The shifting power in Meath GAA was further emphasised when first-time finalists Ratoath claimed senior football championship glory at Páirc Tailteann yesterday.

All-Star nominee Conor McGill has admitted Ratoath’s journey from the junior ranks in Meath to the brink of senior success has been a rapid one.

Ratoath will be appearing in their first decider following their fully merited 2-14 to 1-10 win over the Kells men. The north Meath side were continuing their losing streak at the semi-final stage, having lost four in the past five years.

Dublin 1-12 Meath 0-9: Rising senior star Con O’Callaghan led the scoring at Parnell Park last night with an impressive 1-7 as holders Dublin cruised through to the semi-finals of the EirGrid Leinster U21 football championship.

Meath 1-10 Armagh 0-8: On goes Meath’s winter of content.

All-Ireland Club IFC semi-final - St Mary’s (Kerry) 2-20 Ratoath (Meath) 1-5: Perhaps it was the talk of litmus tests and stern examinations that drove St Mary’s to such dizzying heights.

Westmeath 3-19 Meath 2-18: To put all the madness in its proper context, consider where Westmeath were exactly a year ago to the day.

Those who partitioned Meath from Westmeath around 500 years ago didn’t do the Lake County any favours, not in Gaelic football terms at least.

There are just four survivors from last year’s All-Ireland semi-final defeat by Dublin in the Kerry side to face IT Tralee in the McGrath Cup tomorrow.

Former ref insists action must be taken to offer officials more protection

Meath manager Mick O'Dowd has included two Championship debutants in his team to face Wicklow in Saturday's Leinster SFC quarter-final in Aughrim (throw-in 7pm).

An interim examiner has been appointed to B&Q Ireland’s nine home improvement stores, which employ almost 700.

Galway clubs paved the way for the Seniors tomorrow when taking four of the six All-Ireland Sevens/Elevens titles on offer this afternoon.

A company running a filling station in Co Meath has been fined on three counts of failing to display petrol and diesel prices.

Former Dublin goalkeeper Davy Byrne has transferred from the Ballymun Kickhams club to Ratoath in Meath.