Padraic Joyce was delighted to see his Galway side answer their critics with a dramatic Connacht SFC final victory over Mayo.

Goalkeeper Conor Gleeson’s long-range free in the fifth minute of injury-time secured a three-in-a-row of Nestor Cups for the Tribesmen and handed Joyce a long-overdue win over the green and reds.

"It means an awful lot to me personally, it means a lot to the players, more so because of the stick we have got all year. It's been a troublesome year for us," the Galway manager admitted in an interview with RTÉ.

"Our backs have been to the wall since January with injuries and a bit of form, but one thing I’ve always said about these players is I’d never, ever question the character in them.

"The game looked to be gone there, we were two points down and three wonderful scores to win it.

"Connor Gleeson probably gets so much unfair criticism in this county about kickouts and whatnot, but absolutely a man of steel there at the end. Ice in the brain. Two super kicks. Unbelievable."

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