Tyrone's Sean Cavanagh played his final inter-county game on Sunday after his side lost to Dublin in the All-Ireland semi-final at Croke Park.
The Tyrone legend has three All-Ireland winners medals in the bag and departs the scene with a 2017 Ulster Championship medal as well.
Speaking to Off the Ball's Oisin Langan after the match, Cavanagh conceded the thoughts of hanging up the boots weren't easy. "It's always tough to take but I've been preparing myself for the this moment for at least a year at this point," he said, adding: "And it's easier to take this year than last year because we've come up against an incredible sports team, an incredible bunch of athletes, bunch of players and whilst last year we felt we left something behind - this year we know we were just beaten by such a superior team and I told the Dublin players that on the way off the pitch.
"They're probably the greatest team I've ever played against and possibly the greatest team to have ever played Gaelic football. We've given everything we possibly can and we felt we could put up more of a resistance than we did but that's sport.
"Sport is sometimes, it shocks you at times, and probably we were shocked 10/15 minutes into that game and we struggled to recover.
Tyrone's Sean Cavanagh dejected after the game. Image: ©INPHO/Gary Carr
"But, you have to accept that you were beaten by a greater team at times and today was one of those days.
"I believe that we were as strong and powerful and I've seen the strength and tenacity of what work we have done for the past nine, ten, eleven months and I can honestly say that no stone has been left unturned in any way. In the first 15/20 minutes, they were gliding past us with ease - every single one of them.
"Their players have a phenomenal athleticism and power to break tackles and just to ghost past men and they obviously had their homework done and they were able to shut us out in so many ways but I know it's simplistic but their pace and power is incredible.
"It's just way above where any other team in Ireland are at the moment," he added.
The full interview can be heard on the GAA Podcast which is available here:
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