"Donegal in fairness were the better team last year, and fully deserved it, but we just wanted to come here and show that we were a good team, and that we could win another Ulster final."

Malachy O'Rourke didn't want Monaghan to be remembered as one hit wonders.

"Our first half performance wasn't good enough. We had the initiative in the second half but couldn't make it count. The focus will be on the last opportunity (from McBrearty) but we had a number of opportunities before that."

11 second half wides came back to haunt Rory Gallagher and Donegal at the final whistle.

"We feel that we didn't get the credit outside of Monaghan for 2013. It was a fluke on the day... that Donegal didn't turn up and last year they got their revenge. But I think that today proves that we are on level par with them."

Darren Hughes and his Farney team-mates proved their doubters wrong.

"We just got Mayo on a day. Don't forget Mayo did the same to Donegal a few years ago. When Mayo hit a day like this, no-one can stop them. The problem Mayo have is that they can't hit that day enough."

It was one of those days for Niall Carew and Sligo in Dr Hyde Park.

"Five-in-a-row speaks for itself. I can't say whether they are the best team or not, but over the last five years in Connacht they have shown that they are. They are outside Connacht now and they are into the quarter finals so they need to push on. The five-in-a-row is not the medal these boys are after."

Noel Connelly and Mayo have their eyes on a bigger prize.

"To be honest it's not my most natural position, it's not where I'm most comfortable."

3-4 was a decent return from Aidan O'Shea considering he's not used to playing in the full-forward spot!

"The middle sector in general, the middle eight, was a good bit more solid this time around. We won more breaking ball, we tackled that bit better, we were better in the air."

Eamonn Fitzmaurice and Kerry learned from the mistakes they made in the drawn encounter.

"For three-quarters of the game they had every right to be confident, but where they are right now it's going to be very difficult to bring them around. I think it's more a mental challenge."

Kildare will look to rub salt into Cork's wounds and Brian Cuthbert admits it will be difficult to get the replay defeat out of their system.

"Maybe things don't come as easy as they once did, that you have to work that little bit harder for them and that's fine. If that's the way it is, that's okay."

Colm Cooper will keep his head down and continue to work hard on the training field.

"I was very happy with our players and how disciplined they were. It's not easy sometimes when these shemozzles get started, people can lose the plot and lose their place in the team and stuff like that."

Tyrone kept their cool in Semple Stadium and Mickey Harte is now turning his attention to Sligo.

"Absolutely - and fellas will have to play nothing but football and park everything else. The likes of Tyrone, Kerry and the top football teams, that's their sole concentration."

Before stepping down, Peter Creedon highlighted promotion to Division 2 as a priority if the Premier County are to build on their underage promise.

"It was about being patient against the duvet."

More of the same will be required from Kevin Walsh and his players when they face Donegal in the next round.

"I just can't handle referee decisions like that any longer. I have to step down. Everything in the GAA has moved on in the last 20 years except the standard of refereeing."

Brian McIver has had enough.

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