A dogged Tyrone gave newly-promoted Meath a flavour of the realities of competing in Gaelic football’s top tier as they eased to a five-point success at Healy Park.

The shifting power in Meath GAA was further emphasised when first-time finalists Ratoath claimed senior football championship glory at Páirc Tailteann yesterday.

St Catherine’s survived a strong finish from Castlemartyr in the third round of the Cork IHC at Lisgoold this evening.

The battle between the junior hurling champions of the last two years went the way of 14-man Cloughduv in the first round of the Cork IHC at Páirc Uí Rinn last night.

Midleton CBS are into the knockout stages of this season’s Harty Cup after a convincing 2-19 to 1-10 victory over St Flannan’s at Hospital.

Tyrone escaped from Navan with a narrow win and a place in the second round of the Qualifier series, squeezing out a courageous Meath side in an extra-time thriller.

Magnificent Longford’s long wait for a Leinster championship win finally ended when they created a massive shock with a thoroughly deserved victory over 14-man Meath before an attendance of 5,591 at Pearse Park yesterday.

Meath boss Andy McEntee expressed a mixture of delight and relief after his team boosted their prospects of avoiding the drop to division three following this polished display against fellow strugglers Down at Pairc Tailteann yesterday.

Tipperary 2-15 - Meath 1-10 

Cavan are sitting pretty on the summit of Division Two of the Allianz Football League thanks to a jet-propelled first-half display at Kingspan Breffni yesterday..

All-Ireland winner Patrick McBrearty showed all his big game experience with a dramatic 73rd minute winning point at Pairc Tailteann to send Donegal through to Round 4A of the qualifiers.

The Dubs will be a different story altogether in the decider.

Down 1-13 Meath 0-14: It was a long time coming, so Eamonn Burns was relieved to get Down over the winning line as they picked up a first Allianz League victory in almost two years.

Gearoid Hegarty collapsed to the ground in anguish. He wasn’t the sole UL player to do so.

UCD 1-10

Allianz FL Division 2

UU 0-9 UCD 1-18: After a tight, combative first half of immense quality, Sigerson Cup holders UCD raced away in the second-half to crush 13-man University of Ulster at Jordanstown.

St Colman’s Fermoy 1-8 Midleton CBS 0-7: When the most coveted piece of silverware in Munster Colleges hurling last resided at St Colman’s, it sat in a display cabinet next to the Dean Ryan Cup.

UCD 2-9 Dublin 1-10:A 63rd-minute goal from substitute Sean Meade helped UCD overcome Dublin by two points in the O’Byrne Cup at Parnell Park last night.

St Colman’s, Fermoy 3-12 CBC, Cork 1-12: Three goals in a wind-assisted first-half proved priceless for Fermoy’s St Colman’s College, who booked their place in the Dr Harty Cup semi-finals for the second successive year in seeing off Christian Brothers College at Church Road in Blackrock yesterday.

St Colman’s made the use of the elements as three first-half goals provided the platform for victory in this Dr Harty Cup quarter-final at Church Road in Blackrock on Wednesday.

Dr O’Callaghan Cup final

St Colman’s College, Fermoy 4-22 St Flannan’s College, Ennis 2-19 (after extra-time): The young hurlers of St Colman’s, Fermoy rescued a seemingly lost cause to advance to the quarter-finals of the Harty Cup.

Galway 0-15 Meath 1-12: You can only imagine the scale of the inquests in Meath this morning had Mick O’Dowd’s men not rescued a draw with a scramble of points in the closing stages of this bizarre game at a cold, wet Salthill.

Meanwhile substitute Cian O’Brien was the hero for Meath as his late equaliser rescued a draw.

Meath 1-13 Cavan 1-20: The coalition Government weren’t the only ones facing meltdown over the weekend.

All-Ireland Club IFC semi-final - St Mary’s (Kerry) 2-20 Ratoath (Meath) 1-5: Perhaps it was the talk of litmus tests and stern examinations that drove St Mary’s to such dizzying heights.

St Colman’s College, Fermoy 2-12 CBC Cork 0-11: St Colman’s College overcame the brave challenge of CBC in the Dr Harty Cup in Mallow yesterday to book their spot in the semi-final against Ardscoil Rís.

Andrew Tormey scored 1-9 for Meath as they worked hard to secure a Leinster SFC semi-final against Westmeath on June 28 at Croke Park.

Meath 0-14 Cavn 0-12: Meath took the honours against neighbours Cavan at Pairc Tailteann but the spoils were shared out elsewhere as victories for Down and Roscommon ensured top tier football for both in 2016.