Ricardo Quaresma scored late in extra time as Portugal defeated Croatia to set up a Euro 2016 quarter-final match against Poland.

The substitute headed in from two yards after keeper Danijel Subasic could only palm Cristiano Ronaldo's shot into the path of the Besiktas winger.
The contest was a turgid affair for much of the 120 minutes.
Croatia's Domagoj Vida and Marcelo Brozovic went close with headers, and Ivan Perisic's effort hit the bar.
Portugal's last-eight match will take place at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille on Thursday.
The match in Lens was abysmal.
There were no efforts on target until the goal in the 117th minute, creativity was lacking, passes misplaced and the game was blighted by niggly fouls, with 18 in the first half alone.
The respective defences got on top of their marked men early in the match, with the lauded La Liga trio of Ronaldo and Croatia's Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic suffocated for space.
Ronaldo looked more frustrated than he had in other matches. He dropped deep and pulled out wide in a bid to get involved, but the ball to him was cut out more often than not. His 33 passes were the third fewest of the Portugal starting XI, although he did provide the crucial assist for Quaresma.
That goal came on the counter-attack just a minute after Perisic's header had struck the Croatia bar. Another substitute Renato Sanches drove forward with the ball and found Nani, who in turn laid the ball to Ronaldo at the far post.
The Real Madrid star fired in a low angled shot that Subasic blocked, but the loose ball looped into the path of Quaresma, who was left with a very simple task.
Coach Ante Cacic's men had gone from dark horses to one of the favourites for the title after three impressive displays in Group D, including a 2-1 win over Spain.
But against Portugal their form went missing. Playmakers Rakitic and Modric were scrapping for possession, and winger Ivan Perisic, who had been a potent weapon with his driving runs, only impressed with his hairstyle.
Their best chances fell to the impressive defender Domagoj Vida. The Dynamo Kiev centre-back twice went close with headers and almost took the match to penalties with another effort.
Croatia boss Ante Cacic: "Of course I'm sad. We had a great chance and a good draw.
"We knew if we beat Portugal we'd play Poland, but that's tournaments. We always have to play against strong teams. I can only congratulate my players.
"What happened was we didn't score; this is football. Portugal are a high-quality side with experienced players. If there's a favourite to win the tournament, this is Portugal now.
"Everything was perfect apart form the fact we didn't score. We weren't successful in attack.
"We expected Portugal to counter and we were playing really well for 120 minutes, controlling the match, not conceding any chances except the last one that was our mistake - and we were punished for that."
Portugal coach Fernando Santos: "It was a very tactical match. Portugal tried to take over but Croatia didn't let us.
"Then again, Croatia tried to take over and we didn't let them win either.
"We were up against an amazing team and this was always going to be tight and strong. We were ready for them and we set up to resist their strengths and take advantage of their weak spots.
"At times we could have passed the ball faster but Croatia influenced that. Sometimes you have to be pragmatic. It'd be nice to play pretty, but that's not always how you win tournaments."
Match ends, Croatia 0, Portugal 1.
Second Half Extra Time ends, Croatia 0, Portugal 1.
Attempt missed. Domagoj Vida (Croatia) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right.
Attempt blocked. Ivan Perisic (Croatia) header from the left side of the six yard box is blocked. Assisted by Darijo Srna with a cross.
Andrej Kramaric (Croatia) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Foul by Ricardo Quaresma (Portugal).
Substitution, Croatia. Andrej Kramaric replaces Vedran Corluka.
Corner,  Croatia. Conceded by José Fonte.
Goal!  Croatia 0, Portugal 1. Ricardo Quaresma (Portugal) header from very close range to the bottom left corner following a fast break.
Attempt saved. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Nani.
Attempt missed. Nani (Portugal) right footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Renato Sanches following a fast break.
Attempt saved. Ivan Perisic (Croatia) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Darijo Srna with a cross.
Attempt blocked. Ivan Perisic (Croatia) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Nikola Kalinic.
Darijo Srna (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Nani (Portugal).
Attempt missed. Domagoj Vida (Croatia) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Marcelo Brozovic with a cross following a corner.
Corner,  Croatia. Conceded by Cédric Soares.
Substitution, Croatia. Marko Pjaca replaces Ivan Rakitic.
Substitution, Portugal. Danilo Pereira replaces Adrien Silva.
Second Half Extra Time begins Croatia 0, Portugal 0.
First Half Extra Time ends, Croatia 0, Portugal 0.
Darijo Srna (Croatia) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal).
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Delay in match Vedran Corluka (Croatia) because of an injury.
Corner,  Portugal. Conceded by Milan Badelj.
Foul by Nikola Kalinic (Croatia).
Raphael Guerreiro (Portugal) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Foul by Ivan Strinic (Croatia).
Ricardo Quaresma (Portugal) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Attempt missed. Marcelo Brozovic (Croatia) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Luka Modric.
Nikola Kalinic (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Dangerous play by Pepe (Portugal).
Foul by Ivan Rakitic (Croatia).
Renato Sanches (Portugal) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Vedran Corluka (Croatia) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Renato Sanches (Portugal).
Attempt missed. Nikola Kalinic (Croatia) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the right.
Attempt missed. Ivan Perisic (Croatia) header from outside the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Vedran Corluka.
Ivan Strinic (Croatia) wins a free kick on the left wing.


Japan's government said Bitcoin is not a currency but that some transactions using the virtual unit should be taxed.

"If there are transactions and subsequent gains, it is natural...for the finance ministry to consider how it can impose taxes," said chief cabinet secretary Yoshihide Suga.
Japan also said banks cannot provide bitcoin as a product to customers.
The government is trying to determine the total volume and value of bitcoins in circulation around the world.
Some estimates put the global market for Bitcoins, a virtual currency created, or 'mined' through complicated computer algorithms, at about $7bn (Â£4.2bn).
Countries and their tax authorities have been grappling with how to regulate it, with some seeing it as a route for tax evasion or money laundering.
Russia has declared transactions illegal, China has banned its banks from handling Bitcoin trades, and there have been calls for the US to do the same.
Singapore has imposed a tax on Bitcoin trading and using it to pay for services, after classifying it as goods, rather than a currency.
Last month leading Bitcoin exchange, Tokyo-based MtGox, filed for bankruptcy after losing an estimated 750,000 of its customers' Bitcoins.


US prosecutors have filed charges against an Afghan businessman accused of bribing American soldiers to win multi-million dollar contracts.

The FBI alleges Hikmatullah Shadman gave at least two US soldiers bundles of $100 notes to win inflated deals to supply transport and heavy equipment.
Prosecutors say this took place when the the men were deployed to Afghanistan in 2009.
There has been no comment from Mr Shadman. His whereabouts are unclear.
Justice Department officials had earlier frozen more than $63m (Â£42.5m) in bank accounts controlled by Mr Shadman, a logistics and construction company owner, thought to be one of the first asset freezes of its kind involving an Afghan contractor.
This case was filed on 23 December in a federal court in North Carolina.
Both Robert Green, then a staff sergeant who managed supply requests at Kandahar air base, and his superior David Kline, have already been convicted of their part in the alleged fraud, after pleading guilty.
The complaint against Mr Shadman says Green received several payments of between $30,000 (Â£20,000) and $50,000, at his request, while Kline received about $50,000.
Green was sentenced to 10 months in prison and a year of supervised release in September, while Kline is due to be sentenced next month.


