-point loss. They earned plenty of praise in the aftermath for their showing, but Mulroy explained that they're looking for more than moral victories.
"We were bitterly disappointed from the players' perspective," he said.
"It was probably a weird one because we got lots of pats on the back over the last few weeks for the progress we made and I suppose when you zoom out and take a look at it like that, I think we made the Louth people proud which is ultimately what we're trying to do but at the end of the day we need to win matches.
"We didn't do that two weeks ago. We went up to Croke Park to win and ultimately that didn't happen so in the dressing room after the game it was massively disappointing. That's why Dublin are as good as they are, one mistake and they'll punish you."
When asked if Louth would get to celebrate their landmark win over Meath, Mulroy laughed: "No, no, no, it's only seven days (until their next game), are you mad? It's the GAA!
"It's one game in a moment of time. These players have a responsibility to do their best for Louth and that's what it was about."
For Meath manager Colm O'Rourke, the nature of the defeat was surprising, but he had no complaints about the winner.
"Louth were much the better team overall," he told RTÉ Sport.
"They have improved significantly since the league game and the Leinster final has given them a bounce. I think they're going to cause plenty of trouble for anybody.
"The three goals coming in the first half meant the second half was nearly a dead duck but we were hoping to get a couple of early scores, and try to at least get some momentum into the game.
"We never seemed to have the energy to do so and the Louth defence was very disciplined. It didn't give away frees and we found he whole experience frustrating.
"We thought we were ready for it but we weren't.'
