Ups and downs of the final round

2.30pm– The final day of the football league is one of the big set-pieces on the GAA calendar. With head-to-head results and scoring difference separating teams level on points, all issues are decided on the day and it is often more important, certainly for those not in Division One, for the contending counties than the divisional finals.

This year’s league has shaped up very competitively and going into yesterday’s matches 25 out of 33 counties still had something to play for and if you except Division Four, where there’s no relegation, only two counties, both in Division One, Dublin already in the divisional final and Mayo, had nothing at stake before the throw-in.

One match was played early, as neither Fermanagh nor London were in contention for promotion from Division Four. At the end of what has been a bruising and controversial campaign Fermanagh won by 0-14 to 0-8. The divisional titles will be decided the weekend after next.

D1 – 2nd minute:Dublin's Paul Flynn intercepts a pass from Owen Concannon to set up a goal opportunity, duly taken by Alan Brogan, depressing further bottom-of-the-table Galway's hopes of a last-day miracle.

D1 – 4th minute:Páirc Uí Chaoimh – In what develops as a tight match with both Cork and Armagh needing points at either end of Division One, Armagh's Steven McDonnell has a goal chance blocked by Michael Shields. The kick is missed.

D1 – 6th minute:Inniskeen – Tommy Freeman starts and finishes the move for a goal that puts Monaghan 1-2 to 0-4 ahead, raising hopes that, after an injury-raddled campaign, Eamonn McEneaney's (pictured below with Mickey Harte) team have a glimmer of a chance of escaping relegation. But they need to win, Armagh to lose and Galway to create a three-way pile-up on four points and make up a minus-four scoring difference on Armagh.

D4 – Aughrim:Wicklow's need for a win if they are to maintain hopes for promotion is off to a bad start with Clare leading, 0-3 to nil.

D1 – 7th minute:Pearse Stadium – After scoring the goal, Alan Brogan is red-carded for an incident off the ball, which gives Dublin an uphill battle for the rest of the match and means that he is likely to miss the final in a fortnight.

D1 – 13th minute:Páirc Uí Chaoimh – Cork edge 0-2 to 0-1 ahead of Armagh with a Daniel Goulding free.

D1 – 15th minute:Páirc Uí Chaoimh – Cork goalkeeper Ken O'Halloran saves from Jamie Clarke to prevent a goal. Armagh equalise from the 45 and Cork need to take control, as Kerry are opening up a lead over Down in Killarney.

D2 – 20th minute:Páirc Tailteann – Tyrone stretch their lead over Meath to 0-5 to 0-2, adding to the pressure on the home team, who have to win to stay in the division.

D2 – Newbridge:A big crowd are watching Kildare making heavy weather of beating Sligo but a win no longer looks enough for Kieran McGeeney's team, who lead 0-6 to 1-2.

D2 – Casement Park:Antrim's relegation (Paddy Cunningham pictured right) looks assured. Caolan O'Boyle's goal has Derry ahead 1-5 to 0-2 and Mark Sweeney's second yellow card reduces the home side to 14 men.

D2 – 21st minute:O'Moore Park – Laois lead table toppers Donegal 0-6 to 0-2 with MJ Tierney flawless from four frees to date.

D3 – 26th minute:Newcastlewest – Limerick's roller-coaster season is ending on an upwards curve. Ger Collins's penalty means that they now lead Wexford 1-4 to 0-4, whose weak finish to the season is now in danger of costing them promotion.

D1 - 28th minute:Pearse Stadium – Pat Burke gets a run on the Galway goal and finishes emphatically to push 14-man Dublin, playing with the famous Salthill breeze, into a 2-4 to 0-6 lead.

D1 – 30th minute:Fitzgerald Stadium – Down have cut the margin in Killarney back to 0-5 to 0-6, giving them renewed hope of making the final given Cork's struggle against Armagh.

D1 – 35th minute:Páirc Uí Chaoimh – Aidan Walsh pushes Cork ahead 0-7 to 0-6 just before the break

Half-time

Division One– Dublin v Cork in the final, Galway and Monaghan going down, no change.

Division Two– Laois (now top) v Donegal in final, Meath and Antrim relegated.

Division Three– Westmeath jump from third to top and will face Wexford in final, Waterford and Limerick go down.

Division Four– Roscommon v Longford in final, no change.

D4 – 36th minute: Pearse Park – Carlow's JJ Smith has an eventful start to the second half, scoring a goal within 20 seconds, but getting a red card seconds later for an altercation with Longford's Dermot Brady.