A company that manufactures safety equipment has announced a £25m plan to expand its Hull facility and create up to 200 new jobs in the city.

Arco said it had submitted a planning application to build a second distribution centre costing £25m at its site on Henry Boot Way.
It would "enable the organisation to double its output", the company said.
The firm makes gear including protective suits used by medical teams dealing with Ebola in West Africa.
Neil Jowsey, joint managing director of Arco, said the proposed 20,439m sq building would "house both additional warehouse and logistics capabilities" and "could create over 200 potential new jobs in the local area".
"We are working with local architects and experts to design and construct a building that will complement the surrounding area and provide a sustainable, high-tech facility to enable us to grow our business and provide a secure future", he added.


The market for new cars in the UK has declined for the third month in a row.

New car registrations fell by 4.8% in June compared to the same month last year, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). In total of 243,454 vehicles were sold.
The SMMT said the market is "in line with 2017 forecasts" following a record first three months of the year.
Many buyers rushed to buy cars before 1 April to avoid a rise in Vehicle Excise Duty.
Some 1.4 million cars have been sold so far this year, down 1.3% on the same period in 2016.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: "As forecast, demand for new cars has started to cool following five consecutive years of solid growth but the numbers are still strong and the first half of the year is the second biggest on record.
"Provided consumer and business confidence holds, we expect demand to remain at a similarly high level over the coming months."
Rates of Vehicle Excise Duty explained
Sales of private, fleet and business cars were down, with falls of 7.8%. 2.4% and 8.3% respectively.
However, sales of small family cars and four-wheel drives grew 6% and 11.3% in June.
Since 1 April, only newly-registered cars with zero emissions have been exempt from paying VED, which only includes electric and hydrogen cars. However, petrol cars with carbon dioxide emissions of up to 100g per km, registered before this date, are also exempt.
There is a sliding scale of charges for the first year of ownership, and after that petrol or diesel vehicles are subject to a "standard" rate of £140 a year.
For those buying cars costing more than £40,000 there is an additional £310 "premium" levy for the first five years of ownership.


A volunteer who has helped co-ordinate lifeboat rescues in which the lives of almost 200 people were saved has been recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours list.

Swanage RNLI operation manager Neil Hardy, 59, has been appointed MBE.
The retired ferry captain has carried out the voluntary work at the Dorset station since 1989.
He was nominated for services to maritime safety and said it was "an honour and a surprise".
"I must accept it on behalf of the Swanage lifeboat station and the community which have supported the station through thick and thin," he added.
While he has been in the role, the station has had 1,497 shouts, come to the aid of 1,366 people and saved the lives of 194 people.
The lifeboat station is currently being redeveloped to accommodate a bigger lifeboat which is due to enter service in 2016.


MPs have voted in favour of the creation of babies with DNA from two women and one man, in a historic move.

The UK is now set to become the first country to introduce laws to allow the creation of babies from three people.
In a free vote in the Commons, 382 MPs were in favour and 128 against the technique that stops genetic diseases being passed from mother to child.
During the debate, ministers said the technique was "light at the end of a dark tunnel" for families.
A further vote is required in the House of Lords. It everything goes ahead then the first such baby could be born next year.
Proponents said the backing was "good news for progressive medicine" but critics say they will continue to fight against the technique that they say raises too many ethical and safety concerns.
Estimates suggest 150 three-person babies could be born each year.
Prime Minister David Cameron said: "We're not playing god here, we're just making sure that two parents who want a healthy baby can have one."
The method, which was developed in Newcastle, should help women like Sharon Bernardi, from Sunderland, who lost all seven of her children to mitochondrial disease.
Ms Bernadi said was "overwhelmed" by the decision.
Mitochondria are the tiny compartments inside nearly every cell of the body that convert food into useable energy.  They have their own DNA, which does not affect characteristics such as appearance.
Defective mitochondria are passed down only from the mother. They can lead to brain damage, muscle wasting, heart failure and blindness.
The technique uses a modified version of IVF to combine the DNA of the two parents with the healthy mitochondria of a donor woman.
It results in babies with 0.1% of their DNA from the second woman and is a permanent change that would be passed down through the generations.
In the Commons debate, Public Health Minister Jane Ellison told the House: "This is a bold step for parliament to take, but it is a considered and informed step.
"This is world leading science within a highly respected regulatory regime.
"And for the many families affected, this is light at the end of a very dark tunnel."
Fiona Bruce, the MP for Congleton, countered: "[This] will be passed down generations, the implications of this simply cannot be predicted.
"But one thing is for sure, once this alteration has taken place, as someone has said, once the gene is out of the bottle, once these procedures that we're asked to authorise today go ahead, there will be no going back for society."
The debate in Commons also repeatedly struggled with whether the move would constitute "genetic modification".
Robert Flello, who represents Stoke-on-Trent South, said he feared "families will be let down tragically" due to the uncertainties in the technique and that society would be "up in arms" if this was a proposal for genetically modified crops.
But Frank Dobson, a former former health secretary, argued uncertainty was "the nature of medicine and science" and that IVF would not have gone ahead if absolute certainty was needed.
Prof Doug Turnbull, who led the team that devised the technique at Newcastle University, said: "This is an important hurdle in the development of this new IVF technique, but we still have the debate in the House of Lords, and importantly the licensing by the HFEA [the fertility regulator].
"Finally, I think the quality of the debate today shows what a robust scientific, ethical and legislative procedure we have in the UK for IVF treatments.
"This is important and something the UK should rightly be proud of."
The Chief Medical Officer, Prof Dame Sally Davies, said the UK was at the forefront of scientific development.
By James Gallagher, Health editor, BBC News website
This is a hugely significant moment for the families involved and society as a whole.
The UK is about to become the first country to introduce laws to allow the creation of babies with DNA from three people.
For the families affected by mitochondrial disease, this is the only option for a healthy child.
While some people argue changing mitochondria is akin to a blood transplant the implications are much wider.
This is a change that will be passed down through the generations.
It also asks questions about the future.
Some people argue we are now on a slippery slope to further genetic modification of children.
Last week the Catholic and Anglican Churches in England said the idea was not safe or ethical, not least because it involved the destruction of embryos.
Other groups, including Human Genetics Alert, say the move would open the door to further genetic modification of children in the future - so-called designer babies, genetically modified for beauty, intelligence or to be free of disease.
David King, from the campaign group, said: "Once you cross the ethical line, it is very hard not to take the next step of designer babies."
Dr Gillian Lockwood, a reproductive ethicist, told the BBC it was a "small change" in the legislation.
"The biggest problem is that this has been described as three-parent IVF. In fact it is 2.001-parent IVF," she said.
"Less than a tenth of one per cent of the genome is actually going to be affected. It is not part of what makes us genetically who we are.
"It doesn't affect height, eye colour, intelligence, musicality."
A review by the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, as well as a public consultation by the fertility regulator, argued the creation of three-person babies was ethical.
Three scientific reviews by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) suggest the technique is "not unsafe".
Yet some scientists argue those reviews were flawed.
Dr Ted Morrow, from the University of Sussex, believes there are still uncertainties.
"I have some concerns about the safety, I'm really not happy that the reviews have been as exemplary as other people think they are."
Prof Lisa Jardine, former chair of the HFEA, said the safety issue was a "red herring".
"All of those issues have been investigated," she said. "The scientific committees have said there is no evidence this procedure is unsafe but like all good scientists, they say it will require careful progress."
Bishop of Swindon Dr Lee Rayfield said this procedure was a "massive step" and some of his colleagues were concerned about how it was going to be regulated once approved.
"If the safeguards are there, the Church of England will be behind this," he added.
Rachel Kean, whose aunt died from mitochondrial disease, told BBC Breakfast that a yes vote would  "prevent some of the cruellest and most devastating diseases, not just for the next generation but generations after".
She said there had been an "unprecedented" amount of scrutiny into the regulation and a lot of misinformation about "designer babies".
The HFEA is expected to give Newcastle a licence to carry out the procedure.
The first attempt could take place this year, which could lead to the first birth in 2016.


