Captain Ian Woosnam paid tribute to the members of the European Ryder Cup team in the aftermath of their emphatic victory at the K Club this afternoon.
Woosnam said: 'I can't say enough about my team - they have been absolutely fantastic.
'I was on edge for a while but I got more and more confident the more blue went on the board.'
He hailed the support at the Irish venue, adding on Sky Sports: 'The crowd really got behind us and that's made a big difference - I knew it would be loud, but not as good as this.'
United States captain Tom Lehman accepted the defeat graciously.
He told Sky Sports: 'I take my hat off completely to the European team - they played incredibly well and were inspired and the crowd were phenomenal and gave them momentum.
'I don't think there is a European team that has ever played better.
'Our team came ready - but I guess we weren't quite ready enough.
'I'm not sure what to say but I need to give credit where it's due - and the European team played better.'
Lehman was also impressed with the spirit in which the match was played, adding: 'The players genuinely respected each other - it was a well played match.'
Asked if he would change anything, he added: 'I know everything we did was for a reason and with the best possible intention - but you have to put the ball in the hole and we didn't do that.
'But I tip my hat to Ian Woosnam and his players - and their courage and the way they played.
'They never failed to make us pay for a mistake - they made us pay every time.'
Paul McGinley, who halved his match with JJ Henry, paid tribute to Woosnam.
He told Sky Sports: 'I'm very, very proud. They put on a great show.
'Monty (Colin Montgomerie) was great, number one again, and all credit goes to the captain. I'm very proud of everyone in the team.
'The Belfry (2002) was a wonderful experience for me but this makes me more proud, being part of a winning team and in my home country.
'I'm so proud to be Irish and of the way the Irish have conducted themselves this week.'
