'I don't think it was a free at all. Like the referee, I'm entitled to my opinion and after making a brilliant save our goalkeeper (Donal Óg Cusack) was tackled while descending on the ball. I would have thought a throw-in ball would have been a fair assessment of that situation.' Cork manager Gerald McCarthy did not agree with referee Brian Gavin's decision to a ward a last-minute free-in to Waterford which ultimately took the All-Ireland SHC quarter-final to a replay.
'They don’t come any bigger than that in terms of the crowd. When you get to this stage of the Championship, there’s nothing easy. After we lost the Monaghan game (in the Ulster semi-final), if you had have told us we’d be in a quarter-final against Dublin, we’d have grabbed it with both hands.' Derry manager Paddy Crozier is taking nothing lightly after being paired with Dublin in the All-Ireland quarter-finals.
'James (McGarry) has been our leader in so many ways, especially this year, strange as it may seem when he wasn't even playing. He assumed a leadership role the value of which you couldn't quantify. His dedication is monumental.' Kilkenny manager Brian Cody praises the dedication and spirit of goalkeeper James McGarry.
'I watched them play Galway and they performed to a very high standard that day. They have a fair handle on Ulster football too at the minute as they took care of Down and Fermanagh, so we’ll be no strangers to them in terms of the kind of football that’s played. Meath are definitely a force to be reckoned with again.' Tyrone manager Mickey Harte expects Meath to provide a serious challenge to his side's Sam Maguire ambitions.
'You just can't walk in and wave a magic wand and build a team in one year. We made progress this year but now the question is whether the squad can move on to the next level next season. We have to remember that we lost to a Kilkenny team that's not just the best in the country but one of the best of all time.' Galway manager Ger Loughnane tries to put his side's defeat to the defending champions into context.
'We’ve had a long season, but there can be no excuses. Championship is what it’s all about and that’s two games in the Championship that we were very, very disappointing. In fairness to Brian and his backroom staff, they couldn’t have done any more for us. Everything was put in place for us. The players will have to take responsibility for the defeat. On the field, we didn’t show the necessary hunger.' Donegal centre-back Barry Monaghan admits the players were to blame for the county's poor showing in this year's Championship.
'I couldn’t see the match in the first half because my eyesight isn’t as good as it used to be. That’s the truth. I’m alright when I’m on the sideline but when I’m far away my sight wouldn’t be as good as what it was. I came back down myself. I had to watch it somewhere.' Limerick manager Richie Bennis defends his decision to sit with the substitutes for the second half of his side's win over Clare despite a sideline ban.
'We felt as soon as the final whistle went in Clones at the Ulster final that the real Championship was only beginning. It was winner takes all, and I’m very proud of the lads. They played out of their skins again, these fellows have worked tremendously hard for Monaghan.' Manager Seamus McEneaney praises his Monaghan charges following their win over Donegal.
