Laois football manager Mike Quirke feels the GAA have "eventually come to the right decision" by hardening their stance on the September 14th return date for inter-county training. 

The association has today changed their position on sanctioning county teams who resume collective work before that date, with expulsion from the Championship a possible punishment for teams who go back early.

"I would be very confident that the threat of a real sanction coming down the line if you're seen to breach the rules, I think that'll be enough for every county board chairman to say 'hang on lads, this is not happening, we're going to toe the line'," Quirke told Ger Gilroy on Off The Ball.

"We'll let the lads go to their clubs and manage them physically as best as we can and we'll get training in September as long as everybody toes the same line.

"I think the GAA had to come out with this day because now it's after creating as level a playing field as we possibly can.

"County chairman are not going to risk inter-county teams training if they know a proper sanction, a fine or maybe expulsion, they're not going to take that chance.

"Eventually they've come to the right decision, and like everything this has been evolving and I'm glad they've come to that decision right now."