Joe Kernan shouts out instructions to his players on Saturday

"It's great that the purists have found out that we can play some good football," said the Armagh boss.

His side have come in for some heavy criticism from certain southern scribes and it has stung the Crossmaglen man.

"But we know there are genuine people out there who know we can play good football," added Kernanthe Armagh boss.

Kernan agreed that his team had been "in trouble" during the opening 25 minutes of Saturday's contest at Croke Park.

"Laois were coming at us in droves but we kept our heads and in the second half, used the ball a lot better.

"We started to win a lot more break ball around the middle of the field which meant there was more good ball going into our forwards, who really clicked and showed their true potential."

The Armagh boss was clearly hugely satisfied with his team's display in the final 45 minutes of the contest.

We've been down the road so many times of playing well one day and then not performing the next Armagh boss Joe Kernan

"Some days you have to battle and scrape to get over the end line but today we opened it up.

"Fair play to Laois as well as they played a big part in the game and allowed us to play that way."

Referring to Kieran McGeeney's absence, Kernan added that the other players had "owed him one" for all those occasions in the past when the Mullabawn native inspired the side.

"It probably wasn't an enjoyable day for him today sitting watching it but it was good that we didn't need him."

Despite the emphatic nature of Armagh's win, Kernan cautioned about any suggestions that his side could now prove an unstoppable force.

"We've been down the road so many times of playing well one day and then not performing the next. We'll just look forward to the next day."

Must pundits expect that game to be against their only genuine Ulster rivals Tyrone - although Dublin may have something to say about that ahead of next Saturday's replay.