"When Seamus Quinn (who else?) advanced with the ball close enough to scoop over the winning point in the 69th minute it was one of the greatest moments in Leitrim football history. Of course the thought running through most fans minds at that point was that the ref would make it a draw as has so often happened in provincial championship games in all provinces in the past. But things are different now and the referees do not come from the province itself. Many people will agree that if a Connacht referee was officiating this game would have ended in a draw."Eugene McGee on the bad old days of Connacht football (Longford Leader) "The girls who come to watch Gaelic football matches generally have an interest in the sport as well as the players, not like rugby, where they don't have a clue about the game." Keith Galvin, Dublin footballer "The average age of a Gaelic footballers is 25, their average build is perfect. And now that I have had a good gander at the best of our football players, I can assure you I'm hooked. These sporting warriors are not professional - which means that not only can they run, kick and bounce a ball at the same time, but they hold down full-time jobs as well. (Beat that, Ryan Giggs)." Gayle Killilea Sunday Independent a judge in the Bank of Ireland GAA Hunk of the Year competition "When we were finally beaten, we were obviously disappointed, but in a strange way, there was also a feeling of relief in the dressing room. We had come so far, given a lot of people a lot of pleasure, but in being beaten the pressure was off us for this year. You couldn't blame lads for thinking like that because in a way, we had already won our championship." Brian White, Antrim football manager "If the first step to success is the will to win, then the first casualty of failure is losing the fear of defeat. With the barrier broke this year, Antrim won't take disappointment so philosophically next summer. The renaissance is under way." Kevin Kimmage on Antrim's progress this year in the Ulster football championship (Sunday Independent) "The performances of some referees remain inconsistent and while I would not advocate ref-bashing I find it inconceivable that the findings of referee observers are still not partially revealed. Might I suggest that the aggressive, dictatorial 'put up and shut up' stance by the GAC is outdated and counterproductive." Damian Barton, Irish News "Most of the off-the-ball incidents that take place are within smelling distance of the umpires. Responsible ones call it to the attention of the officials, the majority, though, prefer to stay focused on raising flags and watching the small square. There is a need for the GAA to re-emphasise that games must be patrolled by a collective team with one leader. They must get rid of an environment that encourages the isolation of the referee and encourage a culture where responsibility is shared more widely." Michael Clifford, Irish Post "The only explanation I can give is that I was enraged at the time. It was the first time and last such incident in my sporting career." Leitrim defender Colm Regan tries to explain in a statement released to the media just why he hit Roscommon's Francie Grehan "I had to ask Connacht Council secretary John Prenty when the final was on. I never dwelt on the date." Joe Reynolds Leitrim manager in the wake of victory over Roscommon "Yeah, three in hurling, two in football." Tipperary hurling goalkeeper Brendan Cummins laments his fifth Munster final defeat "Griffin is now hurling's official spin doctor, talking up the game to levels which would leave Ger Loughnane gasping and dizzy-headed. He has referred to Seán Óg Ó Hailpín as a latter day Setanta; one can only assume that the duel star has a penchant for driving sliotars down the wind-pipes of blood-thristy hounds. We know you love the game Liam, and you did as much as anyone to put hurling back to centre stage; time to stop gilding the damn lily though." Shane McGrath (Mayo News) "If things are okay in the county, then how come we're getting the crap beat out of us? Did we die with honour last month? No, we didn't. I saw what happened before and I see what's happening now and I suppose I'm just trying to shake people out of their inertia. You can't go to Croke Park and lose like we lost this year and just carry on as if nothing's rotten. I just feel our focus is not strongly driven. And, if it is, show me the proof. Where are the plans, the policies? Where is the future?" Liam Griffin on Wexford's declining fortunes in recent years "People think we're totally mad with the commitment we give to play for Dublin. Most of my friends would never have gone to a hurling game in their lives. Yet, we make huge sacrifices. I mean, I run my own business. I have a girlfriend and, yet, I doubt if I had three weekends free since Christmas because of the hurling. I'm only 27 and there's a lot more to life than getting beaten by fifteen points in Croke Park. It's just soul-destroying when that happens." Sean Power, Dublin hurling captain "The Dublin story is the big issue in Leinster. It is just not acceptable that a city of two million people cannot produce a good hurling team." Liam Griffin "The home of hurling, feckin' blasphemy and porter farts." Peter Sweeney, The Star alluding to Semple Stadium "The dentist looked at her, a tad menacingly, and asked: "are you from ... Cork?" She pleaded guilty, at which point the dentist revealed, somewhat defiantly, her county of origin: Tipperary. The Cork woman ended up with three fillings, administered with all the tenderness you associate with your average serial killer's dismembering of a corpse. The Tipp dentist's parting words to her victim/patient were: "See you in the All-Ireland final, Mrs." "Mghqahs, azayro qiatyhetd" said the Cork woman through her frozen, numbed lips. Translation: "That's if ye can