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.

Bruce Springsteen’s Glory Days blared out over the tannoy prior to the start of this Allianz League Division 2 tie at breezy Páirc Tailteann yesterday and while that may have been a bit premature for the Royals there were some positive signs in this hard-fought victory.

Declan Bonner, the Donegal manager, commended the resolve shown by his young side as they came from four points down late on to overcame Meath in a frost-bitten Ballybofey on Saturday night.

Magnificent Longford’s long wait for a Leinster championship win finally ended when they created a massive shock with a thoroughly deserved victory over 14-man Meath before an attendance of 5,591 at Pearse Park yesterday.

Meath are eyeing up their first piece of silverware under Andy McEntee after cruising comfortably through to the last four of the Bord na Mona O’Byrne Cup.

All-Ireland winner Patrick McBrearty showed all his big game experience with a dramatic 73rd minute winning point at Pairc Tailteann to send Donegal through to Round 4A of the qualifiers.

We are writing as a concerned group of leading animal welfare organisations including Dogs Trust, Europe’s largest dog welfare charity, and two of Ireland’s oldest and largest animal welfare charities, the Irish SPCA and the Irish Blue Cross.

TDs, senators, and their staff are to get mental health counselling to help them handle stress from their work brought on by the financial crisis in recent years.

Hurler and mental health campaigner Conor Cusack has said the Government has still not "grasped the severity" of the country’s mental health crisis and appealed for all parties to pump resources into this area.

Criticism of the Government for failing to grasp the severity of the nation’s mental health crisis could hardly be more damning. Coming as it does from the Cloyne and former Cork hurler and mental health campaigner Conor Cusack, it could hardly be better informed.

A majority of TDs have been abused online, according to an Irish Examiner survey which reveals the extent of the problem.

Cyberbullying is associated with school-aged children and teenagers but online abuse has escalated so that politicians, celebrities and their families are being targeted, writes Kelly O’Brien.

Patients suffering as a result of self-harm or suicide attempts should be provided with an alternative access to hospital than the general Accident and Emergency system.

Gerry Adams has asked the Oireachtas to provide mental health services for TDs and senators who are reluctant to access treatment in their local areas due to "societal stigma".

Deemed too old for inter-county football and possibly too young for politics, the last eight months have been a whirlwind for Joe Sheridan. But the 30-year-old’s interest in both remains unstinted.

Prior to the last general election Taoiseach Enda Kenny made a commitment to the Irish people that if Fine Gael was returned to power they would dispense with parish-pump politics, sleaze, cronyism and political nepotism, so long associated with the body politic in this state.

Dublin 0-15 Meath 0-10

The country’s youngest female TD has said the Government must address concerns about the mental health of unemployed young people, many of whom are turning to drink and drugs.

UCD 2-12 Wexford 3-3

One of the Dáil’s leading backbench TDs has called on all political parties to fund a counselling service to help TDs and senators cope with some of the abuse they receive from the public.

Agriculture ministers and department officials held more than a dozen unrecorded meetings with the chairman of the Irish Greyhound Board over the course of 17 months when controversies around its operation began to emerge.

Former junior minister Shane McEntee died as a result of asphyxiation, an inquest heard last night.

Fine Gael has put in place counselling services for TDs and senators who may be “experiencing difficulties” in their professional or personal lives after the tragic death of minister of state Shane McEntee last year.

Half a million men and women living in farming communities will be taught how to look out for their loved ones in a new bid to curb suicides in rural Ireland.

The Government has appointed a new junior agriculture minister to fill the position left vacant by the late Shane McEntee.

There were smiles, handshakes, and cheers as the newest member of the Dáil was welcomed into Leinster House yesterday.

An outspoken Sinn Féin councillor has been forced to make an apology after insulting comments he made about newly-elected TD Helen McEntee and her grieving family.

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore has vowed to face down the challenges facing Labour after its humiliating defeat in the Meath East by-election.

Helen McEntee became the youngest female TD in the Dáil yesterday after topping the poll in Meath East and taking her late father’s seat.

Fine Gael candidate Helen McEntee said she was overwhelmed by the support she had received after her victory in the Meath East by-election today.

Labour is to push for renegotiation of the programme for Government after a dismal by-election performance in Meath East.

Fianna Fáil has conceded defeat in the Meath East by-election with Fine Gael’s Helen McEntee on course to be formally elected to the seat previously held by her late father.

Fine Gael’s Helen McEntee is on track to win the Dáil seat once held by her late father in Meath East.

Boxes have been opened in Ashbourne where counting will take place in the Meath East by-election.

The country's newest TD will be elected later as counting in the Meath East by-election gets underway at 9am.

The Government faces criticism over its decision to reduce polling hours for the Meath East by-election after a dismal turnout by voters at count centres.

Gerard Howlin looks at the repercussions from the Meath-East by-election and argues that what matters more than who wins, is how the result compares to expectation

Polling stations in the Meath East by-election have closed.

Turnout in the Meath East by-election is reportedly very low this evening. Only 11.6% of the electorate have so far cast their vote.