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.

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.

Our writers analyse the weekend’s GAA talking points...

Dublin are rightly favourites, but Tyrone are 5/2 or slightly better on some markets yesterday. That’s meaty, says Colm Cooper

Westmeath restored battered pride, but it was 14-man Armagh who took the spoils in a bruising Round 2B Qualifier at Cusack Park.

Kieran McGeeney has questioned the validity of the pre-season competitions when some top counties aren’t interested in fielding strong teams.

Kieran McGeeney hopes the returning Jamie Clarke “gives himself the best chance” to prove his class with Armagh in 2017.

Before we compliment the wizardry of Stephen Rochford, some words of praise for one of his predecessors, Pat Holmes, who successfully pulled off a trick or two in his spell at the Mayo helm.

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.

Kieran McGeeney fears supporters may have to be segregated in the future because of how the media perceives Ulster teams as cynical and over-physical.

Ulster Club SFC final - Crossmaglen (Armagh) 2-17 Scotstown (Monaghan) 2-12 (AET): The nature of this game thankfully didn’t tally with the chilly conditions in which it was played. At times, it was combustible, sometimes bordering on the dangerous, but always captivating.

Crossmaglen (Armagh) 2-15 Cargin (Antrim) 0-13: Allegations that Cargin midfielder Michael McCann was bitten during a second-half row overshadowed Crossmaglen’s AIB Ulster club SFC quarter-final victory at the Athletic Grounds yesterday.

We have managed to overlook this huge centenary of Irish sacrifice on the world stage, writes Victoria White

Galway failed to score for the final 25 minutes, but held on to beat Armagh in a high-quality second round All-Ireland SFC qualifier in the Athletic Grounds yesterday.

Damien Comer’s second-half goal proved decisive as Galway marched on in the All-Ireland SFC Qualifiers, a three points win at the Athletic Grounds earning them a place in tomorrow's third round draw.

David Coldrick will have been pleasantly surprised by the sporting nature of his Ulster Championship game at the Athletic Grounds and to see Donegal playing down the clock from the 60th minute.

Armagh 0-8 Donegal 2-11: There was a time when it was Donegal who were the hopeless romantics and Armagh the dealers in dashed dreams, but those roles have long been reversed and never more so than yesterday afternoon in this lopsided Ulster quarter-final.

The hard work was completed in the week prior to this match. Irrespective of how the game went, Armagh were looking for a win-win.

A man has accidentally shot his mother-in-law after the bullet he fired at an armadillo ricocheted and hit her.

A man has accidentally shot his mother-in-law after the bullet he fired at an armadillo ricocheted and hit her.

Tyrone 1-12 St Mary’s 0-03: Holders Tyrone moved to within touching distance of the Dr McKenna Cup semi-finals with a comfortable if unimpressive win over St Mary’s at Healy Park.

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.

Omagh (Tyrone) 2-8 Crossmaglen (Armagh) 1-9

ALL-IRELAND SFC ROUND 2B:

Monaghan 1-18 Armagh 1-13

Monaghan 1-18 Armagh 1-13

Armagh 1-12 Cavan 0-9

The buzz, the excitement: it just wasn’t there at the count centre in Keenagh in Co Longford on Saturday where counting of votes in the Longford-Westmeath by-election was taking place.

Gabrielle McFadden remains in the lead in the Longford Westmeath by-election.

The battle for Longford-Westmeath once again highlights Ireland’s curious tradition as a Republic that often takes comfort in voting for the hereditary principle when choosing elected representatives.

A new exhibition at the Crawford Art Gallery explores the brief career of Samuel Forde, says Tina Darb O’Sullivan

AIB ALL-IRELAND CLUB SFC SEMI-FINAL:

Manager Paul Grimley has hit out at “so-called fans” who want to criticise rather than support his Armagh side.

There is one simple reason why David Moyes should never have got the manager’s job at Manchester United.

Crossmaglen Rangers flashed out the message that a 17th title in 18 years is in their sights by beating Pearse Óg by 2-11 to 0-7 in the quarter-finals.

Armagh will field an unchanged team for the third match running when they travel to Salthill to take on Galway in the All-Ireland SFC qualifiers on Saturday.

Armagh manager Paul Grimley is confident that the team that throttled Wicklow can get the required result against Leitrim in Saturday's All-Ireland SFC second round qualifier in Carrick-on-Shannon (throw-in 5pm).

Taking the lead on the fourth stage, British duo Paul Bird/Aled Davies (Ford Focus WRC) won the Dunboyne- based Triton Showers ALMC Rally.

Waterford veteran Tony Browne is hopeful of playing his first county hurling of the year in Saturday’s All-Ireland SHC qualifier clash with Westmeath in Cusack Park (5pm).

Cavan will have two Championship debutants in their team when they host Armagh in Sunday's Ulster SFC preliminary round tie at Kingspan Breffni Park (throw-in 2pm).