"I'm just disgusted that we lost a match we should have won."

Kildare manager Cian O'Neill didn't mince his words.

"We'll have another day out, which is great. We put a group together that started this journey and we'll be looking to finish it with another win next weekend."

Dublin caretaker boss Paul Clarke and this 'third string team' continued their winning ways.

"We might be forced into it but that's our immediate space now, some players are being asked to play five games in ten days. If the fixture isn't changed we'll fight it, we're not going to torture our players."

With 13 players scheduled to play Fitzgibbon Cup tomorrow (Tuesday), Clare's Donal Moloney says they'll be putting player welfare before Wednesday's Munster SHL fixture with Cork.

"What we've had for the last two years has been built on that unity of purpose, and to see guys now who are very hungry, guys who were U-21 last year, and other lads with good form from the club championships, that all adds to it."

Derek McGrath has injected new talent into the Deise set-up.

"It's a physical game. We're not over the top, we're not physical in any fashion, but what we don't want it lads taking a backward step."

Louth have instilled a hard edge into their play under Colin Kelly.

"I don't know. Some days you don't have it, we have been working hard and we have a heavy week's work done. Maybe that was responsible for some of it, but your attitude is your attitude."

Andy McEntee will demand improvement from his Meath troops ahead of their Division 2 opener against Kildare.

"That's three games in a week for these players and you have to factor that in as well."

Tyrone faded during the final quarter of their McKenna Cup semi-final victory over Fermanagh and Mickey Harte put it down to their hectic schedule.

"The bottom line to winning a game against the likes of Tyrone is you have to be converting a high percentage of your scoring opportunities."

Ernesiders boss Pete McGrath was left to rue missed chances.

"It was great to see Peter getting back into it again - he's been off with a concussion for the last three weeks or a month. We had to give him time to get himself right and it was lovely for him to get a good run-out. He needs all the game time he can get now."

Limerick's John Kiely singled debutant Peter Casey out for special praise following his 1-9 haul against Kerry in the Munster SHL.

"It didn't look good there when he went off. Dessie broke a bone in his wrist earlier in the year and we'd nursed him back into full-contact training. It would be an awful setback on a personal level and for us if the bone was broken again, but hopefully it's not."

Monaghan manager Malachy O'Rourke is keeping his fingers cross that Dessie Mone's injury (a suspected broken wrist) is not as bad as first feared.

"The effort the boys put in was awesome. Even if we had lost, the effort was incredible."

Damian Barton and Derry will square up to Tyrone in the McKenna Cup decider.

"I'm delighted with the shift the lads put in and the win. There is plenty to work on, and we went missing 15 minutes into the second half and they opened up a gap."

Stephen Rochford's Mayo timed their run to perfection against Roscommon with three late goals.

"Week on week since we started, the standard is improving. The standard of the opposition is improving. Our response to that standard of opposition as improved as well. I'd be happy with a lot of today. Our defence isn't strong enough yet. We need to tighten it up a bit and yet individually they weren't too bad at all."

The Rossies are heading in the right direction, according to Kevin McStay.

"The lads don't seem to think he is that bad. It was a stamp on the foot, it wasn't a muscle tear or anything like that."

Eamonn Fitzmaurice is, once again, sweating over the fitness of former 'Footballer of the Year' James O'Donoghue.

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