Roberto Mancini believes Carlos Tevez could stay at Manchester City after his family returned to the city.

The wantaway Argentina striker returned as a substitute in City's  on Sunday after seeing a move to Corinthians break down last month.
There have been no other offers for the 27-year-old, and Mancini is hopeful of keeping him at the Etihad Stadium.
"His family is here now. Now that his family is here I think that he can stay," City manager Mancini said.
"I think this is a good moment for this club. Carlos is one of the best players that we have."
I think with the good players that arrive, they can think next year we can win the title
Tevez has repeatedly spoken of being unsettled in Manchester, and has said that he will not return to the city once his contract with the club comes to an end.
City accepted a bid from the Brazilian side for him last month, but they later withdrew it leaving Tevez with no option other than to return to Eastlands following Argentina's unsuccessful Copa America campaign.
Mancini has added Tevez's compatriot Sergio Aguero and Arsenal midfielder Samir Nasri to his squad as he prepares for the club's first Champions League campaign, and believes that may convince last season's top scorer to stay with City.
"I think so," said Mancini. "He is not fit, he has only worked for two weeks.
"But I think with the good players that arrive in this team - after we won the FA Cup last year - they can try to think next year we can win the title.
"I think Carlos can play also next year."


A new visitor centre is to be built for Brunel's iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol.

It will replace the temporary portable building which has been operating as an exhibition centre and shop.
A spokesman for the trustees said they wanted to encourage visitors to find out more about Isambard Kingdom Brunel who designed the bridge.
It is hoped the centre will be open by December 2014 - the 150th anniversary of the opening of the bridge.
"The existing temporary facility has welcomed an average of 57,000 visitors annually - including tourists from more than 100 countries - but we are keen to encourage more of the people who come to look at the bridge to visit the centre as well," said the spokesman.
Trustees have been given £36,400 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to help them progress their plans to apply for a full grant later this year.


The drilling rig Transocean Winner could be towed off a beach on Lewis this weekend, if experts say it is safe to do so.

The structure came ashore at Dalmore, near Carloway, in bad weather during a towing operation last week.
Even if refloated on high tides this weekend, the rig would remain not far from shore while fresh assessments were made of it.
Later, it would be towed to another location nearby for repairs.
Hugh Shaw, the Secretary of State's Representative for Maritime Salvage and Intervention, who is overseeing the salvage operation, said the rig would only be moved off the beach if this did not put the environment or the rig at risk of damage.
He said refloating the rig would not been done "for the sake of meeting high tides".
Mr Shaw added that once it was eventually refloated, the rig would remain in "close proximity" while further checks were made of the structure.
Personnel from the rig's owner, Transocean, and salvage company Smit, have been on board the Transocean Winner since Sunday.
As well as making damage assessments, they have been securing two towlines to the rig ready for a tug to pick them up.
On Friday, an exercise is to be held on test procedures designed to deal with a potential diesel oil spill from the drilling rig grounded on Lewis.
More than 12,000 gallons (56,000 litres) of fuel were lost from two tanks on the Transocean Winner after it came ashore at Dalmore last week.
Tens of thousands of gallons remain in other tanks on the decommissioned rig. This fuel is being transferred to tanks above the waterline on the rig.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said a helicopter has been delivering equipment to the rig for use in the operation to move it.
The gear includes compressors which will be used to provide buoyancy for the refloat.
Smit Salvage has been checking for damage and carrying out stability analysis to make sure Transocean Winner has sufficient buoyancy, the MCA said.
This work comes as representatives of Transocean prepare to meet people who live close to where the structure was blown ashore.
The company's representatives are to attend a public meeting in Carloway on Thursday night.
Staff from salvage company Smit and Mr Shaw are also to attend.
Transocean Winner was being towed from Norway to Malta when the tow line between it and a tug broke while the towing operation was off the Western Isles.


Yvette Cooper has turned her fire on the frontrunner in the Labour leadership race as the party prepares to start sending out ballot papers.

She said her left-wing rival Jeremy Corbyn lacked economic credibility and he would keep Labour out of power.
Mr Corbyn insisted his policies were "serious" and urged his rivals not to indulge in "personal abuse".
Meanwhile, the Guardian has endorsed Ms Cooper for the leadership, saying she is "best-placed" to unite the party.
Ms Cooper has previously held back from directly criticising Mr Corbyn, who began the race as a rank outsider but has shot to the top of the opinion polls on the back of a social media campaign and backing from the two biggest unions.
But in a speech in Manchester, she accused the Islington North MP of "bad economics," arguing his policies - including on renationalisation, quitting Nato and quantitative easing - were not radical, would not stand up to scrutiny, and would not get Labour elected.
Her comments echo warnings from former Prime Minister Tony Blair and other senior figures as a row continues over the party's future direction.
She said she did not want to dismiss the values and intentions of Mr Corbyn or his supporters, but she said she would not "pander" to them or pretend she agreed with his answers for Britain.
"I feel really strongly... that his are the wrong answers for the future," she added.
"They aren't radical and they aren't credible. And they won't change the world. They will keep us out of power."
Criticise Corbyn and you make him stronger. That's been the fear of so many who believe he'd spell disaster for Labour.
When Tony Blair - arch-enemy of the party's left - says a Corbyn victory could mean annihilation, they wince.
If you love Corbyn and hate Blair, they argue, that won't change your mind. It's why, perhaps, Yvette Cooper has waited until the eve of polling to explicitly criticise his policies. It's why others stay silent still.
Labour's centrists fear too that the flood of new voters - hundreds of thousands of them, enough to form a party of their own - have signed up to back Corbyn.
They don't know it, though. Not yet.
The same Westminster consensus that makes Corbyn a sure-fire winner today, regarded him as a fringe outsider not so long ago; it's been a bad year for the Westminster consensus.
So time's not up yet for those who'd make the case against Corbyn, but it's running out.
And his opponents remain uncertain who or what could stand in his way.
Ms Cooper told BBC Newsnight there was a serious risk that the party would split if Mr Corbyn won.
She said: "I don't want to see that happen, I can't bear to see that happen because I think there is too much at stake and when you've got families who depend on Labour to stop their tax credits being cut, to say goodbye to power and to the possibility of winning the next election is wrong."
Asked if she would sit in a Jeremy Corbyn shadow cabinet, Ms Cooper said she would not be able to argue for policies such as the return of the Labour Party's Clause IV.
She said she feared Labour could be out of power for a generation, but would not walk away from the party.
In an editorial, the Guardian said Mr Corbyn had "breathed extraordinary life" into the leadership campaign, while his three rivals came across as "a triple-headed embodiment of the well-dressed, smooth-talking Westminster class".
But it said he would not win the votes necessary to clinch a general election - and instead Ms Cooper would be best-placed to take on David Cameron, and perform the "formidably difficult task" of uniting the party.
Andy Burnham, another candidate vying for the leadership, said the attacks on Mr Corbyn "misread the mood of the party".
He said there was "a yearning out there for a different style of politics".
Responding to Ms Cooper's criticisms and Mr Blair's claim that he would "annihilate" the party, Mr Corbyn said he wanted to focus on policies not personal abuse.
"We don't do personal attacks," he said.
A look at what each of the candidates would do if they won power:
He said many people had been "turned off" by the "politics of abuse" and wanted the political system to represent them.
The Islington North MP added he had put forward a "serious set of economic proposals" which he said had been well thought out.
Ms Kendall, who is polling fourth in the contest, said she understood why Labour figures were issuing warnings over the prospects for Labour under Mr Corbyn's leadership.
But she added: "I think it is up to all of the candidates in the leadership and deputy leadership race to make the case for a positive, optimistic alternative for the Labour Party that is right for the country."
The leadership hopeful, who is embarking on a three-day tour of Britain to revive her bid, conceded she had a "hell of a long way to go" but she would fight "to the very end".
Meanwhile, Labour Party officials have rejected calls to pause the contest over fears the process is being sabotaged by members of other parties.
The Labour Party will begin sending out ballot papers on Friday, with the result of the four-way contest to be declared on 12 September.


