Cork manager John Cleary was satisfied his side had answered the "knockers" in their showing at home to Kerry in the Munster SFC semi final, even if the opportunity of a rare victory over their provincial rivals slipped through their grasp in extra-time.
Cleary's side took the league champions to the brink on a rain-drenched evening in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh last Saturday, appearing to have all the momentum during the extra-time.
However, Kerry, on the back-foot down the stretch, managed to find the crucial goal, midfielder Joe O'Connor lashing a shot to the roof of the net on a rare breakaway.
"Our pride was questioned," Cleary told RTÉ Sport. "Our fighting ability was questioned throughout the year. And even in the past week.
"But I was never, never in doubt. I see the effort they put in in training. I see what they go through.
"Sometimes being a Cork footballer is not the best thing in the world to be. Because they get a lot of knocks and there are a lot of knockers out there. But they keep coming back and keep fighting.
"We fought like tigers in the second half. And I thought in extra-time, we shaded it. It was a moment of brilliance by Joe O'Connor to get the goal at the end.
"Overall, in the second half of extra-time, I thought we were going to get over the line.
"Ultimately, that last goal was the difference. We're very disappointed. When you get these opportunities, you have to take them."
Cork's prospects were boosted by a second half sending off of Paudie Clifford for a high challenge - the numbers being subsequently evened up for a Sean Brady foul on O'Connor - though Cleary took the view that neither were red cards.
"It looked harsh enough. We were saying it would be a yellow card at worst. We thought our sending off - looking back at it there when we went in - it wasn't a sending off either. But the referee gave them and you just keep playing.
"It did give us a big bump up there in the second half. Our lads threw caution to the wind, got a few great scores, some great two-pointers and then we got the goal. We really went at it.
"It was an opportunity. We came close. Ultimately, didn't get over the line. Kerry are in the Munster final and we're out."
WATCH HIGHLIGHTS
While Cork agonisingly missed out on a first victory over Kerry since 2020 - and a first in front of paying crowds since 2012 - results elsewhere did at least confirm their Sam Maguire status in 2025, the late rally to finish fifth in Division 2 proving sufficient to guarantee a fourth seed slot in the top tier competition.
"We will be probably fourth seed in the Sam Maguire. But look, we won't be playing for four or five weeks. Lot of tired bodies, we picked up a few injuries. But hopefully, we can get going again."
Cleary's opposite number Jack O'Connor, for his part, was thankful to progress and reiterated his oft-argued view that Cork are underestimated by the national media.
"I thought there were a couple of critical turning points in the thing. Shane Murphy's save from Chris Óg Jones because a goal there would have given Cork fierce belief and they'd probably have driven on.
"Joe's goal in the second half of extra-time gave us something to cling onto, because at that stage, it was about just trying to get ahead and having the energy to hold on.
"It was just a huge battle, exactly what we expected. Despite what the media were saying, I knew Cork were going to be up for this. They're a good team and they'll do damage yet in this championship."
Watch The Sunday Game from 9.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on all matches on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app. Listen to updates from around the country on Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1
