GAELIC GAMES: The National Leagues concluded their regulation matches with the interests of various counties shooting up and down like stock exchanges on a volatile day's trading with three draws largely determining the outcome.
When the markets closed the big winners were Galway and Mayo, who will now face each other in next weekend's Division One semi-final but both of whom were considered outsiders going into the final series of matches.
But Mayo dug deep for a thrilling draw with All-Ireland champions Tyrone in Castlebar, a result that brought the curtain down on the latter's interest by virtue of a one-point scoring difference vis-a-vis Kerry.
Meanwhile, Galway pulled out another big display to defeat play-off rivals Down in Newcastle and edged past both their opponents and Derry, who were beaten in Navan by Meath.
The other semi-final brings together Laois and manager Mick O'Dwyer's own county, Kerry, whose draw in Killarney with Dublin was just enough to get Jack O'Connor's team over the line. In Portlaoise, Laois also drew with another of O'Dwyer's former charges Kildare - a result that proved vital for the visitors, as it kept them ahead of the other teams on six points, Armagh and Meath, in the race to stay afloat in the top division.
That race in Division One B was lost by Wexford, touched off by Armagh at Wexford Park, and Meath whose scoring difference was six points inferior to Armagh's. The unlucky duo will be joined on the downwards escalator by Division One A's Offaly - despite a good win in Fermanagh - and Monaghan, whose home defeat by Cork was sufficient to salvage the Munster side's status.
Division Two A also concluded in great drama with the already promoted Donegal surviving a comeback by Roscommon, whose defeat opened the door for Limerick and Mickey Ned O'Sullivan's team slipped through with a win over Leitrim to regain a Division One spot.
The glummest county will surely be Cavan whose "gimme" promotion slot was to be underwritten by a trip to bottom team Waterford. An upset would require a miracle according to this newspaper on Saturday ("people have been canonised for less") but beware sporting certainties: Waterford rounded off a good campaign with their second win, a result that combined with Westmeath's win over top-of-the-table Louth to make Tomás Ó Flatharta's side the beneficiaries of the day's miraculous events.
The NHL quarter-finals also take place next weekend with Waterford taking on Limerick despite an unexpected defeat by Offaly, which could cost them team captain Eoin Kelly, who picked up a straight red card. The winners now face manager John McIntyre's native Tipperary.
Clare's thrilling win over All-Ireland champions Cork gives them the automatic semi-final place in Division One A - Kilkenny already having pinned down the same prize in Division One B last week.
Finally the Gaelic Players' Association's protest went ahead without a hitch around the country with matches all starting 15 minutes late as players remained in the dressingroom for an extra quarter of an hour.
"Generally it was just a collective thing," said Mayo's Austin O'Malley after his team's draw with Tyrone. "We decided to sit in for 15 minutes. Some of the issues that have arisen concern us all and we were unified in it. Management had no problems. They understand that collectively as a team we're all looking to be better looked after. Anything that comes our way allows us to train better and get better results."
National Football League
Relegated
Meath Monaghan
Offaly Wexford
Promoted
Donegal Limerick
Louth Westmeath
Division One Semi-finals
Mayo v Galway
Laois v Kerry
Division Two Semi-finals
Donegal v Westmeath
Louth v Limerick
National Hurling League
Division One Quarter-finals
Offaly v Tipperary
Limerick v Waterford
Division One
Relegation Semi-finals
Wexford v Laois
Antrim v Down
(All play-off matches
are scheduled to be
played next weekend)
