Two counties with their championship season on the line but only one that seemed in any way interested in extending their campaign as Longford cruised to victory over an insipid Carlow side

Two goals in as many first-half minutes laid the platform for favourites Meath to cruise past Carlow in Portlaoise and through to the Leinster SFC quarter-finals.

Laois have sealed back-to-back promotions for the first time in their history after a dramatic win over Carlow.

The postponed Round 6 tie between Westmeath and Louth will take place next weekend, rather than midweek ensuring the final will not take place in Croke Park next weekend.

It’s All-Stars week and in the interest of keeping you informed, there is a change in the selection process from last year — an outfield player can be chosen for an award in an area other than the one they were nominated in, writes John Fogarty 

Goalkeepers of the Year

Tyrone 3-14 Carlow 1-10

An idyllic summer afternoon in Croke Park, the type of day footballers dream about — getting an opportunity to showcase their skills and the fruits of all the work that goes into being an inter-county footballer. 

Laois 0-12 Carlow 0-8

Steven Poacher’s Ulster accent has been one of the main backing tracks to the movie reel of the moments that mark Carlow’s progression from anonymous extras to strong supporting actors in Gaelic football this last 12 months.

A lot of folk talk about putting their bodies on the line for their teams. Paul Broderick went and did it, time and again, over the course of a decade and more that delivered little in the way of silver or spotlight.

Carlow 2-14 Kildare 1-10 

Carlow 2-17 Louth 0-12

If the latest row between the Dublin senior football management and RTÉ has confirmed one thing (other than just confirm how much the relationship has soured and how petty it has become), it’s that manager Jim Gavin does indeed watch a lot of inter-county football matches.

Carlow attacker Paul Broderick has backed boss Turlough O’Brien’s claim that the Division 4 outfit has every right to take on the top teams in the Championship.

Monaghan brought the Carlow odyssey to an end, but only after a mighty scare at Netwatch Cullen Park, where the Ulster men finished strongly for a flattering five points Qualifier win.

Monaghan and Carlow have booked their places in round three of the All-Ireland Football Qualifiers.

Carlow booked their place in tomorrow’s qualifier draw after edging a dour defensive battle with London at Ruislip.

DUBLIN 0-19 ... CARLOW 0-7: Dublin made a sticky start to their Leinster campaign in O’Moore Park even if their margin of victory over Carlow was convincing.

A Championship opener at Dr Cullen Park may not have been one for the purists to salivate over, but the intrigue was constant and the reward for Carlow far greater than the immediacy of a Leinster quarter-final date with Dublin. That may be daunting, but it can wait, writes John Divilly.

A late surge of scoring for the second game running proved decisive for Louth as they cruised through to a mouth-watering Leinster SFC quarter-final clash with old rivals Meath.

Wexford boss David Power has described the approach of Antrim in Sunday’s league clash in Corrigan Park as “thuggery”.

Eoghan Cormican believes David Power can take Wexford back to Division 3.

Longford 2-15 Carlow 1-8: Three weeks on from their refusal to bow to pragmatism and shut up shop against Dublin, Longford’s commitment to attractive football finally paid off on Saturday.

Antrim 1-12 Carlow 0-15: Allianz National Football League Division 4: The day was bright and brisk, but the football in yesterday’s Allianz NFL Division Four tussle at St Paul’s Complex in Belfast, didn’t match the conditions.

Dublin became the first team to qualify for the Bord na Móna O'Byrne Cup semi-finals after a hard earned victory over Offaly, with wins also for Maynooth University, Kildare, UCD, Meath, Westmeath, Wexford and DIT tonight.

Meath 7-13 Carlow 0-6

London 2-7 Carlow 0-13

Athlone IT 1-15 Carlow 0-13

Palatine reached the Carlow SFC final after an 0-15 to 0-10 win over a fancied Rathvilly at Dr Cullen Park on Saturday and O’Hanrahan’s emerged 4-13 to 1-12 winners over Tinryland in a replayed quarter-final tie which required extra-time.

New football champions will be crowned in Carlow this year after Palatine defeated Old Leighlin, winners for the past two years, in a thrilling SFC quarter-final at Dr Cullen Park on Saturday.

OLD LEIGHLIN won the Conlon Cup for the third time before 4,000 spectators at Dr Cullen Park yesterday.

ÉIRE ÓG came from four points down in the second half to send Palatine tumbling out of the Carlow SFC in Saturday’s quarter-final at Dr Cullen Park — the former Leinster champions winning by 3-11 to 2-8.

RATHVILLY remain on course to retain the Carlow SFC title following an 0-13 to 1-4 win over a disappointing Tinryland side in Saturday’s quarter-final at Dr Cullen Park.

Longford goalkeeper Damien Sheridan won the MBNA All-Ireland Kick Fada title at Bray Emmets GAA Club this afternoon.

Mayo 5-17 Leitrim 1-5