A strong third-quarter showing - during which the hosts outscored Offaly by 0-6 to 0-1 - ensured Cork made a winning start to life in Division 3 of the Allianz football league.

When Longford last won the O’Byrne Cup 20 years ago thanks to a 2-6 to 0-7 win over Westmeath at Mullingar, current manager Padraic Davis and selector Paul Barden started in the forward line, kicking 0-3 between them.

Offaly set up an O’Byrne Cup final clash with Longford next weekend, their victory sealed by two late points from substitute Cian Farrell.

The new rules had their first official airing this past weekend in the five O’Byrne Cup games, and it was encouraging that the Leinster Council brought in the five referees last week to brief them in advance.

Longford, Offaly and Westmeath delivered victories, with Carlow also beginning brightly this afternoon.

The late father of former Republic of Ireland player and Assistant Manager, Roy Keane, considered all of his children to be stars, his funeral mass has heard.

Bernard Allen’s culinary poser — “How do you unscramble a scrambled egg?” — is supremely apt to the situation of yet another ham-fisted attempt to transmogrify healthcare delivery into something resembling empathic efficiency and value for money.

The transparency and accountability the new structure promised back in 2005 never materialised. Now the HSE is being reinvented again, writes Catherine Shanahan

Laois edged out neighbours Offaly in a highly entertaining Midlands derby to seal their place in Round 4 of the All-Ireland Qualifiers.

For just the second time in the 19-year history of the qualifiers, Offaly have put together back-to-back wins and reached the third-round qualifier pot, where they will be the only team of the eight who will play their football outside the top two divisions of the National League in 2020.

Offaly safely negotiated a potentially tricky first round qualifier tie at Bord na Móna O’Connor Park in Tullamore this afternoon, where they had the brilliance of Bernard Allen to thank for the ten-point winning margin they enjoyed against London.

Tánaiste Simon Coveney says he is “frustrated” that much of the discussion about a directly elected Mayor for Cork, Limerick, and Waterford has focussed on the salary that would come with the position, and asked the public to inform themselves on the responsibilities of the role.

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.

Down are top of Division 3 of the Allianz Football League heading into the final round of group games, while Derry continued their unbeaten run in Division 4 this afternoon.

Down have moved top of Division 3 of the Allianz Football League, while Derry guaranteed promotion from Division 4, as they continued maintained their winning ways, with an away victory over Limerick.

Louth ended the year on a high with victory over Wicklow, while Westmeath and Offaly drew (0-11 apiece) in Saturday’s Bord na Móna O’Byrne Cup action.

Clare 1-19 Offaly 2-14

Clare needed every one of their 20 scores to edge out a valiant Offaly side that refused to give in.

Offaly 2-20 Antrim 1-15

Wicklow 1-20 Offaly 1-15 (after extra time)

There was a sense of sad inevitability yesterday as plumes of smoke rose from the gutted remains of yet another historic listed building in Cork City devastated by fire.

It is inevitable that the arrest of Pat Hickey in Rio de Janeiro will give rise to schadenfreude among more than a few people, writes Michael Clifford

Pat Hickey, president of the Irish Olympic Committee who stepped side temporarily yesterday, was described recently as “Teflon Man” but he will need the slipperiness of an eel to slide out of his latest brush with controversy.

Offaly 0-15 Clare 1-11: Offaly added their name to the shortlist of Division 3 promotion candidates yesterday when they overcame the concession of a late Eoin Cleary goal to snatch the last score of an entertaining contest against Clare at O’Connor Park.

Longford’s survival instincts served them well as they came from seven points adrift to oust Offaly in a keenly contested Leinster SFC clash at O’Connor Park in Tullamore.

Offaly had way too much firepower for Longford and it was their more clinical finishing of better chances created that earned them the new Division 4 silverware.

Offaly 1-13 Antrim 1-07: “We do things the hard way here by the looks of things.” That was the verdict of Offaly manager Pat Flanagan after the Faithful County secured their promotion out of Division 4 with a win over Antrim at O’Connor Park yesterday afternoon.

Offaly 1-17 Maynooth University 0-03: Offaly rounded off their O’Byrne Cup campaign in style at O’Connor Park yesterday, winning by 17 points — their largest winning margin since beating Kilkenny in the 2010 O’Byrne Cup.

Dublin 0-17 Offaly 0-13: A magnificent seven points in a row from resurgent Dublin secured victory at Parnell Park and pole position in Group A of the O’Byrne Cup.

Dublin became the first team to qualify for the Bord na Móna O'Byrne Cup semi-finals after a hard earned victory over Offaly, with wins also for Maynooth University, Kildare, UCD, Meath, Westmeath, Wexford and DIT tonight.

O’Byrne Cup

Dublin beat NUI Maynooth 1-12 to 1-5 in the opening round of the Bord na Móna O’Byrne Cup at Parnell Park today.

They came from all corners of Ireland yesterday to bid a fond farewell to a giant of a man and of Irish sport – the ‘king of the road’ Mick Barry.

Jimmy Nyhan is Munster Vintage (over-60) champion following a battling performance against Mikie O’Driscoll (B) and DD Carroll at Timoleague on Saturday.

This morning, the chairman of the national hurling review forum will be out coaching Portroe’s Under 16 Camogie team, encouraging each and every player — his daughter included. "In this country, we knock too much," says Tipperary’s All-Ireland-winning coach Liam Sheedy.

NUI Maynooth 2-19 IT Blanchardstown 1-5

“Differences arise between and within parties, but the tradition of this committee is to try to stick together and do the job in the interest of the people who put us here — the electorate and the taxpayer.”

The semi-final pairings for the Bord na Móna O'Byrne Cup were confirmed today, where Kildare, UCD, Meath and DCU progressed to the last four.

Wicklow 1-21 DIT 3-13

Former Offaly great Ciarán McManus played a leading role in Tubber’s victory over Ferbane in the crucial final round robin stage of the county senior football championship last night.

Sigerson Cup semi-final: DIT 1-11 DCU 0-9

DIT and UCC booked their places in tomorrow's Sigerson Cup Final at 3pm in Athlone IT following semi-final wins over DCU and AIT respectively this afternoon.