As the All-Ireland championship reaches the business end of the season, for those that have exited the competition, questions are now been asked as to what went wrong.
Ulster have six teams remaining. Tyrone, Monaghan and Armagh who are in the last-eight, while Down, Donegal and Cavan are in the preliminary quarter finals.
Kerry and Cork represent Munster with Louth, Dublin and Meath making up the Leinster contingent. Galway are the only county from Connacht still remaining after losses for Mayo and Roscommon last weekend.
With both side’s only requiring draws to have progressed, it added to the disappointment that they did not achieve that.
Mayo lost by a point to Donegal while Cork were two point winners over Davy Burkes side.
Speaking on the Rossie Podcast; ex-county player Conor Devaney questioned how teams Roscommon beat earlier in the year were still in the championship, while their year was over.
And you can hear an extended piece with Conor on the Rossie Podcast on Youtube, Spotify and Apple platforms
The preliminary quarter-finals throw-in this weekend with the opening fixtures of Kerry and Cavan in Killarney at 3:30 on Saturday.
It was a surprise loss for the Kingdom last weekend against Meath to deprive them of a quarter-final spot. Indeed, many have remarked, Kerry got the perceived easier draw against a Cavan team who have lost their last two outings in the championship
Speaking to the sportsdesk yesterday at the knockout stages launch Kerry's Paul Geaney noted; they would not be taking anything for granted against a breffni side who produced one of the shock of round one
The other fixtures see Dublin hosting Cork in Croke Park, Galway travel to Paric Elser to take on Down while Donegal welcome Louth to Ballybofey