find the key to the back door, ye shower of good-for-nothing losers." Mary Hannigan, Irish Times "Frank, from Limerick, is the chap who carries the famous John 3:7 sign around football and hurling grounds all over the country in the hope that he might inspire someone to be born again (the quote is 'You must be born again'). John, who by the way doesn't believe in organised religion got the notion to do this after seeing someone with a John 3:16 (I am the way, the truth and the light) banner at Wimbledon but decided to go with his own message. All I want to know is how does he get that big sign past all them boys in Croke Park and where the hell does he get the tickets from? Peter Sweeney, The Star on Frank Hogan "Short-term replacements would give the doctor time to work on the wound, without impacting on the rest of the team. It works well in rugby and is something that should be introduced in the GAA. It is totally unacceptable in a modern game to have blood pouring down players faces and onto their jerseys. Managers are understandably reflucant to take off a player for stitching and then send him back on as it would count as two-substitutions." Dr. Con Murphy, Cork team medic "The Limerick County Board is talking a load of cod's wallop. Recent statements in the media that Eamon Cregan is the only nomination that they have received for the position of senior hurling manager are just laughable. It is just a spin that they are putting on things to make it appear that there is no support for me and my interest in coming back as manager." Tom Ryan, former Limerick hurling manager (The Star) "Back in 1993 I was voted for by clubs. But under the current system, clubs are no longer asked for nominations for managers. Instead, following a motion that was passed a couple of years ago, the executive picks a manager and put it before the County Board for ratification. So, what are they talking about when they say they received only one nomination - that being for Eamon Cregan?" Tom Ryan on the machinations of Limerick GAA politics (The Star) "It is beyond comprehension that Fermanagh captain Tommy Callaghan was censured by the GAC for his after-match comments about the referee's performance in their victory over Donegal. Equally incomprehensible is the lack of comment made by the Players' Advisory Group or indeed the Gaelic Players' Association. Both bodies, when the occasion demands like to remind everyone that they are a players support body, helping protect the interests and rights of our players. When they were needed , where were they?" Damian Barton, Irish News "They need to market their prize assetts more, which are their players. And treat them with a bit more respect." Keith Galvin with some timely advice for the GAA "Cregan came in and served two years in which time he didn't win a match of any real consequence. A year ago he deliberated for three months before taking on another year. Originally, they said after the beating by Cork that they would meet Cregan and have an update for the July meeting. Reappointing Eamon Cregan is a bad decision to make. There for three years and in his third term, the feeling on the ground is that he has had a fair chance and hasn't come up with the goods." Tom Ryan former Limerick hurling boss "Their crowning glory was a disastrous back flip. Ouch! That had to hurt. Now they'd been on the field a good 30 seconds and that's a long time - with no clothes on in front of 30,000 people, with no sign of a steward to escort them off. But eventually, after what seemed like an eternity one brave yellow-coated official broached the matter. You only have to look to this stewards action for leadership. No big rugby tackles like we saw on UTV's Streakers, the steward went over to the two boys and by the time he got there they'd already put their clothes back on so he had a chat with them. "Cold out boys, isn't it?" "Nice day for it." "Eye on the Ball" column The Star on the streakers at Casement Park recently - prior to the Antrim v Derry tie "Club teams have a habit of hiring a man for the job who has served the club well over the years. Why I ask? Instructing team mates on the field and instructing players from the sideline are two totally different things. I've seen it happening to a club in the West. The former great servant was appointed manager, hadn't a clue how to read a game, couldn't see what was going wrong and spent many's a weekend drinking with the players after matches. The same team are now staring relegation in the face. It's sad really to see a great servant to a club ending his career in a way that will always be seen as a failure. "Make the changes ya b******s, are ya blind," uttered angry supporters as the manager marched up and down the sideline knowing he was on his last legs." Michael O'Brien, Westmeath Examiner "Soccer and rugby mentors are obliged to keep a reasonable distance from the fray; seated if available. Surely inter-county players can manage to get through a match without being roared at like schoolchildren. It is even chaotic at club games where players are getting 'instruction' from up to a half dozen different directions, and not all wisdom either might I add. The simple answer is to keep the entire sideline entourage seated except when making a substitution or switch. We know managers earn their keep, they don't have to show it by remonstrating on the sideline." Paul Donaghy, The Nationalist "Playing rugby and gaelic football is about as compatible as a nun lap-dancing." Gayle Killilea Sunday Independent "We take our drinking ban more seriously than rugby players." Keith Galvin, Dublin footballer and Bank of Ireland GAA 'Hunk of the Year' "Rugby players come from rugby schools while Gaelic football players are more community orientated." Keith Galvin on rugby ... again! Tweet

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