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.

Dublin breezed into a ninth Leinster SFC final as Cormac Costello yet again dazzled with nine points.

One week after the width of the goalpost saved Kildare from Leinster championship elimination at the hands of Longford in Tullamore, the two sides returned to Bord na Móna O’Connor Park and played out a game that couldn’t have been any more of a contrast.

Both sides kicked some wonderful points though remarkably, the second half of extra time yielded no score.

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.

Where in the opening round Cork succeeded in securing a point despite being a man down for the closing 27 minutes of action, yesterday, despite being a man up for the same period of time, they were unable to manage anything at all.

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.

Donegal 1-16 Kildare 3-7: Donegal’s poorest performance of Division 1 this term was still enough to post a first win, at Kildare’s expense.

Jamie Clarke was in sublime form as Armagh marched into next Saturday’s All-Ireland quarter-final against Dublin or Tyrone.

Few Allianz Football Leagues have provided more excitement. Fewer still have unearthed so much developing talent. John Fogarty picks the 10 standouts who’ve announced themselves this spring.

Allianz FL Division 2

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.

Senior panellist Con O'Callaghan starred again for Dublin with 1-7 but Cillian O'Shea was the game breaker in Navan with a vital late goal to secure a three-in-a-row of EirGrid Leinster U-21 football titles.

Kerry 2-15 Kildare 1-08

UCD student publication The College Tribune has reported that the three students who threw eggs towards the Taoiseach during an official visit will not face expulsion.

The AFL will step up its recruitment drive of young GAA talent when it holds a trial in Dublin tomorrow.