Talk all you like about defensive systems and structures and so on, but when it comes down to it, nothing beats thumping the ball into the square for a big man.

Kieran McGeeney savoured his first Ulster Championship victory in five seasons as Armagh manager as a manic quarter-final tie was settled in dramatic fashion in extra-time.

Ailing attendances, the strong getting stronger and the weak getting weaker, the Ulster championship finds itself at a crossroads.

Scotstown survived a black card for Kieran Hughes, 13 first-half wides and a penalty shout at the death to eventually squeeze past Burren, but if luck was a finite resource, they can expect little of it in the upcoming semi-final against Eoghan Ruadh Coleraine.

Cavan 1-14 Down 0-15

Down will be without their free-taker Donal O’Hare for their round 2 Qualifier against Cavan on Saturday.

Donegal 2-22 Down 1-12

With two shock results at Omagh’s Healy Park having shaped this year’s Ulster SFC, tomorrow afternoon at St Tiernach’s Park in Clones, Donegal face Down for a place in a novel showpiece.

Michael Quinlivan says back-to-back promotions for Tipperary might have been “a step too soon” and is glad they’re staying in Division Two for another season.

Like their half-time advantage of one point, Cork weren’t in any way flattered by the final result as they dismissed Down with relative ease.

Ulster SFC semi-final        

Down have emerged from the depths of despair to challenge once again for Ulster football glory.

Longford have upset the form guide with a Qualifier win over a vulnerable Down side at Pairc Esler, striking two killer goals in extra-time to book their place in Monday’s Round 2 draw.

Cork 0-12 Down 0-7: Another step forward for Cork, another step back for Down.

The Dubs made virtually certain of a National Football League semi-final place with a comfortable if unspectacular eight points win over Down at Pairc Esler.

Monaghan 0-13 Down 0-11: Monaghan just about held out in a frenetic finish to make it two wins from two outings but they were pushed all the way by a resurgent Down who were a transformed side from their opening weekend drubbing by Donegal.

Down 0-7 Donegal 3-15: Rory Gallagher wants Donegal’s established players to feel the heat from the next generation, and there were loads of positives for him to take from Saturday night’s emphatic league win in Newry.

Donegal have hammered Down in their National Football League Division 1 opener with a 17-point win in Newry tonight.

John Fogarty runs the rule over the Division 1 contenders.

Wexford 2-16 Down 2-11: As the Wexford fans celebrated on the pitch, manager David Power took to the sanctuary of a spare dressing room to explain the emergence of his new look young charges while just down the corridor his Down counterpart Jim McCorry struggled with the bitter disappointment of defeat.

The storylines for this weekend's GAA in pictures.

It was bound to happen. Just as all good things must come to an end, so too must the bad ones and so it was that Brendan Fitzpatrick on March 28 ended a barren goal streak in the league for Cavan that stretched back to last spring.

Down 3-12 Laois 1-15: Down’s ability to find the net helped them clinch promotion back to Division One while Laois maintained their league status despite defeat in Pairc Esler yesterday.

Westmeath 0-10, Down 2-17:

Down 1-17, Galway 1-16: Kevin Walsh was left regretting Galway’s wastefulness as Down came with a late charge to snatch a valuable win which moved them to the top of Div 2 in the Allianz Football League.

Westmeath went top of the Allianz National Football Division 2 as they defeated Kildare 0-15 to 0-12 at Newbridge.

Five questions from the weekend

Kildare 1-15 Down 3-13: Allianz Football League Division 2: A crestfallen Jason Ryan was left to rue another late collapse by his Kildare players as they conceded two goals and a point in the space of a minute at the end of the game to throw away victory.

A blistering opening set Galway on their way to a 2-13 to 1-12 win over Meath in their Allianz Football League Division 2 tie today.

Down 3-13 Kildare 1-15

Armagh made virtually certain of a place in the semi-finals of the Bank of Ireland Dr McKenna Cup with a 2-11 to 0-14 win over St Mary’s at the Athletic Grounds.

Armagh picked up a first competitive win under new manager Kieran McGeeney with a 2-11 to 1-1 victory over Antrim yesterday.

Holders Tyrone are on the verge of a place in the Dr McKenna Cup semi-finals following their 1-12 to 0-3 win over St Mary’s at Omagh today.

Down 0-11 Kildare 1-18

Down scored their biggest ever win in the All-Ireland qualifiers when they dished out a drubbing to an understrength Leitrim side at Pairc Esler in Newry.

Championship football referees will be told their handling of the black card must improve at next month’s meeting of the 16 match officials.

Down 0-12 Tyrone 3-11

Down 0-12 Tyrone 3-11

Tyrone 2-11 Down 3-8

Tyrone 2-11 Down 3-8