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.

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.

Ryan Lyons scored the only two points of the final 20 minutes to guide Fermanagh to their first victory of this league campaign against a woefully below-par Kildare side at Brewster Park on Saturday.

Kieran McGeeney had to settle for a draw on his first return to Kildare as an opposing manager after Jimmy Hyland earned the home team a share of the spoils with the last kick of the game.

Kerry 0-19 Kildare 0-14: A sixth consecutive league defeat means Kildare will spend next spring in Division 2.

Meanwhile, Tipperary hurling manager Michael Ryan has handed a first league start to corner-forward Cian Darcy.

Donegal came through something of a must-win to give themselves a fighting chance of Division 1 survival at Kildare’s expense at Ballyshannon.

Galway 0-14 Kildare 0-13

Tyrone chairperson Roisin Jordan has insisted the county executive is fully behind Mickey Harte and his team, and fully supportive of their efforts to win a first All-Ireland title since 2008.

Kildare 0-17 Dublin 2-14 (AET): If Dublin go on to win the EirGrid All-Ireland U21 title later this month manager Dessie Farrell will savour easily his greatest achievement in management.

Sarsfields 0-17 Athy 1-12: Two behind entering injury time, 14-man Sarsfields scored four points without reply to seal the Kildare senior title for the second time in four years.

St Vincent’s 3-11 Portlaoise 0-10

Portlaoise 2-14 Arles-Killeen 0-9

Sarsfields 1-13 Moorefield 0-16

Kerry 2-15 Kildare 1-08

Dublin 3-16 Kildare 1-12

Portlaoise 1-9 Moorefield 0-8

Ballymun Kickhams 0-11 Portlaoise 0-8

Clara (Kilkenny) 3-20 Oylegate/Glenbrien (Wexford) 0-5

Portlaoise (Laois) 1-11 Emmet Óg Killoe (Longford) 2-05

DCU are going all out to regain the Sigerson Cup title they lost last year and it’s going to take a good team to stop them.

In the first 15 minutes of this Fitzgibbon Cup clash at the DCU Sportsground yesterday, GMIT displayed the form that has many rating them dark-horses for glory this year.

RED-HOT favourites Portlaoise had to wait until the second-half beforebeing able to impose their authority on a gallant Rathnew side in this quarter-final clash at O’Moore Park yesterday.

APPEARING in their first Leinster Club SFC tie since a 2007 drubbing at the hands of the same opponents, Louth champions St. Patrick’s provided much stiffer opposition this time and only a point in the last minute of extra-time from Portlaoise defender Conor Boyle spared the hosts’ blushes.

ANTRIM fielded close to a second-string side against surprise packets Armagh in yesterday’s Ulster SHC final at Casement Park, but the management cast more than a few anxious looks towards the subs’ bench in the closing stages.

RESOLUTE Armagh stunned Down in yesterday’s Ulster SHC semi-final at wintry Casement Park to push the Mourne men out of the race and book themselves a place in the decider against Antrim.

ARMAGH staged a strong finish to defeat Monaghan in the Ulster SHC quarter-final at Pairc Esler.

Armagh 2-17 Monaghan 2-7

AN INSPIRED performance by Colm Egan, brother of Westlife’s Cian, was not enough for Sligo Grammar at the Sportsgrounds yesterday.

JOB done, quarter-final berth secured – albeit an away game against GMIT on February 15 – but a facile win for UCC over DCU at the Mardyke yesterday in this group D Fitzgibbon Cup final-round game.

IN their green-and-gold jerseys the Cork champions looked like Newtownshandrum, moved like Newtownshandrum and played like Newtownshandrum.

THE most famous victory in the history of the Kilmacud Crokes club?

CHAMPIONS Portlaoise withstood a spirited second half Moorefield rally to emerge victorious from a pulsating AIB Leinster club SFC tie at O’Moore Park yesterday.

TIPPERARY GAA chiefs look set to investigate ugly scenes that developed after this Premier County SHC semi-final at Semple Stadium yesterday.

TWO second-half goals helped Dublin claim their fourth provincial U21 hurling title after a six-point victory over Wexford in the Bord Gáis Energy Leinster final at Parnell Park yesterday evening.

Dublin 2-15 Wexford 0-15, Parnell Park

DUBLIN captain Finn McGarry insists they need to seize their final chance at claiming provincial silverware in tonight’s Bord Gáis Energy Leinster U21HC decider against Wexford in Parnell Park at 7.30pm (live on TG4).

RORY O’CARROLL has been ruled out of the Dublin side for tomorrow night’s Bord Gáis Energy Leinster U21HC final against Wexford due to his involvement with the Dublin senior footballers in next Saturday’s All-Ireland qualifier against Armagh.

Armagh 3-15 London 3-14

KILKENNY U21 boss Michael Walsh is expecting a stern examination of his side’s credentials when they face off in a repeat of last year’s decider against Dublin in tonight’s Bord Gáis Energy Leinster U21HC semi-final in Nowlan Park at 7.30pm.