'First' was certainly the word of choice for Carlow’s thrilling extra-time Allianz Football League triumph over Longford – and manager Joe Murphy is hoping that the impact can be felt when the championship season kicks into gear next month.
A first senior men’s football title won at Croke Park ever.
A first win on Jones’ Road since 1971 when they beat Wicklow in a league match played at HQ as a curtain-raiser for the Garden County’s All-Ireland JHC final win over Hertfordshire, having beaten Roscommon in the ‘home’ final.
A first piece of silverware since their 2002 O’Byrne success, Wicklow again the opposition, and a first national title since their 1994 All-Ireland B triumph when Hughie Brennan skippered them to victory over Westmeath.
No wonder then, that the victory over Longford sparked wild celebrations amongst their players and their noisy, colourful band of supporters.
"Look, you saw the stand, you saw the people at the end of it, you saw the colours flying and we're not really used to that," Murphy told RTÉ Sport afterwards.
"I've never been a footballer with Carlow or with Éire Óg, or a manager with Naas or anything, (and) won at Croke Park before, so I can only imagine how the people of Carlow are going home tonight and there'll be a good celebration.
"What might have detracted people from coming today was there being so much hurt here, down through the years, Carlow, and it's a big sacrifice now with the cost of living to go to Dublin; if you're going with high expectations of winning you might just get into that car or get on that bus a little bit quicker.
"We have Wicklow in two weeks’ time [in Leinster] and that's at home in Carlow, and we'll see the full value of that win today.
"So it's all stepping stones, we're just trying to build blocks and put a bit of foundation into the thing and give Carlow people that sense that we can achieve, we can get better, and we don't fear, you can't play with fear.
"There are so many teams better than us but there is fight in us and we showed that today.
"It's a thing to really enjoy, and to really take it on board, and realise that the wee county of Carlow has brought home national silverware.
"Be proud of it, and it might influence a few young lads to think that they can be here, and see what's at the end of it. That's all we want to do in Carlow, just build those blocks for success in the future."
That success looked guaranteed for so long in the 1-24 to 2-18 win as they were the better side for long swathes of the contest, but they just couldn’t shake off their Leinster neighbours who were hampered by a red card for Ronan Bleakley right at the start of extra-time.
They got there though and the helter-skelter nature of the final proved a suitable finale for another league season full of the utmost drama – and a competition that Murphy adores.
"Chrissy Bolger, one of the management team, said Division 4 is an asylum, you don't know what's going to happen, crazy scorelines.
"When London beat us [in Round 6], they absolutely warranted the win, but we were just so bad, and it's actually reflected through all the divisions if you look back over the scorelines,
"I saw Cork with a great performance against Meath and then Derry gave them a bit of a spanking the following week. It's crazy.
"But it's nearly the best competition. The championship, it's great, the sun's on your back and there's a Sam Maguire at stake, and we'll take that very seriously and we'll prepare for it and go as far as we can in it, but the league is just electric and I think it's great entertainment.
"I've enjoyed every game we've been in, frustrating at times, but to get out of Division 4 and now we can ply our trade and take on the challenge of Division 3, it's just very exciting."
That’s for 2027 – Wicklow on 12 April at Netwatch Cullen Park awaits, a day where the new league champions are sure to receive a very nice welcome after this memorable occasion.
