Offaly forward Cian Farrell is set to miss the remainder of the National Football League after a freak accident saw him suffer a tendon injury last Wednesday.

The 1960s still stand as one of the most musically exciting and inventive decades in history.

Laois edged out neighbours Offaly in a highly entertaining Midlands derby to seal their place in Round 4 of the All-Ireland Qualifiers.

Kevin Egan When the qualifier draw is made this morning, it will be Offaly — the only remaining county in today’s draw that will play their league football outside the top two divisions next spring — that will be seen as the plum draw for most of the other seven.

For just the second time in the 19-year history of the qualifiers, Offaly have put together back-to-back wins and reached the third-round qualifier pot, where they will be the only team of the eight who will play their football outside the top two divisions of the National League in 2020.

Just one Munster man — Cork GAA CEO Kevin O’Donovan — is involved in the new fixtures task force (four from Leinster, three each from Connacht and Ulster) but at least there are several members hailing from dual counties.

Offaly safely negotiated a potentially tricky first round qualifier tie at Bord na Móna O’Connor Park in Tullamore this afternoon, where they had the brilliance of Bernard Allen to thank for the ten-point winning margin they enjoyed against London.

Bryan McMahon saved Meath's blushes with a late goal to turn a potential disaster into a battling Leinster SFC win for the hosts in Navan.

Down are top of Division 3 of the Allianz Football League heading into the final round of group games, while Derry continued their unbeaten run in Division 4 this afternoon.

Down have moved top of Division 3 of the Allianz Football League, while Derry guaranteed promotion from Division 4, as they continued maintained their winning ways, with an away victory over Limerick.

The Faithful County's former captain is back in training with John Maughan's panel.

Ireland is currently the third biggest gamblers on the planet and when it comes to online, we’re number one.

What’s another year? That is the rhetorical question the GAA hierarchy are asking as a motion to change the U21 All-Ireland hurling championship to U20 to fall into line with Gaelic football is being prepared.

Class.

Back-to-back All-Ireland champions Dublin will face old foes Westmeath next weekend after Tom Cribbin's side edged out Offaly at the second attempt in the Leinster quarter-finals.

John Heslin held his nerve to kick an equalising point from a free in the fourth minute of injury time and send this local derby to a replay in Mullingar next Saturday.

Niall McNamee has welcomed the GAA’s motion to penalise players, management and officials betting on games in which they are involved.

Sports writer, John Fogarty, enters the mind of the problem gambler and reveals how easily the issue can take over your life.

Rhode (Offaly) 0-12 Sean O’Mahony’s (Louth) 1-5: Niall McNamee fired Rhode into their fifth Leinster final in 11 seasons as the Sean O’Mahony’s fairytale was finally halted in Drogheda.

Here’s a briefing on some of the stories and issues highlighted on irishexaminer.com today.

Five years without a bet and a place sealed in the last four of the AIB Leinster senior club football championship – it was a very special Sunday for Offaly senior football star Niall McNamee.

Offaly 0-17 London 1-7: Offaly may have beaten London but it was evident that they still hadn’t left the one-point defeat by Westmeath in the Leinster Champions behind them, with manager Pat Flanagan admitting that the players were suffering from a hangover as a result of events in Mullingar a fortnight ago.

Westmeath 0-13 Offaly 0-12: There were unsavoury scenes at the end of this Leinster SFC quarter-final, as Westmeath star Kieran Martin was struck after the final whistle.

Westmeath 1-9 Offaly 0-9: Westmeath maintained their Division 3 status for another week at least with this hard-earned three-point victory over Offaly in Cusack Park, Mullingar.

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.

Allianz FL Division 4 Round 2: Offally 0-13 Waterford 1-4: Waterford’s early season momentum hit the buffers in foggy and damp conditions at O’Connor Park yesterday afternoon as an early red card for midfielder Shane Ahearne left them hugely disadvantaged.

New Offaly football manager Pat Flanagan says they need to stop looking for excuses if hisnative county is to move forward in 2015.

St Vincent’s (Dublin) 1-13 Rhode (Offaly) 0-06

St Vincents 1-13 Rhode 0-06

After three Leinster final appearances and three Leinster final defeats, it would be tempting for Paraic Sullivan to suggest Rhode’s latest provincial decider is life and death stuff.

Pat Daly has admitted that another 1-7 tally isn’t going to be enough to capture the provincial title that Rhode crave.

What was expected to be a fiercely contested clash between two clubs that have been regular participants in the Leinster club championship surprisingly proved a one-sided encounter as Rhode overwhelmed Moorefield.

All-Ireland champions St Vincents of Dublin will start next month’s Leinster club championship final as clear favourites against Rhode of Offaly after today's semi-finals.

Rhode (Offaly) 2-09 St Patrick’s (Louth) 0-10

Wicklow 3-12 Offaly 0-17

Wicklow 3-12 Offaly 0-17

Offaly’s Niall McNamee has spoken of his embarrassment at seeing Tyrone’s state-of-the-art centre of excellence in Garvaghey and claimed more could be done by his own county board to facilitate their county teams.

Offaly SFC: Reigning Offaly senior hurling and intermediate football champions Kilcormac-Killoughey caused quite a stir last week when they refused to field a team in their SFC clash with St Rynaghs on Thursday.