Veteran Cian Mackey emerged as Cavan’s hero as he hit two priceless equalisers to send a thrilling Ulster SFC semi-final to a replay.

Footballer Michael Murphy showed, on his television appearance on ‘The Toughest Trade’, that he possesses the attitude of a full-time sportsman. On Saturday, his manager with Donegal praised that mindset.

Colm Collins blamed a frozen pitch in Páirc Esler for the horrific ankle injury sustained by Dermot Coughlan, while Kieran McGeeney was unhappy three key decisions went against Armagh in an action-packed Division Two draw in Newry.

Kieran McGeeney had to settle for a draw on his first return to Kildare as an opposing manager after Jimmy Hyland earned the home team a share of the spoils with the last kick of the game.

The game was played without the controversial hand-pass rule which had just hours earlier been ditched by Central Council, and Sunday’s FBD Connacht League final between Galway and Roscommon at Tuam will also be played without the ill-fated regulation.

Dr McKenna Cup semi-final Armagh 0-14 Donegal 1-10

Sligo 1-13 Armagh 1-19

Fermanagh 0-12 Armagh 0-7: Where to now for Armagh and the five-year revolution under Kieran McGeeney after this limp, uninspiring, and naive performance, during which they went an entire hour without scoring from play?

Connacht 50 Oyonnax 14: The road to Bilbao has now become clear for Connacht.

Derry 3-10 Armagh 2-12: Armagh manager Kieran McGeeney took more positives than negatives out of yesterday’s one-point McKenna Cup defeat to Derry at Owenbeg.

Laois came out on top a real dogfight at O’Moore Park and advance to the second round of All-Ireland qualifiers, while Armagh’s disappointing season is over.

Tyrone 0-13 Armagh 1-10: A precious point plundered in the dying embers of a dramatic Ulster derby could prove the salvation of struggling Armagh.

Cavan 2-8 Armagh 0-11: Any lingering notion that the Bank of Ireland Dr McKenna Cup is nothing more than a gentle preamble into the more serious business of the GAA season was emphatically kicked into touch in this turbulent, fractious encounter at Oliver Plunkett Park, Crossmaglen yesterday.

Adare 2-24 Ballybrown 1-13

Ballyduff (Kerry) 2-13 Ballybrown (Limerick) 0-14 (Aet)

Ballybrown (Limerick)3-10 Ballinhassig (Cork) 2-7

Ballinhassig (Cork) 1-17 Ballybrown (Limerick) 0-20 (AET)

St Paul’s Bessbrook easily claimed the All-Ireland Colleges SBFC title on Saturday at Breffni Park.

CRICKET Ireland has hired former coach Adrian Birrell in a consultancy role.

Ireland have announced their squads for the forthcoming T20 clash with Bangladesh 'A' at Eglinton on Friday, and the 50-over clash with the same opposition at Bangor on Sunday.

IRELAND’S young cricketers beat Namibia in the Plate competition of the U19 World Cup in Sri Lanka yesterday.