The Armagh management and players refused en-bloc to speak to the media after their Ulster SFC draw with Monaghan on Saturday night ... but there's still plenty of reaction from the big weekend games to get through.

"The form of the two teams going into the Leinster final is irrelevant. It's a two-horse race. May the best team win!"

Jim Gavin doesn't subscribe to the theory that all his side have to do is show up for the Leinster final against Meath

"I would give Meath a chance. I suppose, like anybody else, Dublin will be worthy favourites. I am quite sure Meath will relish the position they find themselves in."

Wexford's Aidan O'Brien isn't ruling the Royal County out either.

"We haven't won a Leinster final for the last two years. It's not a question of owing Dublin at all - we owe ourselves. Regardless of who we are playing, we try to win."

Brian Cody has set his sights on holders Dublin and next Sunday's Leinster SHC final.

"It's a huge challenge but we're well up for it. We'll be fighting like lions the next day."

Anthony Cunningham, meanwhile, has a trip to Tipp to look forward to on Saturday.

"One concern we'd have is that we allowed them back into the game. We gave a really strong 55-minute performance, but we'd be looking for a 72-minute performance next day and see where that brings us."

Meath boss Mick O'Dowd knows his players will have to crank it up a gear if they are to have any chance of causing an upset against the arch rivals on July 20th.

"It would have been fantastic for the group to get to the Leinster final, but it hasn't happened, so we'll just have to get on with doing our very best in the qualifiers."

It's back to the drawing board for Jason Ryan and Kildare.

"We were disappointed that we weren't more in control of the game at half-time on the score-board."

Mickey Harte was a happier man at the final whistle following the Red Hand's 2-21 to 0-10 qualifier success over Louth.

"Kevin (Moran) and Michael (Walsh) were outstanding and we put it to them on Thursday night that we needed that."

The Deise hurlers responded to the challenge laid down by manager Derek McGrath

"We made mistakes and we were punished, and that's the difference in playing at this level compared to the lower divisions - you will get punished."

Seamus 'Cheddar' Plunkett explains where it went wrong for his troops.

"We will analyse it over the next few weeks, I will chat to my management team and we will make a collective decision in the weeks ahead."

Sean Hagan will take time out to consider his position as Leitrim senior football manager.

"The fact we didn't concede a goal was pleasing."

A 23-point winning margin saw Down and James McCartan through to the next round of the qualifiers.

"It is not a great statistic. As a player and as a manager, I have always been successful, so this is a hard pill to swallow."

Despite having failed to guide Westmeath to a win in 13 league and championship games this year, Paul Bealin has no intention of throwing in the towel.

"If you were a forward on the opposition team, it would be sick enough to have to face into a system like ours. But the boys work hard in defence. They know their jobs. They don't give away too many soft frees. Everyone knows the plan."

Cavan forward Michael Lyng has sympathy for opposition forwards.

"The stakes are getting higher now and we're going to come up against teams who have aspirations of going on well into the summer, but today's game was about getting a win and it's a big lift for everyone in that dressing-room. "

Offaly and Brian Whelahan received a much-needed confidence boost when getting the better of Antrim.

"They are all gutted and I'm gutted for them."

Kevin Ryan knows only too well that championship hurling can be cruel.

"I don't think you will get a better game this weekend than we have seen here. I am happy with the win - this group of players deserve it. This Carlow team is not far off the finished product."

Carlow's footballers and manager Anthony Rainbow answered their critics against Waterford.

"The players should be begging the man to stay. He is a top quality manager,"

Waterford captain Shane Briggs is in no doubt that Niall Carew is the best man to lead the Deise footballers.

"Every day you go out you don't play the way you want. In one way we're glad to get another chance, we know it's going to be a massive battle again and Armagh will probably have the three players back, but it's all to play for."

Malachy O'Rourke is hoping holders Monaghan can finish off the job at the second time of asking. Tweet

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