Kerry manager Eamonn Fitzmaurice was delighted to be involved in such a pulsating match after his side drew with Mayo at Croke Park on Sunday.
It finished 2-14 apiece and the sides will have to do it all again next weekend.
Speaking to Off the Ball's Oisin Langan after the match, he said: "Look, the word that keeps coming into my mind is that it was a battle, a major battle between two very strong squads that really went at it and put everything on the line and there was nothing to separate us at the end.
"So, you know, hugely enjoyable to be involved in games of that magnitude at this time of the season and that's where we want to be. We look forward to the replay next weekend.
"We were well prepared and well ready for the game and I think you've got to give Mayo a lot of credit for the way they started. They really started like a house on fire and went at us and we had to adapt.
"And, thankfully we adapted and even to go in at half-time level, we did well to come in at half-time level and we were able to reassess there and go at it again in the second half."
Kerry's Paul Murphy kicks a point. Image: ©INPHO/Gary Carr
Asked about Aidan O'Shea marking Kieran Donaghy, he said: "Yeah look, they're the calls you make in management. You can look at Aidan going back and trying to do a job on Kieran. Obviously, trying to stop Kieran is a big part of the opposition's game-plan and if that's effective - you can justify your call.
"But, of course, Aidan going out of the forwards - there's an element of 'robbing Peter to pay Paul' but when you've got very good players like that, you can't have them in two positions at once but that's part of management. You make the calls based on what you think will get your team over the line and it very nearly worked for Mayo today."
The full post-match interview can be heard here:
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