A woman in the US state of Georgia has been executed despite a number of last-ditch appeals, including one by the Pope, to try to block her execution.

Kelly Gissendaner, 47, was the first woman put to death in the southern US state in 70 years.
Lawyers filed at least three appeals with the US Supreme Court to try to delay the sentence hours before she died.
Gissendaner planned but did not carry out her husband's murder in 1997.
Her former lover, Gregory Owen, who killed Douglas Gissendaner, was given life in prison as part of a plea bargain.
Pope Francis, who was recently on a US tour, urged the review board to reconsider. But on Tuesday afternoon, the board announced it was not granting clemency.
Hours later, the US Supreme Court said it had rejected three applications for a stay of execution.
Witnesses to the execution told local media that she sang Amazing Grace before being given a lethal injection.
"Bless you all," she was quoted as saying by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "Tell the Gissendaners I am so, so sorry that an amazing man lost his life because of me. If I could take it all back, I would."
The Pope's appeal for Gissendaner's life was made in a letter written by his diplomatic representative in the US, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, on Tuesday.
The archbishop wrote that, while not wishing to minimise the gravity of the crime, he implored the board "to commute the sentence to one that would better express both justice and mercy".
Gissendaner's lawyers told the board she had undergone a transformation in prison, offering support to troubled inmates and showing remorse for her own crime.
Source: Death Penalty Information Center
Analysis: Is the death penalty dying?
Why is the US Supreme Court reviewing the lethal injection?
Former Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Norman Fletcher also made representations to say Gissendaner's death sentence was disproportionate to the crime that she committed.
He noted that Georgia had not executed a person who had not committed the actual killing since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976, and said a court process to review an appeal by Gissendaner had been "deeply flawed".
Georgia has executed nearly 60 people since 1976, and has more than 80 people on death row.
Gissendaner's former lover Owen will become eligible for parole in 2022. He took a plea deal and testified against Gissendaner, and for his co-operation was sentenced to life in prison.
Douglas Gissendaner's family said in a statement on Monday that Kelly Gissendaner's sentence was appropriate.
"She had no mercy, gave him no rights, no choices, nor the opportunity to live his life," the family said.
Gissendaner has had two previous execution dates.
Her execution was rescheduled in February because of a winter storm that was forecast to hit Georgia, and the next date in March was cancelled after officials said the drug used in the lethal injection was cloudy.


A Jordanian soldier has been sentenced to life in prison with hard labour for killing three US military trainers last year.

Marik al-Tuwayha, who pleaded not guilty to premeditated murder, attacked the men as their vehicles approached al-Jafr airbase in November.
One was killed at the base and two others died later in hospital.
Jordanian authorities initially claimed the US nationals had been killed when their vehicle failed to stop.
Tuwayha - who is not thought to have links to any militant groups - told the military court in the capital Amman he had opened fire after hearing gun shots.
But the US embassy said the trial had confirmed Staff Sgt Matthew Lewellen, Staff Sgt Kevin McEnroe and Staff Sgt James Moriarty "had been following procedure" when they were killed, according to the Associated Press news agency.
The US soldiers' family members were in court to hear the verdict on Monday.
Staff Sgt Moriarty's family had already expressed dismay at the prospect of a life sentence for Tuwayha, which is likely to be reduced to 20 years with good behaviour.
His father Jim described the sentence as "only the first step" in a letter to the Jordanian embassy on Monday, the AP reported.
Jordan is a member of the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group (IS) in Syria and Iraq, and US forces have trained a small group of Syrian rebels in Jordan, as well as Iraqi and Palestinian security forces.
This is not the first time a US trainer has been killed in Jordan.
In November 2015, a Jordanian police captain opened fire at a police training centre near the capital Amman, killing two Americans, a South African and two Jordanians.
The Jordanian government said the police captain had been a troubled individual, but security sources said he was an IS supporter.


There are worries that changes to funding could hit specialist support for 23,500 pupils who do not speak English or Welsh as a first language.

