Where do you start when it comes to looking back on that remarkable weekend of gaelic football? Here's what the main protagonists from the two All-Ireland SFC semi-finals had to say ...

"It was a bit like Ali in the Foreman fight. Absorb everything and try and hang in there. It was a big psychological blow for the Dubs to throw everything at us and find themselves a point down."

Donegal defender Eamon McGee and his team-mates floated like butterflies and stung like bees.

"We knew going into the game, both defensively and offensively, it was going to be a very demanding game and it turned out to be that game. We were fully prepared and our focus was always on Donegal and not beyond it."

Dublin boss Jim Gavin was magnanimous in defeat.

"If we can clone Dolly the sheep it would be nice to clone Michael Murphy and have him in full-forward as well as around the middle of the park because of his leadership, intensity and honesty. He is one of the best, if not the best forward, in the country. Managing that, people can have an opinion and a fixed mindset - but fixed mindsets don't win games."

Michael Murphy is one of a kind according to Jim McGuinness.

"They were sloppy goals as well, preventable goals. But you live by the sword, you die by the sword. We got caught forward when we should have been back cutting out and competing for those balls. But they got the run on us."

Dublin half-back James McCarthy was left to rue the concession of three goals.

"I think Dublin underestimated us. I think the rest of the country underestimated us. It's great to see a master tactician in Jim McGuinness get the rewards."

1992 Donegal All-Ireland winner Donal Reid, the team's masseur, was fulsome in his praise of Jim McGuinnes.

"He was never a negative influence or a negative energy around the place. He was the opposite and he got that bit of karma he was looking for and that he deserved. Look, we can still play the other way we want with him in there, but he just gives us something slightly different definitely."

Kieran Donaghy repaid Kerry manager Eamonn Fitzmaurice's faith in him on Saturday evening.

"Every score, when Mayo came back, when we went ahead and they came back, it was epic because the crowd are genuinely on top of you. Fair play to the people for coming up, from Mayo and from Kerry. The crowd that was there today was just fantastic. It was a fantastic occasion and we're just happy to come out the right side of it."

Kingdom full-back Aidan O'Mahony enjoyed the Gaelic Grounds atmosphere ... and the result!

"I am immensely proud of the team and the players, the character and the effort and commitment they showed today. We came up short. The second thing I suppose is we are very disappointed. To be so close in the game, and extra-time and to come up short is hard in a semi-final."

Departing Mayo manager James Horan said his players can hold their heads up high.

"It's probably easier to play than watch. I came off there at half-time in extra-time and I thought I was going to pass out."

Normal time and extra-time, and the close attentions of Keith Higgins, took their toll on ace Kerry attacker James O'Donoghue.

"Naturally you hate to see some of those type of incidents which were outside of our control. But those in place reacted in the way they were supposed to. All our protocols worked in according to planning. That was due to the good work of stewards, gardaí and the GAA's Frontline Security officials who were in place for the game."

Limerick secretary Mike O'Riordan was satisfied that their security protocols worked to good effect to deal with the unsavoury late incidents at the Gaelic Grounds.

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