ALTHOUGH in the end no champions were crowned and both sides left empty-handed, for GAA fans it was still without doubt a winning game.
GAA supporters were enthralled yesterday by the thrilling All-Ireland Football Final between Dublin and Kerry which finished in a draw.
Despite the level scoreline of 1-16 apiece, fans were delighted by the exciting twists as the highly-anticipated match unfolded in front of a capacity crowd at Croke Park.
The draw means the counties will meet again for a replay on Saturday September 14, when another huge crowd is expected to soak up the sporting drama and see who lifts the Sam Maguire this year.
Dublin will still be hoping to make history by claiming the "holy grail" of five consecutive senior titles, unless Kerry can break their run of wins.
With tickets in high demand, GAA fans across Ireland and beyond watched yesterday's game on TV and many shared their views online after the heart-stopping encounter.
TV presenter and comedian Patrick Kielty was among those captivated by the match.
He wrote on Twitter: "Can we send a Dub off every year to make a game of it? Play it again Sam!"
Other GAA fans expressed their appreciation of the exciting All-Ireland clash.
"Janey Mac, the 'aul heart is thumping," one Twitter user said, while another described it as the "best game all year".
Another social media user wrote: "What I know about GAA you could write on a postage stamp, but that was a bloody exciting final!"
Some people were already looking forward to the next clash between the sides.
"Nail-biting game with a lot of missed opportunities, replay will be interesting," one person tweeted.
Many Dublin and Kerry fans shared photos from their trip to Croke Park, while others shared their support online as the game progressed.
Dublin Fire Brigade tweeted a picture of a blue fire engine beside a raft of firefighter equipment laid out on the ground to spell the message, "Up the Dubs."
"We've gone blue to support the boys in blue. Best of luck to the team in the All-Ireland Final," it said.
