“Jim rang John Costello early Saturday morning and he said he wanted to have a chat with him. And that was it … it was a bombshell to John Costello too.”

Jim Gavin’s decision to step down caught all in Dublin GAA by surprise, according to chairman Sean Stanley.

“To have done what he’s done is just immense.”

All-Ireland SHC winning Tipperary manager Liam Sheedy took his hat off to his Dublin football counterpart.

“Dessie (Farrell) is probably the front-runner based on what he has delivered at Juvenile level.”

RTE pundit Ciaran Whelan is tipping his former team-mate to take over from Gavin.

“It's probably the right time for him. He has a huge amount of interests outside of the game, he is involved with a lot of charitable projects so I have no doubt he will continue in that quiet way of his to make a very significant contribution.”

The time was right for Jim Gavin to walk away in the opinion of Joe Brolly.

“They very much stand for everything we stand for - their community and the love of hurling and you see that in the crowd and you see that in the players. They give it absolutely everything. I think they should be very proud of their efforts this year and they will be trying to drive it on again and no doubt they will be back again and they will learn from this experience as well.”

Henry Shefflin paid tribute to St Mullins following Ballyhale Shamrocks’ Leinster success.

“I am just very proud to be here, to be standing here as a St Mullins and a Carlow man, fierce proud of the lads. It's an absolute honour to captain them.”

Down but not out – Marty Kavanagh revealed what reaching the provincial decider meant to him and his team-mates.

“Half-time was actually really calm. It was the calmest I’ve seen Mickey (Moran) in a long time because he knew the performance was very good and if we could do a bit more of that in the second-half we knew we had the beating of them in the full-forward line.”

Selector Conleth Gilligan revealed that Kilcoo weren’t rattled by the concession of two goals in the first-half of the Ulster Club SFC final clash with Naomh Conaill.

“It’s a bit early to be plotting on what way we will approach the game but we won’t be going up there to make up the numbers or anything like that, we will be going up to win.”

After claiming a 17th Munster crown, Nemo Rangers will renew acquaintances with Corofin in the All-Ireland Club SFC semi-final and the Cork side’s manager Paul O’Donovan is relishing the challenge.

“We never turned up on the day, I don’t think.”

Clonmel Commercials manager Charlie McGeever believe his players didn’t do themselves justice against the Rebel County standard-bearers.

“I am not going to deny that. We have hit a roadblock, and we are trying hard to get through that roadblock.”

GAA President John Horan highlighted difficulties that exist in negotiations with the GPA over a new three-year agreement.

“Games like these are good for me in the particular because I’m not accustomed to the players. I know it’s early, it’s only the 30th November, but it’s great for me to see more about the lads.”

Michael Fennelly’s reign as Offaly senior hurling manager got off to a winning start against Kildare in the Kehoe Cup on Saturday.

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