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.

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

Longford put in a solid display as they started their Division 3 campaign with a three-point win over Louth at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.

Longford boss Padraic Davis has challenged those who question the need for pre-season competitions in an already crowded GAA calendar.

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.

Longford booked their place in the O’Byrne Cup semi-final for the fourth year in a row with six points to spare over Carlow in Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.

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.

Shane O’Donnell has rejoined the Clare senior hurling panel following his return from Harvard University last week.

Longford champions St. Columba’s created history as they became the first club from the county to reach the Leinster Senior Club Final with a well deserved win over Carlow Champions Eire Og in Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.

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

University of Limerick 1-24 GMIT 1-11: Brian Lohan’s UL are now in pole position to top Fitzgibbon Cup Group B after an unanswered 1-9 in the last 11 minutes finally saw them pull clear of GMIT in Limerick yesterday.

UCC 3-19 GMIT 0-8: The sight of Conor Lehane, Alan Cadogan and Shane O’Donnell being clapped off the field midway through the second-half painted a most accurate picture of this stroll in the park for UCC.

Limerick IT 1-14 GMIT 2-5

Dublin City University 4-15 NUI Galway 0-11

DCU 3-8 Dublin 0-16

DCU 2-15 Westmeath 2-9

Corofin (Galway) 2-6 St Gall’s (Antrim) 1-8

Leitrim 1-11 London 1-09

Tipperary 0-16 Carlow 1-14

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

Cavan mixed the sublime with the ridiculous before securing their first points of the Division 3 season.

A devastating third quarter in which Offaly outscored Meath 1-3 to no score was the key for Paschal Kelleghan’s charges as they secured a Leinster U21FC quarter-final berth against Kildare next week.

WICKLOW might become the first county Mick O’Dwyer will depart without winning championship silverware but the ethos and style of football that the Kerry legend has promoted for over half a century is clearly embedded in the Garden County.

Cork 5-17 Waterford 2-8

Tyrone 0-6 Donegal 1-10

KIERAN McGEENEY praised a referee yesterday but the Kildare boss had his tongue planted firmly in his cheek when offering kudos to Pat Fox for making this game exciting by giving DCU a host of scoreable frees.

HOT favourites Skryne were made battle all the way by well-organised Castletown in a highly competitive Leinster club senior football quarter-final clash at Navan’s Páirc Tailteann.

A STORMING finish at Páirc Tailteann – albeit after a third quarter slump – saved Skryne’s blushes and booked them a Leinster club SFC quarter-final spot.

THE Limerick SFC reign of Dromcollogher-Broadford is over as they crashed out at the semi-final stage at the hands of Monaleen.

Cavan 0-13 Fermanagh 1-13

DUBLIN chairman Gerry Harrington last night described as “absolutely unbelievable” the omission of referees from the capital on the list of officials for this year’s senior championships.

Louth 1-11 Longford 1-7

Laois 0-13 Kildare 0-9

Laois 1-13 Tipperary 1-11

WEXFORD required extra-time at Parnell Park to claim the Division 3 league title - but after 63 years without silverware they could afford another 20 minutes.

WEXFORD required extra-time at Parnell Park to claim the Division 3 league title - but after 63 years without silverware they could afford another 20 minutes.

Monaghan 0-10 Armagh 0-10

Rhode (Offaly) 1-6 Stradbally (Laois) 0-6

Dublin 1-11 Kildare 1-11

YESTERDAY morning on radio, Mick O'Dwyer jokingly quipped that he was beginning to wonder if Laois would ever win another game.

Tyrone 1-9 Mayo 0-9