And now for the championship

Quotes: The Kerry dressing-room was a song-free area. There is a certain decorum which attaches to winning the National League at the best of times, but when you are from Kerry it is considered gauche to even break into a smile when in the presence of the secondary national trophy.

This win marked a successful period at base camp. Kerry won't make fools of themselves because they've won a league, but they'll take the lessons of the league with them into summer.

"We've had a great league, a few fantastic games," said manager Jack O'Connor. "Against Cork in Tralee, then in Parnell Park, even above in Mullingar or up in Omagh, where we were eight points down and nearly came back. Overall we've had a great league and it's fitting we won it.

"The goal brought them back," said O'Connor of Galway's late revival which was ignited by a schoolboy howler in defence. "It had a deflating effect on us. I suppose there's a lesson there: don't pass the ball across your own goal. First thing that under-12s are told!"

Kerry's players (like Galway's) head into local club championships next weekend, and after that it's a short build-up to the championship starter against Clare. Kerry have been spared the annual pilgrimages to obscure grounds in search of challenge games. They seemed pleased.

"Psychologically it was good. I think it's three or four big games we have lost over the last few years in Croke Park. It sets us up again."

For Kerry, it was a slightly unusual performance. They did a little barnstorming in the first half, instead of coming out of their shell only after a half-time cup of tea.

"Normally we like to come from behind," said O'Connor. "Today we tried it the other way. We felt we'd put as much pressure as we could on Galway, as they'd been out for the last two Sundays. But when they got that goal the tiredness disappeared.

"I felt our game was in good enough shape though. We used the long ball well. It was something we had spoken about, putting in good long ball and letting our forwards feed off breaks. We'd have to be concerned that Galway hit 1-16."

Pressed on specifics, O'Connor conceded that John Crowley had brought a lot of experience and strength to the full forward position. "He put himself about in there. He annoys full back lines."

And Séamus Moynihan? "We felt being out around the middle of the field after Tommy Joyce would suit him. The kick-out after Donnellan's last point was crucial. Liam Hassett managed to get a hand to it and Séamus took it on then. If that had gone back in who knows what would have happened? Overall it was a great team effort."

Crowley, whose two well-taken goals were a glimpse at stolen glories, was in modest mood. "In fairness to the lads we'd worked on it a small bit. They put some great ball in. Colm Cooper caught great balls and he created my two goals. That's where the credit goes. We haven't won the league in seven years, we haven't even been in the final, so it's important for confidence. We've a lot of new fellas on the panel. We have a lot of work to do.

"I wanted to do well today. We had a couple of injuries. The selectors showed a bit of faith in me and I got a chance. You'd like to show a small bit of form this time of the year, you know. There's no certainties. I'm not a certainty for the championship. I'm not playing as well as two years ago. I know I have a bit of form to get back, to get my fitness a bit better. This is the time to be getting there and staying injury-free."

Séamus Moynihan was quietly pleased with the effort. "We felt if we were to win we had to rise the bar a level or two, to be honest. We're delighted we did that. We had hard times in the last 10 minutes. Happy, but a lot of work to be done."

As for Moynihan's own role? "I went out marking Tommy. In fairness, he played a lot of ball too. When we had looked at the Tyrone game Tommy put in a pile of ball and created 2-4 or more in that game. I was trying not to give him that sort of freedom. If you do their forward inside will destroy you.

"In fairness, I thought Tom Sullivan in at corner back gave an exhibition today."

Mike Frank Russell sat head down on the bench beside Crowley. The league medal won't be on the mantelpiece.

"It sets us up nice for Clare. These games are better than any training session. Main thing today was to win a game and give a bit of morale to the team."

Out in the corridor Galway manager John O'Mahony was morose, but with a championship outing against London in a few weeks the road is just going to get steeper.

"The goals were the key. You can't concede three and hope to win a title. It's the second league final we've lost by a point. We fought back well. I thought there were a few minutes left of injury time. Anyway, that's it.

"We won't use the previous Sundays as an excuse. For periods we looked a bit flat, but I was pleased we stormed back at the end and seemed to have a fair bit in the tank. If we were tired that wouldn't have happened."

Minor quibbles. In the eyes of a neutral it was a good game. Some great performances. Summer's prelude.