Dubs right half-back James McCarthy has admitted that their dressing room was seething following accusations in the press that their side was not up to snuff this year in the championship.
Having come off second best to Donegal in last year's semi-finals, and been forced to a replay before overcoming Mayo in the semis this year, many in the press and public had written Dublin off.
But Ballymun Kickhams man McCarthy stated that the team wanted to do their talking on the pitch, which they certainly did in today's 0-12 to 0-09 All-Ireland final victory over Kerry.
Speaking to RTÉ Sport, McCarthy said: "This is the sweetest one we've had. There were a lot of people with knives out for us last year and gave us a bit of stick, but I think we gave them the answers this year. We're just delighted to win it again."
McCarthy specifically said that the abuse directed at players who had been part of Dublin's championship wins in 2011 and 2013 - who felt verbally attacked this season - and that the accusations labelled at the most dominant team in Gaelic football this decade were way off the mark and unjust.
He continued: "There was a lot of things being said to us, being called 'bottlers and cowards', it's a bit funny lads in this dressing room with two All-Ireland medals being called bottlers and cowards but I think that's the answer for them anyway."
