Kildare have given their hopes of survival in Allianz League Division Two a timely boost with a comfortable defeat of their accommodating neighbours across the border.

The some times invisible line between the summit and the basement of affairs in Division 2 was summed up at the end of this entertaining tussle of many twists before Laois finally turned for home with two precious points in their safe-keeping.

Just two points separate first from last in Division Two of the Allianz League after this rescheduled meeting in Portlaoise but the gap between Cavan and Laois on the day was enormous.

Laois somehow managed to escape from Dr Hyde Park with a draw as late goals from Evan O’Carroll and Kieran Lillis earned Mike Quirke’s side a share of the spoils.

UCC never led at the Carlow college grounds.

Independent TD and former minister Denis Naughten said he will only support the Government on a case-by-case basis, should a vote of confidence be called.

Lowry, who won his first major on Irish soil at Royal Portrush last July, is in Dubai as he prepares for a return to action later this month.

Here's the story of 2019, as told through Examiner Sport front pages.

Gaelic Games remains narrowly the nation’s favourite sport, Katie Taylor is by far the most admired athlete, and the Irish rugby team have been dethroned as Team of the Year.

The Open champion topped the poll to claim the Golf Writers Trophy for 2019.

Lowry, who was presented with the award by his father Brendan, dedicated the honour to Clara GAA stalwart John Buckley, whose His funeral takes place tomorrow.

On Wednesday, Shane Lowry toasted 2019. His team — including manager Conor Ridge, caddie Brian Martin and coach Neil Manchip — had gathered for Christmas lunch. Before they began, the big man raised a glass.

There was another night to remember at the end of a remarkable year as the Irish Golf Writers’ Association crowned Open champion Shane Lowry its Professional Player of the Year at its annual Allianz-sponsored awards.

The Mike Quirke era of Laois football began with a defeat in the opening round of the O’Byrne Cup against neighbours Offaly on Saturday.

Tradition, it’s one of the great GAA intangibles. Does it actually count for anything? Does it help put a ball over the bar or stand to a team when they’re struggling?

Tabling the motion against the minister tonight in the Dáil, Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy outlined how high rents, unaffordable homes and homelessness were at an all-time high.

The Abu Dhabi Championship is set to be the first event of Shane Lowry's 2020 season.

Open champion Shane Lowry insists he will not rest on his laurels as he looks to finish his career-best season on a high at the DP World Championship in Dubai.

Shane Lowry says level-par opening round not the ideal start to the Turkish Airlines Open

Shane Lowry might be focussed on the Turkish Airlines Open and the Race to Dubai but he admits that it would be “an incredible honour” to carry to Irish flag at next year’s Olympic Games and a dream to win gold.

Shane Lowry will sit down with the family for Christmas dinner in seven weeks' time and bask in the warm glow of an unforgettable season.

As the dark evenings draw in, Ciara McDonnell rounds up the cosiest hotel breaks

Finland’s Tapio Pulkkanen claimed a slender lead in the opening round of the Italian Open after setting a target which proved too hot to handle.

Open champion Shane Lowry has switched his focus from parental responsibilities to trying to reclaim top spot in the Race to Dubai at the Italian Open.

All five of her bedrooms at her Co Donegal home were pulled apart and the raiders took a substantial amount of cash as well as jewellery of huge sentimental value.

After impressing as Turner, actor Timothy Spall now takes on the role of LS Lowry, an artist with serious mother issues, writes Laura Harding

On Tuesday, Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry, and Graeme McDowell enjoyed a friendly nine holes of practice at Liberty National Golf Club ahead of the Northern Trust Open, the first event in the FedEx Cup Play-offs.

Shane Lowry revealed he had fully heeded Rory McIlroy’s advice to enjoy his Open triumph as he prepared to return to action in The Northern Trust.

Sean Desmond has hardly had time to fully take in the magnitude of his victory in the South of Ireland Championship last Sunday before gearing himself up for the AIG Irish Close Championship beginning at Ballybunion on Saturday.

From Sunday morning nerves to lifting the Claret Jug, Shane Lowry’s big day out at Royal Portrush turned the Irishman from nearly man into a force to be reckoned with among golf’s elite.

Tuesday morning, 12 days out from Dublin’s next game in the Championship, and two Ciarán Kilkennys turn up for a media engagement.

Of all the challenges Shane Lowry had to overcome in Portrush last week, none was more persistent or annoying than the American journalist who insisted on pestering the Irish golfer — and the others from the island — with questions about the symbolism of an Open Championship held in Northern Ireland.

Brian O’Driscoll believes Joe Schmidt’s Ireland team can take inspiration from Shane Lowry’s Open triumph as they seek to emulate the Offaly golfer by climbing higher than ever before on the world stage.

Rory McIlroy has admitted he was more emotional and overwhelmed by the support he received at Portrush last week than missing the cut at the Open Championship. He said last night it was the first time he had to stop himself crying on a golf course.

Padraig Harrington will look to take inspiration from Shane Lowry’s Open triumph in the Barracuda Championship, where high points totals rather than low scores will be the order of the day.

The last thing Shane Lowry needs is to be a hostage to fortune — but while the new Open Champion insists he would retire happy with a single major win on his resumé, a steely ambition for further success lurks not far beneath the surface.

Shane Lowry may have been at the centre of a whirlwind of celebrations and media attention since his Open Championship victory at Royal Portrush on Sunday but he is hoping his hard-earned status as Ireland’s newest major champion will not change him.

A small town on the River Brosna in County Offaly with a population of over 3,000 people has earned its place on the map this evening following champion golfer Shane Lowry's homecoming party.

Shane Lowry said the feeling of winning The Open “hasn’t sunk in yet” as he was welcomed home to County Offaly.

Lowry left Dublin on Tuesday afternoon bound for his hometown after conducting interviews for the media at the end of a whirlwind 36 hours of celebrations in Dublin that followed his return from Portrush.

Graeme McDowell hailed Ireland’s newest major champion and backed Shane Lowry to finally come out from Rory McIlroy’s shadow after lifting the Claret Jug at Royal Portrush.

Michael Hayes All-Ireland winners Mike Quirke and Patrick Kelly believe the red carpet should be rolled out at Croke Park for Open Championship winner Shane Lowry.