What they said ... the weekend in quotes

April 27, 2015

Dublin's Diarmuid Connolly scores a penalty past Cork goalkeeper Ken O'Halloran.
©INPHO/Donall Farmer.

"We went after it, to try and be a bit more clinical. We would be disappointed with the goals we conceded if I'm being honest and that wouldn't be good enough in a couple of weeks time. We'll enjoy this evening and then look forward towards Championship."

It's full steam ahead for Jim Gavin and the Dublin juggernaut following a third Division 1 title in a row.

"From the throw-in to the end of the game we just didn't perform. We were second best to everything and right now I can't take too many positives from the game, I'm just very, very disappointed."

Brian Cuthbert and Cork must return to the drawing board.

"I've gone through every team. There are a lot of them and they will be losing a lot of star players over the next two, three, four years. We'll be growing in stature."

Roscommon's John Evans has his sights set on Sam Maguire glory with the emerging primrose and blues.

"The red card was one that just really knocked us back. The disappointing thing is that we had a red card the last time we played against Roscommon as well. We don't like to criticise referees because they have a hard enough job. But we thought the decisions overall were very, very harsh."

Centre-back Brendan McArdle's sending off had a big bearing on the Division 2 decider according to Down boss Jim McCorry.

"I believe any time you can win in Croke Park is an important one. Just for your own preparation mentally, going into a game knowing you've played on that pitch and you've won."

Armagh will benefit from the run out in Croke Park as Kieran McGeeney turns his attentions to the Ulster SFC.

"It would have been lovely to win. Fermanagh don't win too many titles but we came to play, we didn't let ourselves down, we competed, we were manly, we were resilient. We played some good football."

Despite the end result, Pete McGrath was proud of his Fermanagh players' effort.

"My aim when I got this job, and I said it openly and I keep saying it, is to get out of Division 4 and get out of Division 3 and be in the top two, top three teams in Leinster in the next two or three years and that's where we're aiming to be."

Offaly football is heading in the right direction under Pat Flanagan.

"They played better than we did, they used the ball better than we did, they made better decisions, they worked harder. They were more economical with the ball, just played better, probably wanted it that bit more."

Flanagan's Longford counterpart Jack Sheedy had no complaints.


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