The pain of an All-Ireland final defeat is etched on Jack O’Connor’s face. One of the great Gaelic football championships had delivered one final plot twist.

This isn’t how he – or any Kerry football supporter – imagined the season would end.

He was meant to become the first manager to guide them to back-to-back All-Irelands since the Golden Years crew of Mick O’Dwyer that spanned the late 1970s and 80s.

To extend his remarkable record in three different stints to a sixth All-Ireland. But then, in a summer of unimaginable results, this was the one to ensure 2026 will live long in football’s memory.

From Westmeath beating Dublin in a Leinster final for the first time to Donegal thumping Kerry in Killarney only to stumble out of the championship themselves, this was the final to outdo it all.

Mayo, the first team to overcome two defeats and reach an All-Ireland final, ended 75 years of waiting.

For Kerry, this final cut will feel like the deepest. O’Connor spoke of Mayo playing with more energy, even if Kerry surged 1-5 to 0-1 ahead in the first quarter.

Why that was the case, as Mayo put so much pressure on Kerry on turnover ball and with an ultra-aggressive high press?

‘Sure, that’s the 50-milliondollar question. I just thought on breaking ball and stuff that it showed at times. It possibly goes back to some of the stuff I was talking about in the last few weeks, that we’ve had men that have had long periods out of football this year. Gavin White was out for six months.

‘Seánie [O Shea] was out of football for 10 weeks. Joe [O’Connor] eight weeks. Brian Ó Beaglaioch had a stop-start season. Paudie Clifford missed a good chunk of the league. On All-Ireland final day, coming up against a hungry, energetic Mayo team, that was a factor.’

Losing Diarmuid O’Connor to a hamstring injury meant a reshuffle, with Tom O’Sullivan drafted in and wing-back Graham O’Sullivan switching to wing-forward.

‘Diarmuid was obviously a loss,’ added O’Connor. ‘He was a big part of our gameplan on kickouts and stuff like that, with his size out in the 12 pocket. But that’s why we have a panel. We had to deal with it. It upset us a bit. But not making excuses.’

O’Connor has put his reservations on record previously about the demands of Kerry club competition on players. How the multiple cups and trophies can take its toll on the county set up. But this is a county that was chasing the milestone of a 40th All-Ireland.

‘If you’re playing virtually all year round and not getting a proper off-season and a proper pre-season, it comes back to bite you. That’s my gut instinct.’

While Mayo had the motivation of 75 years on their side, O’Connor said a lack of hunger hasn’t been the difference before.

‘Hunger is a great driver. But there was no reason why our men shouldn’t have been hungry. We have an ambitious team that want to win more All-Irelands. There was nothing wrong with our hunger against Tyrone and Dublin out here. But no qualms, no excuses, Mayo were better than us.’

Jordan Flynn punched the ball on to the crossbar at a time when Mayo were 1-19 to 1-14 ahead and threatening to bury Kerry, with Ryan O’Donoghue simply outstanding and after kicking a two-pointer to go with other classy scores from Kobe McDonald and Flynn.

And O’Connor was gracious to acknowledge the extent of Mayo’s achievement.

‘Listen, if you were a neutral, you’d absolutely be delighted for them. And it’s great for the game. But we’re bitterly disappointed because we’re in the business of trying to win it for ourselves.

‘I’m long enough around the place to know that this is a great day for Mayo. It’s great for the game and it gives a lot of other counties hope.’

A year ago, O’Connor was ready to step away. He said he had packed his gear bag for Kerry training one last time, only to be persuaded to stay on after delivering the Sam Maguire in 2025.

He went on to commit for two years and the sting of this will make for a long winter.

‘We only hit our straps I’d say two or three times this year. The second half in Killarney against Armagh, that was us at our best. We played great football in a league game in Armagh as well in the first half. But we just weren’t consistent enough.’