Dublin claimed their third All-Ireland SFC title on the bounce with a nerve-shredding one-point defeat of Mayo on Sunday.
As the dust settled on a brilliant battle that went right to the wire until Dean Rock swung it in the 76th minute, it was time to analyse how it played out, and what the result means for the rest of the country.
Alan Brogan, writing in the Herald, praises the Sky Blues' remarkable mental strength.
"Once again you could look at the overall performance and find fault with certain parts of it, but you could never question the character that they showed in getting over the line.
"That level of resilience is what makes them such a difficult team to beat and, more importantly, what makes them winners. There was evidence of those qualities all the way trough yesterday's thrilling final.
"Does yesterday's victory make them the greatest team ever? I reckon it does and really the only question is whether they compare with the wonderful Kerry team from the 70s."
In The Irish Independent, Vincent Hogan reflects on the Dubs' incredible fortitude and quiet brilliance of Jim Gavin.
"Outside, you could hear The Rare Auld Times thunder up into the city skies, and you could marvel at how a team of a such unarguable greatness (they only leaked five wides during 78 minutes of broad chaos) seems so programmed and robotic and, frankly, low in personality in how it is coached to communicate with the outside world.
"To be fair, Philly McMahon did offer a glimpse of something more than text-book evasion, remarking: 'The three-in-a-row wasn't on our agenda but, Jesus, we can talk about it now!'
"Great teams fashion their own narrative and these Dublin players clearly keep honouring the one and only contract that truly counts.
"They might yet prove the best we've seen. And Jim Gavin the best football manager nobody ever knew."
Oisin McConville, in The Irish Examiner, poses the question: is Diarmuid Connolly the best Gaelic footballer on the planet?
"The brilliant thing about Connolly is that he wants to do the simple things first and he did that really well, time after time. It shows the maturity of the guy.
"Things have obviously changed for him this year and I would argue that the 12-week ban had a bigger effect on him than most people realise.
"I felt it had the potential to be the line in the sand for him and the more I looked at him yesterday the more that seemed to be the case as he showed his class and kept his head.
"And to answer my question - yes, he still is the best Gaelic footballer on the planet."
Kevin McStay, in The Irish Times, analysed some key moments late in the contest.
"The late frees are contentious. The free against Fitzsimons was a big call for Cillian O’Connor’s late free, and it may have had a lot to do with Joe McQuillan in awarding the decisive free.
"I was disappointed with the Mayo positioning for Cillian’s free. As a young corner forward, from the age of 11 or 12, you’re taught to watch the post, and late in the match when pressure is on, and that’s an outcome you have to anticipate, but they were caught a bit flat-footed.
"The free for Connolly was also questionable. He knows he can’t turn back, because Parsons is there, and so he solos into Barrett, who has been having an exceptional game.
"You’d have to wonder in that circumstance, when Barrett was playing and tackling so well, why he’d do something as rash as commit a foul like that when his brain is working and he knows what’s on the line."
James Horan, who led Mayo to All-Ireland finals in 2012 and 2013, says Dublin were ultimately deserving winners.
"Mayo were bossing the game to such an extent that (Dublin's) sub routines went out the window," he writes in The Irish Daily Star.
"By the start of the second half, three subs were on the field. Yet we saw how great a team they are as they figured out how to win once again.
"Dublin found a way last year too when things weren't going swimmingly.
"You can't question their character, fight and resilience. They're exceptional. Yoo have to give them a lot of credit. Worthy champions."
Graham Geraghty writes in The Irish Sun that Mayo's display can lift the chasing pack, with one rising star potentially making a serious impact next year.
"Yesterday will give counties hope that Dublin are beatable because Mayo should have won that game.
"The big guns will be back for another crack at it next year and it will be interesting to see if more Dublin players will come through the system in the county.
"It is hard to identify an outfit capable of halting their gallop but Kerry would argue otherwise.
"They look like they have unearthed a real star in David Clifford, who scored 4-4 in the minor final against Derry.
"The Fossa man is something else but there’s talk of him going to Australia.
"He has magic feet and reminds me of an Oisín McConville or a Colm Cooper because he makes things look so simple.
"If he doesn’t go away, he will definitely play senior for the Kingdom next year and he is a massive talent."
