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.

A lot of folk talk about putting their bodies on the line for their teams. Paul Broderick went and did it, time and again, over the course of a decade and more that delivered little in the way of silver or spotlight.

Carlow 2-14 Kildare 1-10 

John Sugrue was understandably pleased but sensibly restrained after watching his Laois side make the best of a strong start to see off neighbours Carlow and claim Division 4 honours.

Monaghan brought the Carlow odyssey to an end, but only after a mighty scare at Netwatch Cullen Park, where the Ulster men finished strongly for a flattering five points Qualifier win.

Carlow booked their place in tomorrow’s qualifier draw after edging a dour defensive battle with London at Ruislip.

DUBLIN 0-19 ... CARLOW 0-7: Dublin made a sticky start to their Leinster campaign in O’Moore Park even if their margin of victory over Carlow was convincing.

Darragh Foley doesn’t hold particularly fond memories of his last championship meeting with the Dubs.

A Championship opener at Dr Cullen Park may not have been one for the purists to salivate over, but the intrigue was constant and the reward for Carlow far greater than the immediacy of a Leinster quarter-final date with Dublin. That may be daunting, but it can wait, writes John Divilly.

Cavan 2-13 Carlow 0-12: Hosts Cavan became one of a select group of counties to win an All-Ireland qualifier following the infamous six-day-turnaround.

Brendan Murphy kicked 1-4 and Darragh Foley eight points as Carlow enjoyed a convincing qualifier win over Wicklow.

Eoghan Cormican believes David Power can take Wexford back to Division 3.

Laois 3-16 Carlow 0-8: It was as smooth a win as you could wish for but Laois manager Tomás Ó Flatharta learned little about his team as they steamrollered Carlow at Netwatch Cullen Park in this Leinster Championship opener on Saturday night.

Laois gained the expected upper hand in this local derby against Carlow to set up another battle for domestic bragging rights against Kildare in the Leinster quarter-final.

Clonmel 16 Shannon 16: A draw and a replay on Sunday next was the fitting outcome at Thomond Park yesterday when Clonmel and Shannon staged a mighty battle in the final of the Munster Junior Cup.

Clonmel were crowned Munster Junior League champions for the first time as Junior Clubs again dominated in the Munster Junior Cup.

Carlow 3-08 Louth 1-12: Carlow’s footballers provided new boss Turlough O’Brien with a first win thanks to this merited two-points victory over Louth in yesterday’s O’Byrne Cup tie at Dr Cullen Park.

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.

Newcastle West got back to winning ways with a bonus point win in Tralee to maintain their position at the top of the First Division of the Munster Junior League.

Carlow 0-17 Waterford 1-13

Late points from sub Jack Kennedy and Daniel St Ledger sealed a remarkable come-from-behind victory for Carlow in this afternoon’s All-Ireland SFC round 1B qualifier against Waterford at Dr. Cullen Park.

ALL-IRELAND SFC ROUND 1:

Laois 3-13 Carlow 0-12

The GPA could yet act on the behalf of the Carlow and Laois football panels as they have confirmed neither they nor the players were consulted about Friday week’s All-Ireland round one qualifier.

Offaly 2-11 Carlow 1-11

Limerick 0-10 Carlow 0-9

Limerick enjoy a four-point lead at the top of Allianz Football League Division 4 after emerging as slender 0-10 to 0-9 winners over Carlow this afternoon.

Limerick maintained their unbeaten start to the Allianz Football League Division 4 campaign following a two-point win over Waterford, while Tipperary, Leitrim and Clare also recorded victories.

Offaly, Carlow and Waterford all gained away victories in Division 4 of the Football League today, while Limerick registered a home win over Leitrim.

Dublin made it two wins out of two in the Bord na Mona O’Byrne Cup tonight as they saw off the challenge of DCU at Parnell Park.

Carlow 1-12 Dublin 3-13

Meath 2-21 Carlow 0-09

On a weekend of championship shocks, the unfortunate reality for once mighty Meath was that this stalemate probably wasn’t one of them.

Carlow 1-12 Meath 1-12

Stephen Bray will return from injury to lead the Meath attack in Sunday's Leinster SFC quarter-final against Carlow at O'Connor Park (throw-in 2pm).

Dublin bid to build on last week’s victory over champions Wexford when they face Laois in this evening’s Cadbury’s Leinster U21 FCquarter-final at Parnell Park.

Carlow senior midfielder Darragh Foley turned in a man-of-the-match performance as they knocked Wicklow out of the Leinster U21FC for a second successive year under lights at Baltinglass last night.

Goals in both halves were crucial to Leitrim’s success in Dr Cullen Park yesterday.

PAT GILROY was keen to play down the significance of Dublin’s early morning training as they overcame Carlow in their Bord na Mona O’Byrne Cup opener at Dr Cullen Park.

IT hasn’t been an especially long journey for Kilmichael, but that is what makes it all the more remarkable.

ANTRIM footballers showed a lot of character and composure in Saturday’s closing stages to squeeze Carlow out of the race.