No harm for Monaghan to remind Dublin that they have their number at these early junctures. No harm for the champions either to be told that in this season of all seasons there is going to be gristle. The physical soreness they feel today after this niggly clash will serve them well for what lies ahead.

Having previously not conceded a goal in championship football since April, Kilmacud Crokes leaked three at Parnell Park and came mightily closed to being dumped out of the AIB Leinster club SFC.

Dean Rock was Dublin’s hero as his additional-time free kick won the county their third consecutive All-Ireland SFC title.

A stunning Mayo performance put an out-of-sorts Kerry out of their misery in a thoroughly deserving All-Ireland semi-final replay win.

Kerry and Mayo will have to do it all over again in Croke Park next Saturday as a Patrick Durcan additional time point effectively secured the replay.

Kerry’s dreadful early home league record continued in Tralee this evening when they were reeled in by a more purposeful Mayo effort.

Mayo’s misery will extend to a 66th year after Dublin’s excellent bench scored them a second successive All-Ireland title this evening, their hero in the drawn final Cillian O’Connor widing a last gasp free to force extra-time.

Donegal and Monaghan will meet next weekend after a Conor McManus free levelled this Ulster semi-final deep in additional time.

Westmeath 1-21 Antrim 0-7: Westmeath recorded their second victory in their Leinster SHC qualifier group with an emphatic win over Antrim in a very wet and rain soaked Cusack Park, Mullingar, yesterday.

A dramatic late win for Cork in Pairc Ui Rinn saw Brian Hurley fisting home a Conor Dorman cross to give Cork the narrowest of wins over Mayo in Division 1 of the NFL.

CORK 2-7 MAYO 0-12

Galway 1-21 Westmeath 0-16

Offaly 2-15 Westmeath 1-13: Offaly held on for a five-point win following a spirited fight back by Westmeath in the second half of this Walsh Cup game at Cusack Park, Mullingar, yesterday.

Westmeath 3-11 DCU 2-13: After a run of 15 defeats, Westmeath recorded a win when they defeated DCU by a point in Kinnegad last night.

Portlaoise (Laois) 3-15 St Patrick’s (Wicklow) 0-4

Not even a hat-trick by Kerry’s Padraig Boyle could prevent Westmeath from getting off to a winning start in their Allianz Division 2A campaign at Cusack Park, Mullingar, yesterday.

WEXFORD champions Oulart The Ballagh qualified for the Leinster Club SHC final following a hard-earned victory over Westmeath champions Raharney in a high-scoring match played in dense fog at Cusack Park yesterday.

FERMANAGH manager Malachy O’Rourke has kept faith with the side that defeated Monaghan for Saturday’s Ulster SFC semi-final against Derry at Healy Park, Omagh (6pm).

THE future of international competition between the GAA and the Australian Football League will be debated in Dubai next week, when it’s expected an agreement will be reached to limit tours to every second year.

Kerry 2-10, Mayo 1-8