KERRY HOMECOMING:"WE'LL BE back" was the message from players and management of an ashen-faced but still proud Kerry team yesterday as they returned home.
Thousands turned out to greet the team in Rathmore, Tralee and late last night in Killarney.
"We'll be back next year - and we'll have the Sam Maguire here with us," player and local man Aidan O'Mahony promised supporters at Rathmore on the Cork-Kerry border, shortly after 4.30pm yesterday, to resounding cheers.
Hundreds of flag-waving fans turned out at Rathmore to greet the dejected-looking players as they filed on to a specially erected stage. The biggest cheers were reserved for Colm "the Gooch" Cooper, Kieran Donaghy and O'Mahony.
The latter recalled being on the platform in 2005 when Tyrone again beat Kerry. Half-jokingly, he took some solace from the fact that it was the Northern county which won on Sunday.
Recalling Kerry's victory over Cork in last year's All-Ireland and the intense rivalry between the neighbouring counties, he pointed towards the Cork border and said: "I promise you one thing. With Tom O'Sullivan beside me on the team, ye will never have to cross the border to Cork and see the Sam Maguire."
Kerry team manager Pat O'Shea said: "Today is not the day we wanted," but he had assured the players that Kerry people were so proud of the players and what they had achieved through the years.
"We'll only have to wait another year before we are back here with the cup again - and we will be back, " O'Shea said to deafening cheers.
The chairman of the county board Jerome Conway told fans that Kerry had played in the last five matches in a row and had won four, "and if that was not greatness, I don't know what is.
"Maybe they're down today but I'll tell you something, we are unbowed and we will be back again. In 11 months and three weeks," he said.
Thousands also turned out in Tralee where the players travelled by traditional open-top bus from Casement Station.