Seán Moran talks to Mayo manager Mickey Moran about Connacht's sole championship survivors

Although Armagh and Donegal were eliminated from the championship last weekend, Ulster football retains a presence with Mayo's manager Mickey Moran and his assistant John Morrison, from Derry and Armagh respectively, plotting the last remaining Connacht challenge for the All-Ireland.

It's not unprecedented, as two years ago when Armagh and Tyrone had previously suffered early exits Moran and Morrison were in charge of the Derry team that reached the All-Ireland semi-finals. Moran believes that the absence of Ulster counties has triggered much jumping to conclusions.

"Certain journalists were quick to react and were gloating a wee bit, which is their right because everyone has their day in the sun, but it's harsh on Armagh, and Donegal had all the possession but couldn't get the ball over the bar. I think Ulster football will still be alive and kicking next year."

He doesn't see his influence on Mayo as being specifically a northern one. "Myself and John might be Ulster men but Kieran Gallagher (the other selector, from Swinford) is also part of the management and it's a Mayo team. Styles of play are personal but one of first teams I remember using the blanket defence that has been associated with northern teams was the Galway team from 1998.

"They often had 12 men behind the ball but part of the reason that wasn't obvious was that they were able to move so fast through Michael Donnellan's speed or good, early ball into three lethal inside men.

"Armagh became more associated with it and then Tyrone with workhorse half forwards and that ability to interchange on the pitch. Stephen O'Neill could slip from full forward to the half forwards and Peter Canavan as well and it was an unnerving system for anyone trying to cope with all of that movement."

Moran has been quoted during the week as being unhappy with the outsider status of his team in the All-Ireland rankings but he says that he's not that bothered about it. "The only point I was making - and I emphasised that it suited us to have a quiet build-up - was that if Galway had beaten us in the Connacht final they would have been seen differently going into this.

"I was disappointed that the players got so little recognition. The Connacht win was put down to Galway playing badly but we showed a lot of character coming from four down to pull it back."

The team for Sunday shows two changes with Kevin O'Neill and Aidan Higgins coming into the side. Andy Moran reverts to the bench to make way for O'Neill.

Higgins slots into the defence because of the hamstring injury picked up by Liam O'Malley. David Heaney moves to full back with Higgins replacing him at wing back.

"Liam is a big loss," says Moran. "He's one of those unsung, dedicated lads who played well for us in the league and gave an unreal performance on Stephen O'Neill when we played Tyrone."

David Brady is back in contention after injury but his involvement this weekend remains a long shot according to the manager. "David has been back for three or four sessions so the bone has knitted but he's not really going to be match fit. You can never rule it out depending on the circumstances but it's unlikely that he'll make an appearance."

Brady was prominent in Mayo's last quarter-final victory two years ago when they defeated then champions Tyrone with the Ballina centrefielder contributing three points from play.

Laois have had the advantage of two hard matches since Mayo last played and Moran is a little concerned that his team has had a five-week lay-off.

"I'd be lying if I didn't say that it's a bit worrying. We pride ourselves on the intensity of our training sessions so we wouldn't have been too concerned (about the lay-off) if we had the chance to train with 30 players, but we've been hit with injuries from club games and haven't had a full panel."

The Limerick County Board have asked clubs to submit a list of suitable candidates for the vacant position of manager of the senior hurling team. Mikey Ned O'Sullivan is expected to be given the all-clear to continue as manager of the senior football side for a second season.

MAYO (SF v Laois): J Healy; D Geraghty, D Heaney, K Higgins; A Higgins, J Nallen, P Gardiner; R McGarrity, P Harte; BJ Padden, G Brady, A Dillon; C McDonald, C Mortimer, K O'Neill.