"It's great to see him back. He has worked hard so it's great for him to finally get a bit of closure on his injury. He is back and has played a competitive game and is ready to go now."

It was a good day all round for Eamonn Fitzmaurice and Kerry as they preserved their Division 1 status and the Gooch returned to the field of play.

"It was a tough week. I wouldn't want to be going out there too often without him (Harte). We need him back and we need him back ASAP."

Tyrone assistant manager Gavin Devlin outlined Mickey Harte's importance to the Red Hand cause.

"Yes, I wouldn't buy into some of the comments that were made on the game - the conditions were just very difficult with a strong wind as well, that was a major contributory factor."

Jim Gavin reckoned some of the reaction to last weekend's dour game against Derry was over-the-top.

"If Dublin get that extra edge on you, they will punish you. They were ruthless today and we were always chasing the game. "

Monaghan and Malachy O'Rourke will renew acquaintances with Dublin in next Sunday's league semi-final.

"Croke Park is the one good thing in qualifying. It's good exposure for young fellas. We might take a look at a few more of them next week."

Donegal manager Rory Gallagher believes the experience of a run out in Croke Park against Cork will stand to his players.

"We had opportunities to win the game. Over the course of 70 minutes you can't afford to have so many wides but I think there were a lot of positives about the performances."

Not for the first time in this year's league campaign, Mayo lacked composure in front of the posts according to joint-manager Pat Holmes.

"They're a wonderful bunch of lads and they've improved from day to day. I suppose at the end there we won it easy, but we had some searching tests in the second half."

It was a weekend to remember for John Evans and the Rossies who secured promotion to Division 1 and successfully defended their Connacht U-21 crown.

"There's hard questions to be answered and asked in the next week or two. We might have to go on without a clatter of these players and just start working on these young lads for the future."

Westmeath manager Tom Cribbin didn't hold back in his post-match interview.

"A lot of people maybe didn't give our guys the credit they deserved and thought it was going to be consolidation in Division Two at best this year, so it's heartening."

Jim McCorry was happy that his Down players proved their doubters wrong.

"We were under pressure at the start of the league but there was great unity, no bitching among the players, and it is pleasing to maintain our league status."

Despite the defeat to Down, Tomas O Flatharta and Laois can look forward to Division 2 football again in 2016.

"I think they were two nervy teams. Possibly the occasion and the promotion was getting to the players on both sides."

Cavan boss Terry Hyland gave his thoughts on why the quality of football on display in Pairc Tailteann left a lot to be desired at times.

"It was a bit anti-climatic, but as we said before the game it would have been a killer if we hadn't done our business and other results had gone our way."

A dropped point against Laois in round 5 came back to haunt Mick O'Dowd and Meath.

"Losing any game is disappointing and disheartening but to get relegated is very hard to take."

Jason Ryan and Kildare suffered the ignominy of a second successive relegation.

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