Westmeath star Dessie Dolan will play no part in the county's All-Ireland Championship campaign this summer after electing to spend time in Boston.

Armagh goalkeeper Paul Hearty had decided to call time on his inter-county football career, becoming the second member of the county's 2002 All-Ireland title-winning squad to retire in the past week.

Kicking the ball.

Crossmaglen 2-19 Garrycastle 1-7

“Intense” is how Jamie Clarke forecasts today’s All-Ireland club football final replay.

Crossmaglen Rangers manager Tony McEntee felt that his side should have retained the Andy Merrigan Cup as he reflected on a number of late misses in today's drawn AIB All-Ireland Club SFC final against Garrycastle.

It used to be the byword for success in the All-Ireland senior club championship was Nemo Rangers.

Crossmaglen are all but certain to contest captain Stephen Kernan’s second-half dismissal, which threatens to rule him out of their second successive All-Ireland final on St Patrick’s Day.

He’s a member of Saturday’s opponents, as are the rest of his immediate family, but Anthony Cunningham admits he never asked his club St Brigid’s about taking over neighbours Garrycastle.

There was early cause for celebration among the AIB GAA All-Ireland Club SFC semi-finalists today, with players from each of the clubs receiving accolades for outstanding performance in the Championship in 2011.

The famine is over, according to Seamus McEnaney, though whether Meath can maintain their fine Division 2 form to achieve the promotion they crave remains to be seen.

Paddy Keenan was central to Louth winning this low-key Division 2 tie at Haggardstown yesterday.

Garrycastle 1-8 St Brigid's 0-10

Tomorrow

ANTHONY CUNNINGHAM will tonight be named the new Galway senior hurling manager.

HIS schedule this week is a frenzied one yet Anthony Cunningham is not in the mood for complaining. September is a month for chasing trophies and the Kilchreest native is delighted to be doing that on two fronts.

CHAMPIONS Garrycastle remain on course to make it three titles in-a-row after the final round of group games this weekend.

Antrim 0-16 Westmeath 1-07

The Westmeath team selected for tomorrow's Allianz Football League Division 3 final against Louth shows one change to the side that beat Offaly most recently.

Wexford claimed top spot of Allianz Football League Division 3 despite a late Cavan goal, while Westmeath, Tipperary and Limerick also registered wins in the division.

NEMO RANGERS will accord Colm Cooper the respect he deserves as, arguably, the leading forward in the country when they clash with Dr Crokes on Sunday week in the AIB Munster Club football championship decider in Limerick.

KILMACUD CROKES star Ross O’Carroll has admitted his brother, All-Star nominee Rory, will miss the crucial Leinster club semi-final against Garrycastle on Sunday week.

Kilmacud Crokes, Garrycastle, Skyrne and Rhode have advanced to the semi-finals of the AIB Leinster Club Senior Football Championship following today's matches around the province.

ST Gall’s and Portlaoise are the only two clubs in contention to retain their provincial titles as the action in this year’s AIB All-Ireland Club Championships gets cranked up a few notches in the coming weeks.

The Westmeath footballers' interim manager Pat Flanagan has been handed mixed news ahead of the start of their Championship campaign.

Portlaoise 1-9 Garrycastle 1-5

PORTLAOISE may be favourites to win their seventh Leinster Club SFC title at Tullamore on Sunday, but they are expecting a titanic battle against Garrycastle.

Garrycastle (Westmeath) 1-8 Ballyboden St Enda’s 0-6

FIVE counties have yet to win the Leinster club senior football championship.

Westmeath manager Luke Dempsey has named Dessie Dolan in his starting 15 for this Sunday's Leinster SFC opener against Longford at Pearse Park.

Westmeath manager Luke Dempsey has named Dessie Dolan in his starting 15 for this Sunday's Leinster SFC opener against Longford at Pearse Park.

Athlone teenager John Connellan could have a vital role to play for Westmeath when they take on Sligo in the third round of the All-Ireland SFC qualifiers tonight (Markievicz Park, throw-in 7pm).

Ireland manager Pete McGrath has named his 23-man squad for tomorrow's International Rules first Test against Australia at the Subiaco Oval, Perth (11.45am Irish time).

Dublin champions Kilmacud Crokes have received an ideal boost ahead of Saturday's AIB Leinster Club quarter final against Garrycastle of Westmeath, with 10 nominations in the 2004 football Blue-Stars.

Longford Town duo Paddy Mulvihill and Gary Murphy have joined Athlone Town on loan until the end of the season.

Westmeath 0-16 Carlow 2-8

KERRY GAA chiefs are furious with the Munster Council decision to press ahead with Sunday’s provincial club SFC semi-final between Kerins O’Rahillys and Nemo Rangers in Killarney.