It comes as Polish-speaking pupils have overtaken the number of Bengali-speakers in schools in Wales.
One independent analyst fears a "significant loss of specialist expertise and support".
Ministers said despite tough times they were "proud" of increased funding going to schools.
The latest statistics for numbers of pupils in schools whose first language is not English or Welsh shows a 27% rise since 2011.
There are 3,421 Polish-speaking pupils, 575 more than Bengali-speakers.
But as the landscape in the types of languages spoken has shifted, so has the way specialist help for pupils is funded.
Since 2014, there has been a reduction in funding to support pupils learning English and Welsh as additional languages (EAL/WAL).
Then in April 2015, the Minority Ethnic Achievement Grant was merged with a number of other Welsh government grants into the more general Education Improvement Grant which is now managed by four consortia of local authorities.
The old funding arrangements, in place for nearly 50 years, have involved most local authorities employing a specialist central pool team of staff at councils to work in schools and assist pupils with language development and curriculum learning.
There are worries with money no longer ring-fenced by councils, that support could be cut back and the flexibility lost to respond to changes in pupil numbers and needs.
One independent analyst wants ministers to ensure that funding is protected and prioritised.
Dr Jonathan Brentnall says that almost 90% of schools in Wales now have at least one pupil of minority ethnic background on their rolls and many of these are additional language learners.
He says some schools have little or no past experience in meeting EAL/WAL pupils' needs and with less specialist expertise available they may struggle to do so.
While, particularly some urban schools are well established in teaching children with different language backgrounds, there is a danger that if more funding is delegated to school budgets, those with smaller numbers will not spend the resources on specialists and training that are most needed.
"Discussing with colleagues, there seems to be a tipping point of about 25-30% of EAL/WAL pupils on roll, when schools begin to see them as a priority," said Dr Brentnall.
"Schools with smaller numbers do not often regard EAL/WAL as a significant enough issue to prioritise it for whole school development," he warned.
Dr Brentnall, who once chaired the Welsh government's advisory group on ethnic and cultural diversity in education, said schools need to be aware that support for language development needs must go beyond the initial bedding-in period.
"It's not just about giving intensive language support for a few months. The process can take anything from five to 10 years for pupils to reach a level of proficiency that enables them to get to A* to Cs at GCSE. They need ongoing support in relation to grammar and vocabulary," he added.
"Some pupils are coming from war-torn countries like Iraq, Libya or Syria and have had their education disrupted. Such pupils may have a range of varied needs and it can take longer for them to catch up."
Kinga Kujawa came to Cardiff in 2007 and both her and her husband work full-time and have two sons born here.
Alex, five, speaks Polish at home and English at his Catholic primary school, which has several Polish-speaking pupils.
"He reads and writes in both languages," says Ms Kujawa. "We picked the school because we were told the head was fantastic and one-to-one help was there if needed but Alex was reading and writing by the age of four. We speak Polish to him but he watches English telly. After three or four months in reception class at school they classed him as more able and talented and so he was already doing some year one work."
"If he's running around playing with friends, it's English you can hear a lot."
Alex also goes to a Polish Saturday school across the city so he can continue to learn about his parents' native language and culture.
Dr Brentnall said with the right help, many have the work ethic to achieve at least as well as their peers.
The National Association for Language Development in the Curriculum (Naldic) said the issue was UK-wide and a joint survey with the NUT had found more than 50% of schools and councils had reported cutbacks or wholesale scrapping of EAL specialist provision.
"These cuts are a trend across the different nations in the UK," said chair Dr Yvonne Foley.
"Given the current discourses surrounding migration across the country, EAL is often positioned as a political and economic issue.
"As a result, funding for EAL pupils lacks political and economic importance and this has implications for our education system as a whole when we consider issues of equality, social justice and long-term social impact."
Last year, the education minister acknowledged funding was tight but called for councils to be innovative in continuing to look for improvements.
Head teachers in Cardiff have already written to him expressing concern.
The Welsh government said its new, simplified Education Improvement Grant allowed councils more flexibility to target resources at areas of greatest need and it was a "significant investment" when used efficiently and effectively .
A spokesperson added: "The new grant provides that flexibility for supporting learners from ethnic backgrounds and for whom neither English or Welsh is a first language by reducing bureaucracy and administration costs and enabling funding to be diverted into frontline support."


Director Mike Leigh is to make a film about the events of the 1819 Peterloo Massacre in Manchester.

Some 15 people were killed and hundreds injured when government troops charged a 60,000-strong crowd who were demanding political reform.
Leigh told Screen International the story had "personal resonance... as a native of Manchester and Salford".
The film is being touted as the Mr Turner director's biggest budget feature to date.
Mr Turner earned the British director four Oscar nominations, including one for cinematographer Dick Pope, with whom Leigh will be collaborating again on the new film.
Both Leigh and leading man Timothy Spall failed to pick up any hoped-for awards, but Mr Turner's commercial success has seen it take more than Â£6.4m in the UK alone.
Leigh hopes to shoot the Peterloo Massacre film in 2017, citing its "universal political significance".
The "historic event" is seen as a defining event in British political history, while its repercussions included the founding of the Guardian newspaper.
Leigh is currently rehearsing with the English National Opera. He will direct their production of Gilbert and Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance, which opens on 9 May.
The filmmaker previously directed 1999 film Topsy-Turvy about musical duo Gilbert and Sullivan.


Aston Villa are in their worst "crisis" for decades, according to the club's new chairman Steven Hollis.

The club are bottom of the top Premier League and 10 points from safety.
"In football terms, this is a crisis," Hollis told BBC Sport's Pat Murphy. "This is the worst position this club has been in for many a decade."
Hollis said the "chequebook hasn't been locked away" should boss Remi Garde want to sign players and also defended club owner Randy Lerner.
United States-based Lerner, who bought Villa in 2006, announced at the end of last season he was looking to sell the club.
"Randy has actually put more than £200m in player signings, new money, coming into this over the last 10 years," said Hollis.
However, he said "spending big cheques" was not going to help ease the club's predicament and instead believes stability is the key.
"Five different managers in five seasons," he said.
"How can new players coming in or existing players hired by the previous manager know what the game plan is?"
Villa are bottom of the table after collecting just two wins and 12 points from 22 games and look destined for relegation to the Championship.
Garde was appointed at the start of November following the sacking of Tim Sherwood, who guided Villa to the FA Cup final last season.


The world's most valuable individual prize - the Mo Ibrahim prize for good governance in Africa - has gone unclaimed yet again.

The $5m (??3.2m) prize is supposed to be awarded each year to an elected leader who governed well, raised living standards and then left office.
This is the fourth time in five years there has been no winner.
A committee member said the group looked "for excellence in governance but in leadership also".
Kenya's Mwai Kibaki met at least one of the criteria, after he stepped down as president earlier this year.
However, his 2007 re-election was tarnished by disputes which turned violent, leading to the deaths of some 1,200 people.
His opponent, Raila Odinga, said the poll had been rigged in favour of Mr Kibaki, who denied any wrongdoing.
Three people have won in the seven years since the prize was launched: Cape Verde's Pedro Verona Pires; Festus Mogae from Botswana and Mozambique's Joaquim Chissano.
Sudan-born telecoms entrepreneur Mr Ibrahim launched the prize in an attempt to encourage African leaders to leave power peacefully.
The $5m prize is spread over 10 years and is followed by $200,000 a year for life.


Three more men have been charged with grievous bodily harm with intent, common assault and aggravated burglary following a paramilitary-style attack in County Down.

The men, aged 22, 24 and 27, are due to appear before court in Newtownards on Thursday.
A man in his 20s was hurt by a gang with baseball bats and screwdrivers during the attack on Monday.
It happened at Bartley's Wood, Ballywalter.
The man was treated for injuries that were not thought to be life-threatening.
Earlier on Wednesday, a 33-year-old man appeared at Newtownards Magistrates' Court, charged with grievous bodily harm with intent, common assault and aggravated burglary.
Two women in their 20s were in the property at the time of the attack on Monday and one of them sustained minor injuries.


One of eight inmates due to be put to death by the US state of Arkansas this month could be given clemency.

