Meath snatched victory from the jaws of defeat to take a major step in their quest for a return to top-tier football with this victory in driving snow at Páirc Tailteann yesterday.

There was a sensational ending to this fully-blooded Division 2 NFL encounter as a penalty goal from Barry Dardis in added time strengthened Meath’s promotion push at Pairc Tailteann.

Where in the opening round Cork succeeded in securing a point despite being a man down for the closing 27 minutes of action, yesterday, despite being a man up for the same period of time, they were unable to manage anything at all.

Newbridge or nowhere? That’s how it’s shaping up again for Kildare only this time they’ll have nowhere left to turn in the championship if they don’t beat Galway in Newbridge next weekend.

Kildare claimed their first win in 12 months, with a richly deserved eight-point qualifier win over Derry.

Donegal 1-16 Kildare 3-7: Donegal’s poorest performance of Division 1 this term was still enough to post a first win, at Kildare’s expense.

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

Westmeath 1-12 Kildare 1-11: Shot down in spring, but singing in summer. Such is the way of Westmeath under Tom Cribbin these last couple of seasons.

Eoghan Cormican says Cian O'Neill will deliver promotion for the Lilywhites.

As a loyal Kildare servant, Damien Hendy has become accustomed to criticism.

The second round of fixtures in the Allianz Football League were played last weekend and there were some cracking games of football.

Kildare have a dreadful record against Dublin in league and championship in recent years but the Bord na Móna O’Byrne Cup has proved an exception.

By Peter O’Dwyer

LEINSTER SFC QUARTER-FINAL:

Kildare belied much of the pre-match portents of doom to crush Louth in Croke Park and cruise to a Leinster semi-final date with either Meath or Carlow.

LEINSTER SFC QUARTER-FINAL:

Derry 2-17 Kildare 3-9

Maybe it was the half-hour or so he took to put the subs through the drills after the final whistle but Jason Ryan was at least able to resort to humour by the time he got round to sharing his thoughts on being sucker-punched.

Cork 0-13 Kildare 1-07

KILDARE have shown their ability to snatch a result at the death on a couple of occasions this year, most recently when full-back Mick Foley grabbed an equalising goal in Ballybofey last week.

Kildare 1-13 Laois 1-11

Donegal 0-8 Kildare 1-5

Antrim 0-11 Kildare 1-17

KEITH CRIBBIN struck at the death for Kildare to dramatically deny Louth silverware for the second time in six months.

Kildare 3-9 Louth 2-9

LIAM SHEEDY has made four changes to his Tipperary starting line-up as they attempt to revive their All-Ireland SHC challenge in tomorrow’s qualifier tie against Wexford in Semple Stadium after the defeat against Cork in the Munster quarter-final in May.

Kildare manager Kieran McGeeney has handed Championship debuts to three players for tomorrow's Leinster SFC quarter-final against Louth at Pairc Tailteann (throw-in 7pm).

THERE was good news for Kildare supporters as Dermot Earley came on as a second half substitute as the Lilywhites drew with Sligo in a challenge at Stephen O’Rourke Memorial Park yesterday.

Meath 1-15 Kildare 0-13

THE three-week sabbatical had startlingly different effects on these two sides, with Kildare looking much like their old selves and Donegal but a pale shadow of the team that steamrolled Laois last time out.

Kildare manager Kieran McGeeney has opted to stick with the same side which lost this year's Leinster final to Dublin, naming an unchanged line-up for Saturday's All-Ireland SFC fourth round qualifier against Wicklow at O'Moore Park (throw-in 7pm).

LAOIS’S hopes of continuing their recent hurling renaissance have improved with confirmation that manager Niall Rigney wishes to continue on in the post.

Kildare manager Kieran McGeeney is sweating on the fitness of a number of players ahead of Saturday's All-Ireland SFC fourth round qualifier against Wicklow in Portlaoise.