Laois edged an entertaining battle against an Offaly side, minus Ciarán McManus and Niall McNamee at the opening of the new Mountmellick GAA Clubhouse by GAA President Liam O’Neill last night.

Laois 0-10 Down 2-11, Portlaoise

Cork forward Paul Kerrigan has been suspended for two matches following his dismissal in their Division 1 opener against Armagh.

Paul Kerrigan is set to miss two matches in the Allianz League through suspension.

He’s not normally the type to betray his emotions and, while Conor Counihan chose his words carefully, they could hardly mask his sense of frustration at Paul Kerrigan’s sending-off near half-time.

Conor Counihan expressed himself happy enough to be making the long journey home with a point in the bag and, while they could have left with nothing, they really should have departed with two.

“WITH my track record?” smiled Dessie Dolan after he was asked if he fancied taking Garrycastle’s injury-time free.

WESTMEATH’S Leinster club SFC hoodoo was broken in dramatic circumstances by substitute Conor Cosgrove’s injury-time winning free in Tullamore yesterday.

Garrycastle 1-8 St Brigid's 0-10

It’s a myth that winners are hated. Jose Mourinho and Alex Ferguson draw opprobrium on their teams because of their incessant whining after games.

DERRY manager John Brennan took this one badly.

THEY get knocked down, but they always get up again.

Kildare 0-19 Derry 0-13

THE Sky Sports cameras were at Ruislip on Saturday but they didn’t get the result they were hoping for. In what they described ‘Gaelic football’s version of the FA Cup’, this was one giantkilling act too many for London.

London 0-13 Waterford 1-17

Michael Curley, the Chairman of the GAA's National Referees Committee, has defended referee Cormac Reilly's performance in last Sunday's Leinster SFC semi-final between Dublin and Kildare.

A MUCH-maligned Offaly side produced one of the shocks of the All-Ireland SFC qualifier weekend with a deserved victory over Division One opponents Monaghan in Tullamore.

Offaly 1-18 Monaghan 1-10

Meath football legend Colm O'Rourke has expressed his dissatisfaction with the current disciplinary system in the GAA, making reference to Brian Farrell's four-week ban as 'a cock-up.'

The GAA's disciplinary system is likely to face stinging criticism in the coming days after Meath forward Brian Farrell was hit with a four-week suspension.

GAA President Christy Cooney believes that the criticism of referees and umpires so far this summer has been totally over the top.

ULSTER secretary Danny Murphy believes the new GAA playing rules committee must consider abolishing the square ball rule in open play for the betterment of Gaelic games and the benefit of referees following Sunday’s controversy.

NATIONAL referees committee chairman Mick Curley says the GAA have no problem with referees appointing sons or any family members as umpires providing they pass the required rules tests.

Kildare 0-16 Laois 0-10

Kildare 0-12 Wicklow 0-5

Dublin 2-10 Down 0-13

TIPPERARY were transformed after half-time at Semple Stadium yesterday as they got off to a winning start against Limerick in Division 3 of the Allianz NFL.

DAVID COLDRICK is the surprise appointment to referee the All-Ireland senior football decider between Cork and Down in Croke Park on September 19.

Meath's David Coldrick has been appointed by the GAA to referee the 2010 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final between Cork and Down at Croke Park on Sunday, September 19.

The GAA's Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) has confirmed the match officials for this weekend's All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals and the first All-Ireland SHC semi-final, involving Cork and defending champions Kilkenny.

THAT only two points separated them in the end was a testament to Westmeath’s spirit, but Louth were full value for a win that puts them into the Leinster final for the first time since 1960.

THE draws for the second round of the All-Ireland football qualifiers will be televised by TV3, not in the usual Sunday evening slot, but on Monday morning.

The GAA's Central Hearings Committee has upheld four-week bans for Armagh footballer Brian Mallon and Waterford footballer Tommy Prendergast, while Prendergast's Deise colleague Tony Grey has had his case adjourned until later this week.

AS expected Limerick secured their place in a second consecutive Munster football final at the expense of their hosts at Fraher Field yesterday.

UNFORTUNATELY, the decision which hugely influenced this Munster football semi-final in Fraher Field was not made by the Limerick or Waterford management team or a player from either side but by the referee Syl Doyle.

Waterford 1-9 Limerick 1-17

KILDARE manager Kieran McGeeney is hoping that there will be no repeat of the “mistakes” which marred the O’Byrne Cup tie between his own side and Laois when the pair meet again in the NFL this weekend.

KILDARE manager Kieran McGeeney has termed the disciplinary measures which followed his side’s ill-tempered battle with Laois in the O’Byrne Cup as “a joke”.

KILDARE manager Kieran McGeeney has dropped All Star nominee Alan Smith from his panel.

Fines totalling €14,000 and bans of 28 weeks have been handed out by the Leinster Council to Laois and Kildare, following the dismissal of seven players during last Sunday's fractious O'Byrne Cup quarter-final at Portlaoise.

GAA president Christy Cooney described as "unsatisfactory" the fact that seven red cards were shown in an O’Byrne Cup game in Portlaoise on Sunday and has backed the Leinster Council to take the appropriate action.

GAA president Christy Cooney described as “unsatisfactory” the fact that seven red cards were shown in an O’Byrne Cup game in Portlaoise on Sunday and has backed the Leinster Council to take the appropriate action.

KILDARE won through to the O’Byrne Cup semi-final yesterday – they now play Louth – but the result was lost in the small print as seven players were sent off in an ill-tempered affair at O’Moore Park.