There was no shortage of drama or excitement in Castlebar as the All-Ireland SFC Qualifiers served up a thriller with Mayo doing just enough to book their place in the next round.

Malachy O’Rourke’s seven-season stint with Monaghan is over after the Farney’s eight-point All-Ireland qualifier defeat to Armagh in Clones on Saturday evening.

An old-fashioned shoot-out thrilled and enthralled a crowd of 21,192 at St Tiernach’s Park

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

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?

Fermanagh 0-7 - Armagh 07: A point each gives plenty to both teams. Armagh go up, after two seasons in the third division, while Fermanagh have to wait the outcome of a winner-takes all battle, on the final day of the season, away to Longford.

Armagh 1-11 Longford 1-10: This was the ultimate smash and grab operation.

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

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

Down scored a first Championship win over Armagh in 25 years, but they won’t be making any bold forecasts of a major breakthrough following this unconvincing success against a misfiring opponent.

Tipperary 3-8 Armagh 0-16

Tyrone chairperson Roisin Jordan has insisted the county executive is fully behind Mickey Harte and his team, and fully supportive of their efforts to win a first All-Ireland title since 2008.

Laois 1-11 Armagh 1-10: In the end, like most recounts in a general election, there was no change.

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.

Armagh 1-18 Derry 0-15: Armagh went down, but not without a fight, and Kieran McGeeney took the positives from a difficult spring despite the team’s relegation from Division 2 for the second time in three seasons.

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.

Two first-half goals against Armagh helped Tyrone into the Ulster U21 final for the first time in three years last night.