Longford consolidated their place in Division 3 for next year while still keeping their promotion hopes alive with a fine win over Tipperary in Glennon Brothers Pearse Park. For Tipperary, they need results in their next two games if they want to avoid relegation.

Goals win games and Paddy Tally knew the timing of Down's two late majors on Saturday night could be massive in terms of their promotion hopes from Division Three.

A strong second half from Longford saw them retain their unbeaten start to Division 3 and inflict a second defeat on near neighbours Leitrim at a wet and windy Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.

Offaly and Longford continued their fierce rivalry of recent years with their latest instalment serving up a pulsating and entertaining draw in Tullamore.

Making 23 substitutions throughout an entertaining and at times tense O'Byrne Cup semi-final encounter, the Dessie Farrell era ultimately got off to a losing start for Dublin.

Perhaps history will repeat itself and a Jack O'Connor-led team will bounce back from a loss to Longford with a strong season but, for now, it's frustration for the new Kildare manager.

Qualifier specialists Tyrone are up and running again, and while a four points margin at Pearse Park will not inspire supreme confidence, they are set to gain momentum along the back door route.

Both sides kicked some wonderful points though remarkably, the second half of extra time yielded no score.

Magnificent Longford’s long wait for a Leinster championship win finally ended when they created a massive shock with a thoroughly deserved victory over 14-man Meath before an attendance of 5,591 at Pearse Park yesterday.

Armagh 1-11 Longford 1-10: This was the ultimate smash and grab operation.

Four goals in six minutes of devastation sent Longford packing and set Laois up for a Leinster quarter-final clash with bitter rivals Kildare.

Tipperary 3-17 Longford 0-18: It’s now two from four in the race for promotion from Division 3 of the Allianz Football League, according to Tipperary manager Liam Kearns.

Longford 2-13 Monaghan 1-13: Well, Monaghan can hardly say they weren’t forewarned. Twelve years ago, Denis Connerton brought an unfancied Longford outfit to Clones and plundered Monaghan’s home in the only previous championship meeting between these sides.

Clare 1-20 Longford 1-9: Clare’s promotion aspirations are still on track after a merited 11-point win over visitors Longford at Cusack Park, Ennis yesterday.

Longford 2-15 Carlow 1-8: Three weeks on from their refusal to bow to pragmatism and shut up shop against Dublin, Longford’s commitment to attractive football finally paid off on Saturday.

Longford 0-16 Offaly 0-13: In a streaky game where both sides thrived on confidence, ultimately Offaly’s lack of self-belief cost them when they saw the finishing line.

Longford’s survival instincts served them well as they came from seven points adrift to oust Offaly in a keenly contested Leinster SFC clash at O’Connor Park in Tullamore.

Offaly had way too much firepower for Longford and it was their more clinical finishing of better chances created that earned them the new Division 4 silverware.

Meath 1-17 Longford 1-09: Nine successive points at the start of the second-half set Meath on the road to victory at Páirc Tailteann last night.

Kildare 2-15 Longford 3-8

Kildare 1-12 Longford 0-12

Cavan snatched a last gasp victory over Longford in the Leinster JFC semi-final at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park when Martin Dunne created the opportunity for Martin Reilly to fire home the decisive matchwinning goal in the final minute of the game.

With nothing at stake, as both counties had already clinched promotion, they rested their regulars.

Louth put up a spirited display to beat Longford in last night’s Leinster U21FC quarter-final at Haggardstown.

O’MOORE PARK was a scene of delight as much as it was a vista of dejection last night as Wexford celebrated their first Leinster U21 FC title at the fifth time of asking.

LONGFORD will have home advantage in their Leinster MFC quarter-final with Westmeath on May 22 after this deserved qualifier victory at Pearse Park on Saturday.