It’s not that Clare’s opening salvo in this year’s National League was a box-ticking exercise, but as soon as the final whistle sounded to signal this facile 16-point victory it’s safe to say that everyone of a saffron and blue hue was moving towards next Sunday’s mouth-watering clash with Wexford.

As expected Clare opened their National League campaign under new manager Brian Lohan in impressive fashion as they eased to a comprehensive 16-point victory over Colm Bonnar’s Carlow in Ennis.

Leading by a point with 54 minutes played, underdogs Meath had hauled themselves into a winning position against a county they hadn't lost to since 1951.

They were clinging on by their fingertips at the finish in Portlaoise but Meath are through to the Super 8s for the first time after edging an epic Round 4 qualifier.

A record ninth Leinster SFC title in a row for Dublin but one that came in slightly unusual circumstances.

All-Ireland champions Limerick are all but guaranteed of a top-three finish in Munster after this 18-point thumping of Clare.

The powerful midfielder crashed home a goal in the 31st minute to put Meath into a lead they wouldn't relinquish and his second with nine minutes to go killed the contest.

There has been no wielding of the axe by the Clare management in the wake of last weekend’s 13-point hammering at the hands of Tipperary, with the team named for tomorrow’s game against Limerick showing just one change in personnel.

Two goals in as many first-half minutes laid the platform for favourites Meath to cruise past Carlow in Portlaoise and through to the Leinster SFC quarter-finals.

Bryan McMahon saved Meath's blushes with a late goal to turn a potential disaster into a battling Leinster SFC win for the hosts in Navan.

A Shane O’Donnell and Tony Kelly-led Clare spoiled Waterford’s Munster championship homecoming to leave the Déise playing a dangerous game of catch-up in the coming weeks.

It was the result most expected but Donegal's journey to the Allianz League Division 2 title was anything but straightforward at Croke Park.

Meath 2-12 Fermanagh 0-11

The scoreline suggests a rip-roaring contest but that is a false reading.

Declan Bonner, the Donegal manager, commended the resolve shown by his young side as they came from four points down late on to overcame Meath in a frost-bitten Ballybofey on Saturday night.

Meanwhile, Tipperary hurling manager Michael Ryan has handed a first league start to corner-forward Cian Darcy.

The honours went to Waterford in this Allianz Hurling League Division 1A clash at Walsh Park yesterday, but it is important to note Clare were already guaranteed a quarter-final (pitted against Limerick).

Davy Fitzgerald’s Wexford put paid to his native county’s perfect start to Division 1A of the Allianz Hurling League on Sunday afternoon courtesy of an impressive and dominant second-half performance.

Kerry 2-19 Meath 1-14: Jimmy Keane is confident the younger members of his All-Ireland junior winning team will, in time, graduate to the county’s senior set-up.

Clare 3-18 Dublin 0-19

Clare took a massive step away from the relegation zone in Div 1A with this narrow victory over Dublin.

Allianz HL Division 1A

Cork were too lively for visitors Clare in this entertaining Division 1A hurling clash at a freezing Pairc Ui Rinn.

Ballyea 1-11 Clonlara 1-11: Like the football decider a week ago, the Clare SHC final ended in a draw at Cusack Park yesterday.

Clare 2-13 Tipperary 0-18: Are Clare 2016’s version of Waterford 2015 or a model closer to their 2013 selves? They’ll be praying it’s the latter but now 10 from 10 this year they have generated the sort of league momentum that carried their June 5 Munster semi-final opponents last season.

Tipperary were made to regret an awful display of free-taking as a 67th minute goal by substitute Aaron Shanagher sealed a Division 1 semi-final date with Kilkenny.

Clare 1-19 Limerick 0-18: All gory, no glory in Ennis as a wretch of a Division 1B “final” saw Clare ascend to Division 1A 12 months after they fell out of it, leaving Limerick marooned in the second tier of the competition for a seventh season.

Clare 2-28 Kerry 1-9: Sometimes you wonder if things happen by design or default in Clare but the unveiling of their €2.1m stand could not come at a better time next Sunday when a bumper crowd is expected at their Cusack Park HQ when the host rivals Limerick in a battle for promotion to the top flight of the Allianz Hurling League.

Jackie Tyrrell makes his first since last year’s Leinster final as one of five changes to the Kilkenny side for tomorrow’s Allianz HL Division 1A clash with Galway at Nowlan Park tomorrow (2pm).

Clare 2-21 Offaly 0-15: Davy Fitzgerald’s Bannermen, similar to the under-construction main stand which provided an appropriate backdrop to this Division 1B contest, are very much a work in progress.

Clare 2-27 Kerry 0-8: It was all one-way traffic at Sixmilebridge last night when Clare had 25 points to spare over Kerry in the Munster Senior Hurling league.

Clonlara 3-11