The Arkansas Parole Board has recommended mercy in the case of Jason McGehee, who was convicted of torturing and killing a teenager.
It will now be up to Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson to decide whether the 40-year-old escapes lethal injection.
The unprecedented series of executions within a 10-day period starting on 17 April is due to a drug expiring.
The state's supply of midazolam, a sedative used in its three-drug lethal injection cocktail, will be useless after this month.
Lawyers for the prisoners say the "assembly-line" of four double lethal injections is unconstitutional.
The lawyer for McGehee, John Williams, said his client was only 20 at the time of the offence and "his near-perfect record in prison has impressed many people".
Two of his co-defendants received lesser sentences despite being equally or more culpable, said Mr Williams, who asked the governor to commute the sentence to life without parole.
Johnny Melbourne, whose 15-year-old son of the same name was beaten to death by McGehee, had asked the board to reject clemency.
"John didn't have this. Even though he was begging for his life and was hurting. He didn't have this and he begged for his life too. He didn't have y'all."
The parole board has already turned down clemency requests from four of the other men scheduled to die in the 10-day period later this month.
No US state has put eight inmates to death in such an accelerated way since the US Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976.
Like many US states, Arkansas has struggled to find the drugs it needs to carry out executions. Its last was in 2005.
Bruce Ward - Strangled teenage shop clerk Rebecca Doss
Don Davis - Condemned for the execution-style killing of Jane Daniel as he burgled her home
Stacey Johnson - Murdered Carol Heath, who was beaten, strangled and had her throat slit
Ledell Lee - Bludgeoned Debra Reese to death with a tyre iron her husband had given her for protection
Jack Jones - Condemned for the rape and murder of accounts clerk Mary Phillips, and the nearly fatal beating of her 11-year-old daughter
Marcel Williams - Raped and murdered Stacey Erickson, after kidnapping her from a convenience store
Kenneth Williams - Murdered farmer Cecil Boren during an escape from prison where Williams had been incarcerated for murdering cheerleader Dominique Hurd
Jason McGehee - Jailed for the death of 15-year-old John Melbourne, who had been his friend


Police investigating the murder of Laura Marshall in Lurgan have been granted an extra 36 hours by a court to question a 36-year-old man.

Ms Marshall was found dead at an apartment block at Victoria Street in the town on Sunday evening.
The police initially said Ms Marshall's death was being treated as suspicious and launched a murder inquiry after a post mortem examination.


Scores of local authorities in England plan to increase council tax by up to 5% in 2017-8, according to research.

The Local Government Information Unit said 94% of the 131 councils it spoke to were intending to put up bills, with their finances at "breaking point".
A third of these, 34% in total, intend to hike bills by more than 2% in April.
Councils, many of whom have frozen bills in recent years, say it will not be enough to plug the funding "gap" exacerbated by the cost of social care.
But the government says council tax is expected to be lower in real terms at the end of this Parliament than it was in 2010.
Although councils in Wales were included in the survey, the Welsh government has said it will not allow councils to raise bills to pay for social care.
Ministers say they are bringing forward money to help councils pay for social care by increasing the "precept" - a supplement that councils are able to charge on bills - from 2% to 5% over the next two years.
Years of cuts to central government funding since 2011 have put pressure on the budgets of the 375 councils in England and Wales, with many paring back core services. Financial pressures on county councils and unitary authorities that provide adult social care have become particularly acute in the past year.
Surrey County Council abandoned controversial plans this week to hold a referendum on a 15% rise in council tax which it said was needed to pay for social care. It will now increase bills by 4.99% - the maximum it can do without holding a public vote.
Labour have accused the government of doing a sweetheart deal with the Tory-controlled council to call off the referendum - claims it denies.
Publishing its research, the Local Government Information Unit said five district councils which do not provide social care had wanted to hold local referendums to sanction council tax rises above 2% but had "thought better" of it in recent weeks.
Inflation, as measured by the CPI index, currently stands at 1.6% but is projected to rise to 2.7% next year.
The LGIU said there was growing concern in town halls that the current system of funding local authorities - through a mixture of government grants, council tax and other income streams such as business rates and parking charges - would become unsustainable in the near future.
Of the 163 council chiefs - across 131 local authorities - which responded to its survey, 42% said future cuts would be "noticed" by residents while one in 10 feared the situation might become so serious that they would no longer be able to fulfil their councils' legal obligations to provide certain services.
A number of county councils - including Newcastle, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Sunderland - have already said they will add the full 3% "social care precept" to council tax bills next year and many others are expected to follow suit.
Jonathan Carr-West, chief executive of the LGIU, said: "Local government finances are at breaking point."
"We see councils around the country patching their budgets by raising council tax, drawing on their reserves and increasing charging. They have very little confidence in the sustainability of the system.
"Councils are allowed to place a 3% precept on council tax to fund adult social care - nine out of 10 of them saying it is not enough money and won't meet the gap. Councils are going to retain 100% of the new business rates - half of councils tell us they think they will be worse off under that new system post-2020."
He said councils were being frustrated in their efforts to address the problems themselves with revenue-raising measures such as greater scope for charging, local hotel taxes and a re-evaluation of council tax bands "off the government's agenda".
"None of these are wild and wacky ideas. They are things that are done in other countries, in the US, France and Spain and they work.
"Here they are not even part of the conversation. That needs to change."
A spokesman for the Department of Communities and Local Government said: "Council tax is expected to be lower in real terms at the end of this Parliament than it was in 2010 and we've protected residents by allowing them to veto excessive rises at a local referendum.
"Our historic four-year funding settlement gives local authorities the certainty they need to plan ahead, with almost £200bn available to provide the services that local people most value.
"We've also announced an additional £900m for social care, meaning councils will have £7.6bn of dedicated funding to spend over the four years."


A sheriff has warned the owner of a dog which bit a postman delivering the mail that her pet will be destroyed if it bites someone again.

Roslyn Condie, of Mossdale, near Castle Douglas, admitted being the owner of a dog which was dangerously out of control last September.
A court heard how her Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Nipper, bit the postman on the leg leaving a puncture wound.
Sentence was deferred on Condie for six months.
Dumfries Sheriff Court heard how the incident happened while the postman was delivering mail in the village of Mossdale.
Local residents gave him first aid and he later had medical treatment for the bite.
Fiscal depute Jennifer McGill said there was concern in the area over the dog which had on occasion escaped from the garden of its home.
A solicitor for Condie said she had had the dog since it was a puppy and it was very affectionate.
She now kept it muzzled when taken out and the garden fences had been made escape proof.
Sheriff Brian Mohan handed out the warning that a second bite would bring destruction and deferred sentence on Condie stressing that she should keep the dog under control with appropriate measures.


The former boss of BHS has lost his driving licence after he admitted doing more than 20mph over the limit.

Dominic Chappell, 49, admitted to driving 63.9mph (102.8km/h) in a 40mph (64km/h) zone in Andover on 6 April.
He was disqualified from holding a licence for six months, at Aldershot Magistrates' Court.
Chappell made headlines when he denied that the £2.6m package he took from BHS, including a £600,000 salary, had contributed to the demise of the brand.
Chappell, of Blandford Forum, Dorset, already had 10 points on his licence for three speeding offences in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
At the time of his speeding offence, he was driving a Range Rover on Churchill Way.
After being pulled over,  he told police: "This will cost me £25,000. I've been driving since I was 18 and have never had an accident.
"I drive an average of 35,000 miles a year and I used to be a race car driver."
The former Formula Three driver bought the collapsed retail giant for £1 from Sir Philip Green though his company Retail Acquisitions in March 2015.


University applicants are overly reliant on a few "hackneyed phrases" in their personal statements, says the admissions service UCAS.

