"We weren't exactly coming in cold but Derry have it at another level. They have their blanket defence - that structured defence - fairly down.
"It took a pile of patience and nerve as well. We needed to hold our nerve. We went a point down early in the second half.
"It would be easy enough to panic and go away from the structure but we stuck at it.
"It was an energy sapping game, up and down the field. If you turned over the ball you had to run 100 metres to get back. When the opposition get 15 men inside the 45 there isn't too much space. There aren't too many gaps so you just have to work it.
"For the most part I thought we did well. We obviously turned the ball over but we're delighted to get out of here. We knew this was going to be a huge battle, regardless of what people were saying."
"We needed to hold our nerve. It would have been easy to panic."
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) June 30, 2024
Jack O'Connor reacts to Kerry's victory over Derry #sundaygame pic.twitter.com/QkA7HRPchU
Kerry came into the game with a week's break, having won their group earlier in the competition, while Derry had gone to extra time against Mayo last weekend.
Donegal and Armagh, who won their groups, had already advanced, while Galway surprised the other group winners, and All-Ireland champions, Dublin yesterday.
For O'Connor though, the extra time off was a plus.
"I felt in the last 15 minutes that we might have the legs because we're fresh. We've trained exceptionally well, particularly the lads that came in.
"The like of Cillian Burke, Dylan Geaney, Killian Spillane, Adrian Spillane - they all contributed and [I'm] delighted."
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