O'Dwyer gets message across

Uno duce, una voce. PJ Mara's quip about the late former Taoiseach Charles Haughey was evoked by Laois manager Mick O'Dwyer when speaking about how his team managed to turn their season around after the trimming Dublin handed them in June's Leinster semi-final.

While paying tribute to his players, O'Dwyer explained the changes he made to the team's preparation in the aftermath of the defeat. Having appointed an extensive group of advisers and assistants for this season, he decided he needed to be more hands-on.

"I didn't do much changing of the backroom team but I took over the team and talked to them myself. Maybe there were too many people speaking to them before that game so I made a point I was going to do all the talking from that game on. It worked.

"The whole lot of it is attributable to the players. I can only organise and get them playing but it all boils down to them. We were terrible against Dublin. It was one of those days and leaving the dressingroom that day a few of the fellas that are in there for years said to me, 'Well, Mick, I suppose we won't see you any more'. "So by jaysus, I'm back again. You never know when you're going to be back."

Although he is at the sharp end of what he has said will be his last season with Laois, he was ambivalent on the question of whether he might continue in management with another county: "You never know. I wouldn't speculate at all like that. A little bit of rest won't do me any harm for a while."

He did confirm this campaign, his fourth with the county, would be his last on the Laois sideline. He said whereas there were some good players coming through he wouldn't be there to supervise their emergence: "I won't be around. You can be damn sure. Down in Derrynane they've had a boat ready for me the last four Mondays but I haven't got into it yet."

Laois's quarter-final replay with Connacht champions Mayo will be part of a double bill with the Cork-Kerry semi-final. O'Dwyer defended the standard of the football, which although exciting was criticised in some quarters as being too genteel.

"The two teams play the same brand of football, an open game holding possession, which is hard to counteract. A lot of people say it looked like a challenge game but it was most enjoyable for those watching. You can't satisfy people. When it's tough and hard they say it's no good either but when you play football they say that's no good."

O'Dwyer's team has fallen to Ulster sides in the past three years. Having attained a measure of revenge by beating Tyrone this year the Laois manager nonetheless denied football has been through a sea-change this year with the eclipse of the All-Ireland champions and Armagh.

"Not at all. They're saying that every year. Football is football and the skills are still there . . . I don't think there's any big change in the game. We were told a couple of years ago southern teams hadn't a chance over the next five years but it's amazing how it evolves. The northern teams will be back again next year . . . Tyrone are a team that will be back."