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 3-12 LOUTH 1-11: Clare maintained their Allianz Football League Division 2 status, with a merited win over bottom side Louth at Cusack Park Ennis yesterday.

Longford impressed throughout as they began their All-Ireland campaign, with a well-earned eight-point SFC Round 1 qualifier win against 13 men Louth at Drogheda's Gaelic Grounds.

The notorious six-day turnaround claimed another victim as Derry claimed a five-point win over Louth in today's All-Ireland qualifiers at Owenbeg.

Powerful full-forward Conor Grimes struck a decisive 71st minute goal at Croke Park as Louth came from behind to secure a dramatic Allianz football league Division 4 title success.

Tipperary 3-21 Louth 0-7: “Is it worth anything to us really,” questioned Peter Creedon.

Sligo 2-26, Louth 2-9 Sligo kick-started their faltering Division 3 campaign with a sparkling defeat of Louth at Markievicz Park, their first win in four league outings.

Kildare 3-12 Offaly 0-9

Fermanagh 0-16 Louth 0-7: Allianz Football League Division 3: Fermanagh began their Division Three campaign with a resounding home victory over Louth on Saturday night.

O’Byrne Cup

Seventeen-year-old Leaving Cert student Ryan Burns has been named on the bench for Louth's Leinster Championship opener against Westmeath on Saturday night.

Monaghan secured the result of the day in Allianz Football League Division 2 by hammering Meath by 0-20 to 0-8.

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.

SOMEONE asked me this week, “what’s the best thing I could eat for my health?”

Saturday night’s inaugural Night Of Stars at Shelbourne Park had its spills but, one unfortunate incident aside, it was overwhelmingly successful, and the Gain Feeds Open 600 which tailed the card, provided a fittingly spectacular finish to proceedings.

Just two days to the semi-finals of the Connolly’s Red Mills Irish Laurels at Curraheen Park and, thankfully, still no negatives emanating from any of the kennels involved.

Westmeath 1-15 Louth 0-12

The most prolific winners of the Galway SFC, Tuam Stars, blasted their way past Killanin and into the third round of the 2012 campaign in Pearse Stadium yesterday.

Dessie Finnegan's inclusion at full-back is the only change made to the Louth team for Sunday's Leinster SFC quarter-final against Dublin at Croke Park (throw-in 4.30pm).

Meath 1-8 Louth 2-14, Pairc Tailteann

Monaghan bounced back dramatically from their disappointing performance against Derry last weekend to run out comfortable winners over Louth in a dramatic tie in Clones yesterday.

Monaghan 2-24 Louth 1-15

THE Pat Hennerty Sales Irish Laurels is the centrepiece of a magnificent card at Curraheen Park on Saturday night.

Stephen Fitzpatrick, son of manager Peter Fitzpatrick, has been drafted into the Louth team for tomorrow's All-Ireland SFC qualifier against Meath at Kingspan Breffni Park (throw-in 7pm).

Mick Fanning will make his seasonal debut for Louth in Sunday's Leinster SFC quarter-final against Carlow in Portlaoise (throw-in 3.30pm).

CLERIHAN PADDY, bred and owned locally by Paddy Flannery, won the Munster Open Cup at Knockgraffon yesterday.

IT’S expected 50,000 young people will flock to the new Aviva stadium this weekend to the Choices 2011 careers expo.

THE clash of Dublin and Louth looked like being the tie of the Qualifiers but it turned into a major anti-climax. Maybe we shouldn’t be that surprised.

All-Ireland SFC Qualifier Round 4

IT certainly wasn’t a game for the ages or anything like that but Louth boss Peter Fitzpatrick cared not a jot, satisfied that his side had realised their goal.

Louth 1-11 Longford 1-7

DCU 1-15 Louth 0-17

LOUTH kept what is becoming a customary run of wins in January going by claiming the prized scalp of Kildare in Newbridge.

Louth 1-16 Kildare 0-14

THOUSANDS of community workers took to the streets of Dublin in protest at proposed cuts they say will undermine essential community services.

THIS victory in Saturday’s All-Ireland JFC semi-final nudged Cork into their fourth decider in the grade this decade, yet the bald statistic masks how close a shave this was for Mossie Barrett’s men.

THE Pick 7 Jackpot has the country going wild!

THE Track Supporters A5 Stakes swings into action at Youghal tonight and Windgap Sky is one to note in heat two.

COCAINE addicts seeking help for their habit have had to be turned away from a community drug programme because of a lack of space.

MARK SCANLON will make his return to international cycling in a familiar green jersey when he lines up with the Subway Eat Fresh Irish team for the start of the FBD Insurance RÁS in Naas on Sunday.