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What did the weekend's Gaelic football action really teach us?

This year's All-Ireland championship took another step towards September as the Leinster and Ulst...



What did the weekend's Gae...
Football

What did the weekend's Gaelic football action really teach us?

This year's All-Ireland championship took another step towards September as the Leinster and Ulster competitions provided the action.

Laois have made it to a Leinster quarter-final against the mighty Dublin but Wicklow gave them a test in a 3-16 to 0-18 result.

Offaly also saw off Longford and Louth overcame Carlow in a five-goal contest. Meanwhile, Fermanagh defeated Antrim by six points to set up an Ulster quarter-final against Donegal.

But what did those fixtures teach us?

Listen to the full review with Jason on the podcast player:

GAA journalist Jason Byrne of The Irish Sun joined Oisin Langan on this week's Rewind podcast and for one, Laois have a lot of work to do before they face the Dubs.

But are they any crumbs of hope for them ahead of that daunting task?

"Anthony Cunningham's addition can only be a good thing as far as I can see. I know he wasn't at the game at the weekend. People will always think of Anthony as the Galway hurling manager but a lot of people will forget that he brought Garrycastle to an All-Ireland club final and Anthony's a big football man as well," said Byrne of a coaching addition at Laois that has led to raised eyebrows in some quarters.

Laois Manager Mick Lillis ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne

"I would see his input on the training field having a big impact on how Laois do against Dublin. But as [manager] Mick Lillis said after the game, it's going to be David and Goliath and few would argue with him."

For Fermanagh, Byrne found Tomas Corrigan to be the key difference-maker against a poor Antrim side.

But he also got the sense that Pete McGrath's side might have had one eye already on their upcoming clash with Donegal.

"He was the difference big time, but when [Sean] Quigley did get his chance, he buried it and that was game over," he said, before looking at how Rory Gallagher's Donegal have been shaping up for the championship and previewing Ulster favourites Tyrone against Derry.

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