SFC qualifiers - Kildare 3-16 Laois 0-10:Kildare produced a typically energetic second half to end Laois's summer early and progress to round three of the All-Ireland SFC qualifiers. John Doyle was to the fore as usual but there were encouraging performances all over the field for the Lilywhites.
Full-forward Tomás O’Connor was an able target man and was instrumental in winning the penalty that gave Kildare their first goal. Doyle converted that and Connor soon added a second when he fielder a high ball and finished at the second attempt with a toe poke.
Kildare’s third goal came when the game was dead and buried but it was the classiest of the lot, as James Kavanagh fielded Pádraig O’Neill’s long ball over his head and cut inside to finish with aplomb.
Kieran McGeeney may have concerns over his side’s slow start, they got their first point from O’Neill in the 25th minute, but there were far more pros than cons in this performance.
Chief among them was less of a reliance on Doyle (1-04) and an encouraging display from youngster Fionn Dowling, who took his first championship point brilliantly and won the penalty that set Kildare on their way after O’Connor fisted into his path.
Meath 0-11 Galway 0-10:Meath managed just three scores in the second half against Galway won by a point at Páirc Tailteann.
The Royals led by 0-8 to 0-4 at the break and saw the Tribesmen eat into their lead in the second half, only awaken just in time and steal victory with two late points.
Brian Farrell levelled the scores as the game moved into injury time and Stephen Bray popped the winner over as Galway’s fightback fell just short.
Meath’s lead would have been bigger at the break were it not for a clutch of wides, but the scores they got from Shane O'Rourke, Eamonn Callaghan, Stephen Bray, Cian Ward and Gary O’Brien were enough for a cushion, of sorts.
Galway talisman Páraic Joyce and Cormac Bane kept them within four points.
However, it took Meath 34 minutes to register a score after the break. In the meantime, Joyce, Bane and Gareth Bradshaw had each down their bit to level the scores and Matthew Clancy pushed them ahead.
Graham Reilly finally got Meath off the mark with a minute to go in the half. Finian Hanley moved Galway ahead again before the timely interventions from Farrell and Bray.
Tyrone 1-17 Longford 0-15:Tyrone recovered from a slow start to end up five-point winners over Longford at Pearse Park.
Armagh 0-19 Wicklow 2-13 (AET):Mick O'Dwyer's side will face Armagh again, in Aughrim this time, after his side held the Ulstermen to a draw after extra-time.
Wicklow could well have won it, however, after leading by six at halftime.