A 70th minute Keelan Sexton goal preserved Clare’s Division 2 status and, in the process, condemned both Cork and Tipperary to Division 3 football next spring.

It ended with bodies being flung, arms spread wide, legs hacking chaotically, and the general confusion of a final ’45 dropped upon close to 28 players.

Liam McGrath pointed a 40-metre free five minutes into additional-time to gain Tipperary their first point after a hectic finish to an otherwise rather poor tie at Semple Stadium yesterday.

The fare on offer from both side was well short of what will be needed to win promotion but it was Meath who were happiest at the end of this dour Division 2 tie at Páirc Tailteann yesterday.

CAVAN 0-17 TIPPERARY 2-10: Super-sub Conor Madden’s 75th-minute winner broke Tipp hearts and sent spirited Cavan back into the league’s top flight.

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

Tipperary 2-15 - Meath 1-10 

University of Ulster 1-13 UCD 0-18 (after double extra-time)

Brian O'Seanachain and Con O'Callaghan scored in the second period of double extra-time to book UCD's place in Saturday's Sigerson Cup final for the third year in a row.

UCD manager John Divilly said that his Kerry midfield pairing of Jack Barry and Barry O’Sullivan have all the attributes to develop into a superb midfielder partnership who could do a great job for the Kingdom.

Tipperary 3-16 Cork 1-16: A dominant second-half showing from Tipperary in the curtain-raiser at Páirc Uí Chaoimh handed the Premier footballers their second competitive victory over Cork in three years.

Sigerson Cup: UCD 2-15 - NUI Maynooth 1-6: UCD manager John Divilly praised his side’s composure as last year’s beaten finalists saw off an erratic NUI Maynooth to open their Sigerson Cup campaign with a win.

Tyrone advanced to a very first final in this grade.

A Jamie Clarke goal in the 70th minute propelled Armagh into the fourth round of the qualifiers, writes Eoghan Cormican

Tipperary flicked the switch at half-time and threw everything into attack, and the rewards were rich and bountiful as they came from six points behind to beat Cavan in a Round 2B Qualifier at Kingspan Breffni.

Tipperary 3-8 Armagh 0-16

Tipperary 3-17 Longford 0-18: It’s now two from four in the race for promotion from Division 3 of the Allianz Football League, according to Tipperary manager Liam Kearns.

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

UCD 1-10

Cork’s 2017 season opened in promising fashion last night as an experimental outfit eased past the challenge of Tipperary.

Alan and Donncha O’Connor have committed to the Cork football squad for 2017, selector Eoin O’Neill has confirmed.

UCD 4-12 UL 1-9: UCD could be without Jack McCaffrey for their first Sigerson Cup final appearance in 13 years after the footballer of the year hobbled out of yesterday’s semi-final contest with a hamstring injury.

Clare 1-10 Tipperary 1-9: A late goal by local star Kieran Malone earned Clare victory over Tipperary in the opening round of the McGrath Cup yesterday.

UCD 2-18 DCU 0-12: UCD finished strongly to claim the Ryan Cup, following victory over rivals DCU in last night’s HE SFL Division 1 Final at Parnell Park.

Stradbally (Waterford) 0-5 Nemo Rangers (Cork) 1-13: Once showered and changed, the Stradbally players made the short walk from Fraher Field to The Park Hotel for a couple of well overdue pints.

Stradbally 0-8 Ballinacourty 0-6 

Tipperary 3-21 Louth 0-7: “Is it worth anything to us really,” questioned Peter Creedon.

Declan Hannon and Seamus Hickey have been returned to the Limerick hurling team for tomorrow evening’s qualifier clash against Dublin.

Tyrone withstood a barrage of late Tipperary pressure to secure the county’s fifth All-Ireland U21 football title this evening.

Aidan Ryan is a surprise inclusion as Cork make three changes for Sunday’s Allianz HL Division 1 final against Waterford in Semple Stadium (3.30pm).

Not for the first time this decade, Tipperary are setting themselves up to be the feelgood story of the football season.

Tipperary showed tremendous composure to finish strongly and book their place in a first ever Eirgrid All-Ireland U21FC final.

The mini-truck carrying close to 30 Tipperary U21 footballers edged through the town of Templemore close to midnight.

The first session of the two-day Kanturk-Duhallow point-to-point fixture at Dromahane took place on Saturday and Sam Curling’s Grand Gold indicated that he’s set for a particularly productive campaign by easily winning the four-mile ladies open in the hands of the Liz Lalor.

Allianz Football League leaders Cork have included all three O’Driscoll brothers for Sunday’s table-topping clash with Mayo.