Paul Conroy: 'We win together and we lose together so there's no blaming or pointing fingers or any of that'

But then he was blocked down by Joe McElroy, as much as he felt it was a snatched attempt. The spin of the wheel in the blame game has landed on others like Shane Walsh who kicked three wides and another couple short but he’s not having it.

“It's not easy. We win as a team and we lose as a team. I've often been in that scenario after games when I wouldn't have hit the percentages that I'd like to have hit with shots and different things.

“Shane has gotten us over the line so many times and I'm sure he'll do that again in the future. He'll be fine. We win together and we lose together so there's no blaming or pointing fingers or any of that."

Conroy’s late score attempt that was thwarted by McElroy was a speculative effort. “I didn't even see him, to be honest. I think I just tried to snatch at it a bit quick. We were finding it hard to get shots away at that stage, definitely high-percentage shots anyway, and I feel like I kind of hit it well.

“He just kind of came from my blindside and it was a great block, in fairness. The mentality to just dive full-length like that, it's not every player that does that. It was disappointing obviously from my point of view but fair play to him, it was a good block."

A score conversion rate of just over one from every two efforts was never going to beat Armagh, Conroy accepts. “I think our efficiency was down to 51%, 52%. We hadn’t been there all year in percentages and it’s just a pity that it was the All-Ireland final day that it happened. We need to live with that.” 

And this latest All-Ireland final reverse having lost to Kerry on the ultimate stage two years ago stung Conroy deep. “I think the compound effect, really. I have found it harder anyway. It might just be coming back to Galway doing two homecomings in two years having los. It is not easy, it has an effect and it will take a while to get over it.

“And, I’m sure in 20 years’ time, please God if we are all still alive, that we will look back and it will still sting but what do you do you have to get on with it knuckle down and back with the club, which is probably a good distraction.” 

Saturday’s senior championship opener for St James’ against Monivea-Abbey indeed allows the 35-year-old midfielder to change tact and allow him to weigh up returning for Galway next season.

“I think it would be the wrong time to make the decision when the game is still so fresh in your memory and the emotions might still be a little bit raw. I think over the next couple of weeks I need to sit down and do a bit of thinking about it. I think it’s just the energy and drive just to see if it’s there.

“In fairness, my body has been good to me. It has held up well through the years, I’ve been blessed with injuries and just need to make sure that if I do decide to go back, I’m able to give it everything because if you only half want to be there, if you don’t feel like you’re totally driven to go again there’s no point being in the set-up.” 

Playing the best football of his career, it will be difficult to depart. He puts his longevity down to several things but mentions mental strength in particular.

“I think psychology is getting bigger in the game all the time and you just look at different areas of psychology that might help and we have Annmarie Kennedy in this year and she was excellent.

“Down through the years, you’d be picking up different things. Bernard Dunne was there a couple of years ago as well. I think it’s important to make sure your head is right because if it’s not it’s very hard to perform at a high level.”