The organisation has published a top 10 list of the most frequently used opening lines.
It found that "From a young age I have (always) been..." was the most popular opening line last year.
"The personal statement is supposed to be personal," warned chief executive Mary Curnock Cook.
"Learning to write about yourself in a compelling way is a vital skill when applying for jobs; using hackneyed phrases is not the best way to stand out," she added.
In 11th place, used by 148 applicants, was a quote from Nelson Mandela: "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world".
UCAS said it hoped the list of top 10 phrases would encourage students to use language that makes them stand out in their personal statements.
The admissions system allows would-be students to apply up until the end of June.
The personal statement allows students to say why they are applying for a particular course or subject and to highlight any special skills or interests.


Ireland, the most successful country in Eurovision history, has crashed out of this year's competition after failing to make it through the semi-final.

The seven-time winners couldn't muster enough votes for their youngest ever entrant, 17-year-old Molly Sterling.
Iceland, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, Malta, Portugal and San Marino also failed to make the cut.
Sweden, the bookmakers' favourite, sailed through to Saturday's grand final in Vienna.
Its act, Mans Zelmerlow, joins automatic qualifiers Austria, the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and special guests Australia.
The full list of 10 acts to qualify from Thursday's semi-final is as follows:
Despite Ireland's historical success at Eurovision, it has struggled in the 21st Century.
It has taken last place twice, in 2007 and 2013, and failed to progress beyond the semi-finals five times since they were introduced in 2004.
However, Ireland has fared better than the Czech Republic, which has never made it to the grand final.
The UK will be represented at Saturday's show by duo Electro Velvet, whose song, Still In Love With You, has been described as an "electro swing" track.
The final will be broadcast on BBC One from 20:00 BST, and there will be live updates and discussion on the BBC News website's dedicated Eurovision live page.


Firms caring for thousands of people living at home in Wales are facing tough financial pressures to stay open, a care companies body has said.

Private domiciliary care firms commissioned by local authorities say there is a recruitment crisis due to competition from hospitals and supermarkets.
The UK Homecare Association said there was a "real sense of desperation".
Public Health Minister Rebecca Evans said action would be taken.
Colin Angel - of the UK Homecare Association, the body which represents care companies - told the Week In Week Out programme many of his members were really struggling.
"What we hear in Wales is a real sense of desperation from some providers trying to work out how they can remain in business on the sorts of rates that they are being paid by local councils," he said.
"And I think in some parts of Wales, particularly rural areas, we may see care providers handing back work or going out of business even more quickly than in the rest of the country. And that's something that I hope the Welsh Government is going to take seriously."
Private domiciliary care firms provide 13 million hours of care every year in Wales.
One care company in North Wales "reluctantly" pulled out of providing care to Conwy council, saying it could not supply the care required for the money the council was prepared to pay.
Thirteen of the Wales' 22 local authorities said they had seen contracts handed back to them, when asked by BBC Wales.
The proportion with returned contracts - 59% - compares to a UK average of 48%.
Cymorth Llaw has provided domiciliary care in north Wales for 17 years and company boss Ken Hogg said it was getting more and more challenging.
While the company is not in danger of going bust, profits have been falling.
"There will be difficult decisions to be made. We've made difficult decisions in the past," Mr Hogg said.
"We have to stop this crisis in social care and we have to make these professional carers feel valued, not only valued members of society, but also the remuneration that they deserve."
Last year the company pulled out of providing care in Conwy - which initially paid £14.20 an hour for care. Conwy offered to raise that to £15.00, but the company decided they had no choice but to give up the contract.
"We didn't think that we could provide this level of service for that cost, for that amount of money that Conwy were offering. And we were very, very reluctant to leave, but we had to leave, it was as simple as that," Mr Hogg added.
Conwy council said it was committed to supporting vulnerable people in communities, despite facing financial challenges.
Care worker Amanda Hopewell, of Cymorth Llaw, is paid £7.55 per hour - just above the national living wage.
She is on a zero-hours contract, which means the hours she works are not guaranteed. She said she struggled to make ends meet.
"I did look into buying a house about four years ago, but because I didn't have a contract they wouldn't allow me to buy a house or anything like that," she said.
"It's hard. You see all your friends out every weekend, going for supper with each other, and you're like 'No, I can't come'."
Steve Thomas, from the Welsh Local Government Association, said councils needed more money to be able to pay carers a better wage.
"As it stands, unless more money comes into the system, we've got a real problem. Nobody's proud about the fact [of] how much money we pay people who work in the social care sector," said Mr Thomas.
Earlier this month, the UK government announced an extra £2bn of funding over three years for social care in England.
In Wales, there is an extra £200m, but the Welsh Government has yet to decide how to spend the money.
Rebecca Evans, Minister for Social Services and Public Health, said it was up to the Welsh Government's cabinet to decide how to spend the extra cash.
She said action was being taken to address recruitment problems in the care sector and that the introduction of a registration scheme for domiciliary care workers in 2020 would help.
"That will give the workforce the kind of kudos it deserves, because looking after our most vulnerable people - what more important job is there than that?" she said.
"And it will also give people going into that field of work the opportunity to think about career progression because we know that's not there for people at the moment as well."
The Minister also said the Welsh Government had invested in the sector to raise the terms and conditions of employees, including extra money for local authorities to meet an increase in the national living wage in April.


The situation in Syria is "extremely bad and getting worse", UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi has said.

He spoke after briefing the Security Council about his first trip to Syria since taking the post on 1 September.
Mr Brahimi said he would return soon, but admitted he did not have a full plan on how to bring peace to Syria.
The statement comes as violence continues across the country. Activists said the government was bombing parts of the second city, Aleppo.
Speaking at UN headquarters in New York, Mr Brahimi said: "There is no disagreement anywhere that the situation in Syria is extremely bad and getting worse, that it is a threat to the region and a threat to peace and security in the world."
He said there was "no prospect for today or tomorrow to move forward".
But he added: "I think that we will find an opening in the not too distant future." Mr Brahimi said he believed "reasonable people" would know that they cannot go backwards.
The BBC's Barbara Plett at the UN says Mr Brahimi's mission to forge a political solution seems almost impossible, with the two parties intent on fighting rather than talking, and the Security Council deeply divided.
The UN says more than 20,000 people have been killed since anti-government protests began in Syria in March 2011. Activists put the death toll as high as 30,000.
Also on Monday, Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad blamed the violence on foreign-backed "terrorist groups".
He told the BBC that Syria was carrying "a message of peace and national reconciliation" to the UN's General Assembly, which starts its annual debate on Tuesday.
On Monday, the Local Co-ordination Committees, an opposition activist network, reported that at least 40 people had died in fighting, including 13 in Aleppo.
The group said the victims included three children from one family killed in air strikes in the central district of Maadi.
Battles also raged overnight in the western districts of Jamilia, Bustan al-Qasr, Furqan and Zabdiya, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based activist group. The army also shelled rebel positions in Marjah and Tariq al-Bab, it added.
The state news agency Sana said the army had "cleansed" parts of the Arqoub, Jadida, Suleiman al-Halabi and Karm al-Jabal areas of Aleppo on Monday. Troops seized ammunition, dismantled explosive devices and "killed a large number of terrorists", it added.
A five-year-old girl and a man were killed during the bombardment of the southern town of Dael, in Deraa province, the Observatory reported. Six soldiers also died when a bomb exploded beside a lorry transporting them in Deraa.
Clashes between government forces and rebels were also reported in the north-eastern and north-western districts of the capital, Damascus.
More than 260,000 Syrians have fled to neighbouring countries, the UN says. There are also thought to be more than 1.2 million internally displaced people, and 2.5 million in need of humanitarian assistance.
The Security Council has so far been unable to reach agreement on how to respond to the crisis, with Russia and China blocking three Western-backed resolutions seeking to pressure President Assad to end the violence and begin talks with the opposition.
On Sunday, representatives of 20 opposition parties tolerated by the authorities attended a conference in Damascus where they called on both sides to end the violence immediately.
Raja al-Nasser, one of the organisers of the Syria Salvation Conference, called for an "immediate halt to the shooting, a halt to the brutal and barbaric shelling, a truce and a pause for the fighters".
A truce could "open the way for a political process... which guarantees a radical political change, an end to the current regime and a serious and genuine democracy," he said.
The appeal was dismissed by the rebel Free Syrian Army, which said the meeting was a "silly plot to mislead the international community to think there is a negotiation in place".


