In fits and starts Kerry motored. And sporadic though they were, these bursts of enterprise proved just about sufficient to deliver a second Allianz league win.

A strong opening and equally smart 10-minute period midway through the second-half delivered the home side a second league win, while also patching over long periods of Kerry mediocrity.

Ulster champions Donegal flexed their muscle with a 10-point win in Navan, their first of the Allianz Football League Division 1 campaign.

A dogged Tyrone gave newly-promoted Meath a flavour of the realities of competing in Gaelic football’s top tier as they eased to a five-point success at Healy Park.

The Limerick man has been hailed as one of the outstanding referees of his generation.

Larry Tompkins was physically so far ahead of the rest of the Cork panel at his first training session that he thought his new teammates were going easy to make him feel welcome.

Oh Lordy. Where do we start? Do we actually have to start? Can we somehow sneak out of it?

By the summer of 1990, All-Ireland football champions Cork had Kerry’s number. So much so that Rebel fans were yelling ‘lock the gates’ as they dismembered the Kingdom in the provincial decider in Cork. However a bigger challenge loomed for Billy Morgan, Larry Tompkins, & Co — Meath. In his new book on Cork’s historic double season, Adrian Russell reveals how Colm O’Neill turned from peripheral to pivotal figure on the road to GAA history.

Meath will face Tipperary in the TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate Championship Final after they produced a powerhouse display in overcoming Roscommon at Nowlan Park.

33 years ago, Kerry met Meath in Croke Park, with the greatest team of all running out of road and the Royals on the rise. An email conversation with Liam Hayes stirred some memories on Gaelic football and sportswriting, now and then

Kerry have been warned against taking Meath for granted in Navan tomorrow.

John O’Shea has returned to Reading as a first-team coach.

John O’Shea has returned to Reading as a first-team coach.

It wasn’t pretty but Tipperary manager Niamh Lillis was pleased that her charges hit the last five points to register a hard-fought 0-15 to 0-11 win over Meath in the Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship at Donaghmore-Ashbourne on Saturday.

You could cut the tension with a knife. Everyone was on edge wondering how would the fun-loving, stone-mad GAA fan handle the windswept conditions in Portrush.

Cork, Waterford and Tipperary all secured their progression to the knockout stages of the Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship this afternoon when they secured home wins at the expense of Meath, Clare and Dublin respectively.

Back when the musician Prince was among us, he was renowned for making his way from playing in a big arena to go jam in some nightclub in front of a lucky, exclusive audience of late-night revellers.

He links up with former Reading boss Jaap Stam.

Fourteen years after making her debut for Tipperary, Mary Ryan is still one of the Premiers’ prime performers, as illustrated by another tour de force that earned the pocket rocket player-of-the-match honours in her side’s 2-12 to 1-7 Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship triumph over Clare in Sixmilebridge on Saturday.

If Meath’s Michael Newman had swapped jerseys with Niall Scully before the start of yesterday’s Leinster final, then all six starting Dublin forwards would have been on the scoresheet.

Warm June rain greeted us as we exited Croke Park yesterday with smiles on the faces of the Royal supporters, in particular. Dublin pelleted over points for fun while both Kildare and Laois squandered some great goal chances. The centurion Cluxton culled the Lillies’ goal efforts and the quality of the forward play and score-taking was exceptional, at times, from all four participating teams.

Paul Keane in preview box Andy McEntee is a manager on the up, on the verge of elevating Meath to a first Leinster final in five years, having already masterminded a return to Division 1 in the Allianz league.

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.

John O’Shea ended his professional career to appreciative cheers and a guard of honour as he made his final appearance as a late substitute in Reading’s 0-0 draw with Birmingham City at the Madejski Stadium.

Former Republic of Ireland captain John O'Shea will retire at the end of the season, his current club Reading have announced on Twitter.

A groin tear means that Nemo Rangers goalkeeper Micheál Martin is battling the clock to be right for their Cork SFC opener on Saturday.

Nottingham Forest manager Martin O’Neill hailed super-sub Daryl Murphy after the veteran striker sparked a comeback against Swansea in Saturday’s Championship clash at the City Ground.

As Meath stand on the brink of promotion to Division 1 for the first time in 13 years, former star Graham Geraghty has commended manager Andy McEntee for handing over a lot of responsibility to coach Colm Nally.

Meath snatched victory from the jaws of defeat to take a major step in their quest for a return to top-tier football with this victory in driving snow at Páirc Tailteann yesterday.

A second-half blitz in the snow saw Kerry crush Meath at Fitzgerald Stadium yesterday and book their place in next weekend’s Allianz Division 2A final against Westmeath.

Despite testing weather conditions around the country, the final pairings were confirmed in Divisions 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B, with all final round group stages games taking place this afternoon.

There was a sensational ending to this fully-blooded Division 2 NFL encounter as a penalty goal from Barry Dardis in added time strengthened Meath’s promotion push at Pairc Tailteann.

Bruce Springsteen’s Glory Days blared out over the tannoy prior to the start of this Allianz League Division 2 tie at breezy Páirc Tailteann yesterday and while that may have been a bit premature for the Royals there were some positive signs in this hard-fought victory.

The fare on offer from both side was well short of what will be needed to win promotion but it was Meath who were happiest at the end of this dour Division 2 tie at Páirc Tailteann yesterday.

Mid-December yet already the challenge of the old enemy Dublin is high on the mind of Meath manager Andy McEntee.

James McClean was subjected to a torrent of abuse for refusing to wear a Remembrance Day poppy in Stoke’s 0-0 draw against Middlesbrough. He later took to social media where he labelled a section of supporters “uneducated cavemen”.

Cathal McShane believes battle-hardened Tyrone have a vital edge over Donegal as they prepare to collide at Ballybofey tomorrow.

Cork manager Paudie Murray may look at making changes for his side’s trip to Trim to play Meath in Saturday’s Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship, but that should not be interpreted as the Rebels taking anything for granted.

It wasn’t quite the African safari or Caribbean escape that avid royal watchers had anticipated for Harry and Meghan’s first overseas trip as a married couple, but sure, as they say, when the sun shines in Ireland, you could be anywhere.

Tyrone suffered a blow last night with the news that playmaker Mark Bradley has suffered a setback in his recovery from an ankle injury and will miss Saturday’s All-Ireland SFC qualifier at Netwatch Cullen Park.

Meath 0-19 Tyrone 2-14

Tyrone escaped from Navan with a narrow win and a place in the second round of the Qualifier series, squeezing out a courageous Meath side in an extra-time thriller.

Mickey Harte says defeat in Navan tomorrow would be a ‘horrible’ end to Tyrone’s season.

John O’Shea last night spoke of his delight after putting pen to paper on a one-year deal with Championship outfit Reading.