Stephen Rochford says he couldn’t have asked any more from his Mayo players as they fell to yet another All-Ireland Final defeat.
Dublin cemented their place in the history books with their third successive Sam Maguire, though it took a Dean Rock free seven minutes into injury-time to decide the game in their favour.
With five minutes remaining in another gripping contest, Dublin trailed by a point but, ultimately, the reigning champions again edged past the men from the west by the bare minimum.
Still searching for a first win since 1951, the emotional Mayo manager was fulsome in his praise for his beaten troops.
"Sport can be tough and cruel, but today is about Dublin and congratulations to them. Three-in-a-row is phenomenal," he told RTÉ Sport.
"We’ll do our best to resurrect over the winter and see where we go next year.
"We had a free late on that hit the post. It’s just fine margins.I couldn’t ask for any more from the lads.
"They died with their boots on. I just couldn’t be more proud of them."
Both teams played the final quarter with 14 men, with Dublin’s John Small dismissed for a second booking, while Donal Vaughan was shown a straight red after weighing in with a late challenge.
Rochford wouldn’t be drawn on whether the avoidable red card proved to be a significant turning point.
"If we had an extra man...we could speculate, but today we have come second and it’s about Dublin and fair dues to Jim [Gavin]."
After 10 games in another absorbing Championship campaign, defeat on the biggest stage is again Mayo’s lot, but Rochford insists there will be no lack of motivation to go again next year.
Mayo manager Stephen Rochford: "It's fine margins. I couldn't have asked for any more from them. They died with their boots on." pic.twitter.com/JFwdziSVS9
— RTÉ GAA (@RTEgaa) September 17, 2017
"They [Mayo players] have the same hunger as Dublin have to win, we’ve just come out the wrong side of results too many times for our liking.
"The 2018 Championship won’t be long coming round.
"I know it’s hard to think about that now, but we’ll move into the League in due course and no doubt we’ll circle the wagons and give something a rattle next year."
