Former Tyrone footballer Ronan McNamee says he and his teammates "never had any doubt" that they were going to win the 2021 All-Ireland football final against Mayo.
The game was the first time since 2014 that Dublin - who had won six All-Ireland titles in a row - were not in the final.
"The build up was just calm," McNamee told TeamTalk Mag.
11 September 2021; Aidan O'Shea of Mayo is tackled by Ronan McNamee of Tyrone during the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Final match between Mayo and Tyrone at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
"Everybody knew what was happening. I think if you watch that game back, if you had been playing to now, you were never going to lose it. It was comfy and when you do look back on it, it would bring a smile to your face.
"I remember looking at Petey Harte and he was crying and I was thinking, ‘What are you supposed to be feeling here?’ It was weird.
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"There was maybe tension and questions in your head and I think it was more relief for a lot of players but I remember thinking, 'What has just happened here?'
"Thank God there are mobile phones and it was being videoed and you have memories popping up because it was so special. Every so often the images pop up of the boys linking hands and singing. If you could bottle it, you would be a millionaire, you really would."
11 September 2021; Tyrone players, from left, Ronan McNamee, Cathal McShane, Frank Burns and Niall Kelly celebrate with the Sam Maguire Cup after the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Final match between Mayo and Tyrone at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Tyrone won the game 2-14 to 0-15 to claim the county's first All-Ireland SFC title in 13 years.
"I remember sitting in the middle of the field with Mattie (Donnelly) and Petey, and Mattie saying that we were at 70 per cent and we had coasted it," said McNamee.
"There was another 30 per cent in that team and he was right. Obviously things went your way but you could feel that we were keeping them at arm’s length."
Tyrone had defeated Kerry in that year's semi-final, a game in which McNamee marked David Clifford.
28 August 2021; David Clifford of Kerry in action against Ronan McNamee of Tyrone during the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship semi-final match between Kerry and Tyrone at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
"You would normally be sharing a room with somebody but because of Covid you were in a room on your own," said McNamee, who announced his retirement from inter-county football in October.
"And the more time that you were spending by yourself, the more you were thinking about what was happening the next day.
"You were late going to bed and trying to not think too much about it but ultimately in my head it was either get to an All Ireland Final or [David Clifford] is going to retire you.
"That’s what was coming for me that year because I had said to [Brian Dooher and Feargal Logan] when they came in that I would give it two years to try and win an All-Ireland.
"I ended up giving it three even though we won it in their first year."
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