How the mighty have fallen. Knockmore, last year's runners-up, went the way of Crossmaglen, last year's winners, in the club football championship. Who is to say that Corofin, who dethroned them in yesterday's Connacht semi-final, won't take up the Western torch with real relish. Derry and Tyrone met once again in Ulster, this time under the Dungiven and Errigal Ciaran banners. Peter Canavan and Joe Brolly measured up to one another. Brolly didn't last the game, but Errigal couldn't last the pace as Dungiven warmed to their task on a bitterly cold afternoon. In Clare, the All-Ireland champions finally got around to their club final and Clarecastle, once again, saw off St Joseph's Doora-Barefield.

For the fifth year in succession, St Joseph's fell in the championship to Martin Sheedy's men. Two goals from Kenny Ralph and Robert Fitzgerald broke the back of Joseph's resistance. In Cork, at the second time of asking, Beara's footballers bridged a 30-year gap. They came out of the shadows of Castlehaven at Pairc Ui Choimh with a pulsating threepoint win.

Beara had leaders and stars aplenty. Ciaran O'Sullivan, Alan O'Regan, Seamus Spencer and Michael Harrington all helped hugely to pave their path to victory.

The All-Ireland B Football Championship assumed greater significance for Louth when they saw off the challenge of Clare in yesterday's final. The value of the win may pay bigger dividends in time. A title is a title; winning the name of the game.