McEntee made his comments after Meath’s 4-16 to 1-15 O’Byrne Cup win over Laois, a game watched by county title winner Conor Nash, who is now established in the AFL with Hawthorn.

Cork football selector Seán Hayes believes that the returning Ciarán Sheehan will bring his influence to bear on and off the field.

New Kerry U20 football boss John Sugrue has slammed the changes that have been made to the age grade as “farcical”, suggesting the GAA is too quick to respond to criticism when it comes to football.

Longford booked their place in the O’Byrne Cup semi-final for the fourth year in a row with six points to spare over Carlow in Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.

Former back-to-back All-Star nominee Daniel Flynn has admitted it was a heart-to-heart with Kildare great Johnny Doyle that made him realise he’d lost his ‘grá’ for the game.

The new rules had their first official airing this past weekend in the five O’Byrne Cup games, and it was encouraging that the Leinster Council brought in the five referees last week to brief them in advance.

The Mike Quirke era of Laois football began with a defeat in the opening round of the O’Byrne Cup against neighbours Offaly on Saturday.

John Fogarty previews the weekend's GAA fixtures.

Dublin’s bid for a record 10 Leinster football titles on the trot will begin in Tullamore next May.

Kildare midfielder Kevin Feely has hit out at the decision to begin the O’Byrne Cup on Saturday week, claiming it’s far too early and a ‘player welfare’ issue.

Dublin’s six-time All-Ireland SFC winning manager Jim Gavin is planning to be in charge for an eighth season in 2020.

He wasn’t exactly written out of history yet when you think of Westmeath’s solitary Leinster title success 15 years ago, Jack Cooney’s name doesn’t immediately spring to mind.

Paul Keane Westmeath defender Boidu Sayeh has revealed he’s been called a ‘black bastard while playing, but didn’t take it personally and he believes the issue of racism in the game is improving.

Westmeath forward Ger Egan feels “sorry for the referees” attempting to enforce the experimental rules.

Louth ended the year on a high with victory over Wicklow, while Westmeath and Offaly drew (0-11 apiece) in Saturday’s Bord na Móna O’Byrne Cup action.

New Offaly manager John Maughan has admitted that working with lower-division counties has been something of a culture shock.

The success of Offaly footballers in 1982 was rooted in the bogs of the county.

After succeeding Pat Gilroy in late 2012, it is the third extension the five-time All-Ireland SFC winning boss has enjoyed.

Mid-December yet already the challenge of the old enemy Dublin is high on the mind of Meath manager Andy McEntee.

Five-time All-Ireland winner Jonny Cooper has revealed he thinks Gaelic football is fine as it is and doesn’t require any playing rules overhaul.

“The referee was saying, ‘you’re on three, you’re on three’ and then you’re thinking about it"

After all the commotion of the past seven days, today's two provincial hurling finals could hardly have come at a better time for the GAA and everyone who follows it. 

In an era of automatons on elite teams regurgitating messages that have been delivered by the PR boss via WhatsApp, it is refreshing to talk to someone who is comfortable enough in his skin to tell it as it is.

It was the cheer that gave birth to a torrent of sneers.

Dublin 2-25 Longford 0-12

Laois 4-13 Westmeath 1-12

Pressure continues to mount on Offaly football manager Stephen Wallace following their Leinster SFC defeat to Wicklow on Sunday.

Experienced Dublin defender James McCarthy has little interest in giving Kerry’s rising stars any grounds for optimism next weekend.

March isn’t yet in, but the GAA has madness in abundance. John Fogarty sets out five examples of how some have recently been losing the run of themselves:

The evenings are that bit brighter, all the hurt and disappointment of last year is long forgotten, hope is back in the hearts of supporters in every corner of the country. There is a road to some kind of glory for everyone. This could be the year.

Sigerson Cup: UCD 2-15 - NUI Maynooth 1-6: UCD manager John Divilly praised his side’s composure as last year’s beaten finalists saw off an erratic NUI Maynooth to open their Sigerson Cup campaign with a win.

Meath 1-19

Meath are eyeing up their first piece of silverware under Andy McEntee after cruising comfortably through to the last four of the Bord na Mona O’Byrne Cup.

It took a year longer than they had hoped but the Laois footballers got their wish last September when John Sugrue was appointed senior manager.

Dean Rock envisages Stephen Cluxton will take the new 20-metre kick-out rule in his stride when All-Ireland champions Dublin begin their 2018 season next month.

Few Allianz Football Leagues have provided more excitement. Fewer still have unearthed so much developing talent. John Fogarty picks the 10 standouts who’ve announced themselves this spring.