Kobe McDonald was all class when Peter Canavan asked about his move to Australia following the All-Ireland final.

Mayo have finally got their hands on the Sam Maguire trophy, 75 years later, after deservedly beating Kerry in Sunday’s All-Ireland final.

Andy Moran’s men were much the better team down the stretch, and it was the youngsters who stole the show once again, with Darragh Beirne scoring the game’s crucial goal, while Kobe McDonald was outstanding.

Kobe McDonald. Pic: Ben McShane/Sportsfile
Kobe McDonald. Pic: Ben McShane/Sportsfile

The Crossmolina man is due to join AFL side St Kilda later this year, and speaking to RTÉ after the game, McDonald reflected on the experience of winning the All-Ireland in what could be his last game for Mayo for a very long time.

‘To be honest with you, it’s impossible to put into words,’ he said. ‘We’ve had a tough year. A lot of the country probably wrote us off after that tough day against Roscommon.

‘Andy [Moran] is so big on trusting our process. We said at the start of the year that our goal was to climb the Hogan steps. It’s so surreal that we’re just after doing that.

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Jordan Flynn and Kobe McDonald. Pic: Ben McShane/Sportsfile

‘It’s very easy when every single player and every single coach gives you the licence to express yourself and enjoy yourself. When you’re playing in front of 80,000 people, it’s hard not to have a bit of fun.’

The 18-year-old then answered Peter Canavan’s question about his upcoming move to Australia like a seasoned veteran.

‘Look, I’m not thinking about Australia right now,’ he said. ‘I’m just going to soak every bit of this in. This is where I come from. To give the people of Mayo something to cheer about is special…

‘Every team probably says it, but we’re like a family. When we come into training three days a week, it’s like 40 brothers. We know every single person in there has each other’s back, so what people are saying outside the group doesn’t affect us.’