"We put it out there that we were looking for players and word came back to us that Tommy Walsh was unavailable. I presume Eamonn wants him first hand to himself for training before he met someone like us."

Kerry U-21 selector John Shanahan tried to explain Tommy Walsh's no-show against IT Tralee in the McGrath Cup.

"We'll wait for the low-down from our medical people but it didn't look good. Kevin is a great footballer and would be a big loss as he is a real leader on and off the field."

Down supporters and manager Jim McCorry are keeping their fingers crossed that an injury sustained by experienced half-forward Kevin McKernan against Monaghan doesn't turn out to be as serious as it looked.

"I am worried for him purely because of the way he went off. It was just an accidental collision. He was a wee bit aggrieved at the time. It was an accident, just a clumsy collision and I wish him the best and hope it is not a serious injury."

McKernan was stretchered off after tangling with Farney substitute Paul Finlay who gave his version of events.

"We were pleased with the attitude and work of the lads and all the new players really put in big displays so we have some issues to dwell on before we reduce the panel but it is good to see so much competition for places."

Noel Connelly and Pat Holmes have some tough decisions to make when they sit down to finalise Mayo's league panel.

"It's great to get another game before the start of the league campaign against Galway. We have a good chunk of lads who haven't played league or championship so the game against Dublin will be a great test."

An O'Byrne Cup semi-final against Dublin on home soil will help Meath manager Mick O'Dowd fine-tune his league preparations.

"The people of Westmeath wouldn't thank you if you let Longford, our near neighbours beat them. It still meant something to both teams."

Westmeath manager Tom Cribbin was happy his team secured the local bragging rights in Ballymahon.

"The goals were strange. These were self-inflicted wounds that we're putting on ourselves and we've got to stop doing that."

Cribbin's Longford counterpart Jack Sheedy rued the concession of two goals.

"You'd question the wisdom of having county players playing against their own county, the wisdom of having the universities there in the first place and the wisdom of asking an amateur player to play three full games in a week."

UCD incurred the wrath of Jason Ryan after Kildare midfielder Tommy Moolick picked up a knee ligament injury playing for the college outfit.

"Players need to play games and this is an ideal opportunity to prepare for the league in a couple of weeks' time."

The McGrath Cup is serving a useful purpose for Rebel boss Brian Cuthbert who is now looking ahead to a last four clash against Waterford following their win over Tipperary.

"It was a good competitive workout, we're happy. Obviously we'd like to win these things and we didn't but we got 12 points and on a winter's day we'd be quite okay with that."

Tipperary manager Peter Creedon focussed on the positives following their five-point defeat.

"Physically he was in great condition. Mentally he's strong as well and he has all the technical attributes you'd want in a senior footballer. But he's got a professional life outside of his sport, Gaelic football, and he wants to go back and play some football with his club. But that's for each individual to make those decisions. It's not for... I can only set out my plans."

2011 All-Ireland winning captain Bryan Cullen, who quit the inter-county scene on Friday, came in for high praise from Jim Gavin.

"He was in the square, I thought it was a call for a penalty but that's the way it goes. He didn't give it. We just got a free from it in the end. I think he said it was a technical foul. What that means I don't know."

Tomás Ó Flatharta questioned referee Cormac Reilly's failure to award his Laois side a penalty following a foul by John Small on John O'Loughlin.

"We played all the lads we brought in last November to train for the Waterford Crystal. It gives us a chance to try players and as I've said, we want to see if we can increase the competition for places on the panel."

Jimmy Barry-Murphy took a close look at some of his fringe panel members during their hard-earned three-point Waterford Crystal victory over CIT on Saturday.

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