D1 – 38th minute:Páirc Uí Chaoimh – Donncha O'Connor, on as a replacement after recovering from "a bit of a groin problem", is taken down by Paul Hearty for a penalty. He roofs the kick for a 1-7 to 0-7 lead.

Fitzgerald Stadium – The pressure’s still on though as Darran O’Sullivan fists home a goal for Kerry, who lead 1-8 to 0-5.

D1 – 40th minute:Páirc Uí Chaoimh: Further pressure on Cork. From the re-start Armagh get the ball to Steven McDonnell whose pass puts Aaron Kernan in for an equalising goal. At the moment Kerry are heading to the final.

D2 – 42nd minute:O'Moore Park – Division Two is taking shape, as Laois get a goal from the rampant MJ Tierney to lead 1-10 to 0-5. Tyrone are maintaining the pressure leading by three, 0-10 to 0-7, in Navan.

D2 – 44th minute:Newbridge – Sligo remain a point behind, 1-7 to 0-11 but as long as Meath are also losing they're safe.

D2 – 49th minute:O'Moore Park – Laois's promotion is edging closer despite Dermot Molloy pulling back a goal, as Donegal's Michael Hegarty is sent off for a second yellow card. Páirc Uí Chaoimh – Cork are now in a real fight, as Eoin Cadogan is red-carded for lashing back at Steven McDonnell.

D2 – 50th minute:Páirc Tailteann – Martin Penrose stretches Tyrone's lead to 1-10 to 0-9

Third quarter

Division One– Still Dublin v Cork in the final with Galway and Monaghan still in the drop zone.

Division Two– Laois v Donegal remains the final. Meath and Antrim stay on course for relegation.

Division Three– Westmeath jump from third to top but with Louth turning around the match against Waterford, they'll replace Wexford as finalists, Waterford and Limerick going down.

Division Four– Roscommon v Longford now looking the certain final.

53rd minute:Mullingar – Bernard Allen pulls Offaly back into the promotion reckoning with a goal to get within a point of Westmeath, 2-9 to 0-16. If Offaly win, they'll be promoted.

D1 – 55th minute:Inniskeen – Jason Doherty weaves in along the end-line and gets his seventh goal of the league campaign to push Mayo 2-11 to 1-11 ahead, leaving Monaghan on the precipice. Fitzgerald Stadium – Kerry's Tom O'Sullivan (left) gets a straight red card and Down, with Benny Coulter having scored a goal, are back in contention at 1-10 to 1-11.

D1 – 58th minute:Páirc Uí Chaoimh – Billy Joe Padden equalises for Armagh and Cork are now trailing Kerry in the table.

D2 – 59th minute:Páirc Tailteann – Meath are coming back and trail by just a point, 0-13 to 1-11.

D4 – 63rd minute:Pearse Park – Longford have stretched away to lead by nine, 1-20 to 1-11 and all but guarantee their promotion.

D2 – 64th minute:O'Moore Park – Donegal, a man short, have Laois in their sights 1-10 to 1-12.

D1 – Pearse Stadium– Gareth Bradshaw puts Galway level with Dublin 0-14 to 2-8.

D1 – 67th minute:Páirc Uí Chaoimh – Cork make a decisive move. Replacement Paddy Kelly's point attempt comes back off the post and Donncha O'Connor secures the rebound and swivels to drive the ball into the net to put the holders 2-14 to 1-12 ahead.

D1 – 68th minute:Pearse Stadium – Dean Kelly puts Dublin ahead 2-9 to 0-14.

D2 – 70th minute:Páirc Tailteann – Graham Reilly puts Meath ahead, 0-17 to 1-13, and in Division Two again next year.

D2 – 72nd minute:Páirc Tailteann – Martin Penrose equalises at the death for Tyrone, condemning Meath to relegation once again as Sligo are level in Newbridge.

D2 – 73rd minute:Newbridge: Eamonn Callaghan snatches a late winner for Kildare and Sligo suffer the agony of getting relegated with more or less the last kick of the campaign.

Full time

Division One– Dublin v Cork in the final with Galway and Monaghan, despite beating Mayo, going down on the basis of losing to Armagh by a point in February.

Division Two– Laois, who finished top, v Donegal in the final. Sligo replace Meath on the downwards escalator where they join Antrim.

Division Three– Westmeath confirm their ascent to the top and will play Louth in the final, as the Leinster finalists emerge from a three-way tie on eight points with a superior scoring difference. Waterford and Limerick, despite a big win over Wexford, go down.

Division Four– Roscommon v Longford meet in the final.