Northern Ireland striker Billy Mckay is returning to Inverness CT on loan from Wigan until the end of the season.

Caley Thistle boss Richie Foran hopes to have international clearance in time for Mckay, 28, to feature in Tuesday's Premiership match away to Hamilton.
He replaces Lonsana Doumbouya, who has been allowed to leave despite being the club's top scorer with six goals.
Mckay was prolific for the Highlanders in his three and a half years with the club from July 2011, netting 62 times.
He moved to Wigan in January 2015 and subsequently had loan spells at Dundee United and, this season, Oldham.
He scored four times for the English League One club in 33 appearances.
Capped once by Guinea, Doumbouya, 26, arrived in the summer after a season with Belgian club Cercle Brugge.
The Premiership's bottom club have also agreed a loan deal for 19-year-old Celtic defender Jamie McCart and released Ali Sutherland.


An eight-month-old baby from Rochdale has died after being taken to hospital suffering from multiple injuries.

Emergency services were called to a property in the Spotland area at about 09:30 BST on Tuesday after reports of concern for his welfare.
A 25-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and of causing or allowing the death of a child.
A 24-year-old woman has also been arrested on suspicion of causing or allowing the death of a child.
The pair remain in custody.
The boy was admitted to hospital on Tuesday but died two days later.
Det Ch Insp Jamie Daniels, from Greater Manchester Police, said: "This is a deeply distressing investigation involving a small child.
"Our thoughts at this time are with the family, friends and all others within the local community who may be affected by this incident."


Concerns have been raised about increased traffic levels in the Danestone area of Aberdeen following the opening of a third Don crossing.

The Â£22.3m Diamond Bridge linking Danestone and Tillydrone was opened last month.
Local councillor Gill Samarai has said more traffic on Danestone's Laurel Drive could pose a danger to children using that route to go to school.
Aberdeen City Council is to assess the need for a school crossing in the area.


A group of politicians in Nigeria has threatened to sue the US embassy over accusations that they groped a hotel chambermaid and tried to solicit prostitutes while visiting the US.

The incidents allegedly occurred as the MPs were in Cleveland in April.
The three politicians identified in a letter from the US ambassador to Nigeria have denied the accusations.
He told Nigeria's parliament speaker that such alleged conduct could put future visits by Nigerian MPs at risk.
Envoy James Entwhistle wrote that three of the 10-man delegation to a good governance exchange programme had allegedly been involved in behaviour that "left a very negative impression of Nigeria".
He wrote that Mohammed Garba Gololo "allegedly grabbed a housekeeper in his hotel room and solicited her for sex", while Mark Terseer Gbillah and Samuel Ikon "allegedly requested hotel parking attendants assist them to solicit prostitutes".
The Speaker of the Nigerian parliament, Yakubu Dogara, has begun an investigation.
But one of the MPs, Mohammed Gololo, told the BBC the accusations were "false" and "unfounded" and that he demanded a retraction.
"I was shocked. I was embarrassed. There is nothing as such that has happened," he said.
He went on to detail reasons why he believed the story did not stand up.
"You can imagine if one attempted to rape someone or grabbed someone, what stopped the person from screaming? What stopped the person from shouting?
"Remember we were there in April. Now we are in June. What stopped them from alleging or stopped them from reporting from April until now? What stopped them from bringing footage or some video clips of how it happened and where it happened?
"It's false, it's unfounded, and it's really embarrassing."
Mr Gololo said he was demanding an apology from the US government over the allegations or would take legal action, and that he was considering paying for himself to return to Cleveland to clear his name.
One of the other accused men, Mr Gbillah, said the allegation was a baseless attempt to tarnish the reputation of Nigeria's House of Representatives.
A US Embassy spokesperson declined to comment on "private diplomatic correspondence".


One of the longest-serving and most prominent leaders of so-called Islamic State (IS) has been killed in Syria, IS-affiliated media say.

In a statement distributed by the group's supporters, Amaq News Agency reported that Abu Muhammad al-Adnani died in the city of Aleppo.
He was "martyred while surveying the operations to repel the military campaigns against Aleppo", it said.
Adnani was known for his calls for lone-wolf attacks in the West.
One of the group's founder members, he is also said to have masterminded attacks in Europe and elsewhere.
The statement did not say how Adnani - who had a US bounty of $5m (Â£3.82m) on his head - was killed.
Hisham al-Hashimi, a security analyst who advises the Iraqi government on IS, said Adnani was injured in a US-led coalition strike on 17 August north of Aleppo, where IS is fighting Turkish- and US-backed Syrian rebels.
Mr Hashimi said he died from his wounds on Monday.
Islamic State group - the full story
His death comes at a time when IS is suffering military reverses in both Syria and Iraq.
He was last heard in an audio message in May urging Muslims to carry out attacks in the West.
Adnani was born Taha Sobhi Falaha in the northern Syrian town of Banash in 1977.
US officials say he was one of the first foreign fighters to oppose the presence of US-led forces in Iraq after the 2003 invasion.


A police force is contacting the relatives of 26 people whose organs and tissue samples were removed and kept without the knowledge of families.

At least 13 samples, taken from post-mortem examinations following unexplained deaths, were found stored at South Tyneside District Hospital.
Northumbria Police said 26 families were being contacted, with Cleveland Police dealing with 13 families.
Both forces admitted samples were kept "longer than necessary".
In a statement, Northumbria Police Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Vanessa Jardine, said: "We understand the gravity of this situation and the devastating affect it has had on the families involved.
"The human tissue samples of cases that happened many years ago have been identified and we have specially trained officers contacting relatives of 26 people to inform them of this.
"It is our priority to make sure this is done as quickly and sympathetically as possible."
The remains were found during an audit at the hospital in March 2015.
South Shields MP Emma Lewell-Buck said: "I think in terms of overall transparency, it's important that the public know the level of numbers involved.
"I'm very disappointed that it's happened in a hospital in my constituency and I think it's such a shame for those families.
"Something like this can just open it up [the grieving process] and it can feel like it just happened the day before all over again."
Sarah Simpson, whose father Terence died in a fall from a roof 22 years ago, said she was "appalled" to be told his tissue samples had been stored.
She said she was now considering legal action.
The Human Tissue Authority (HTA) said that significant improvements had been made to the systems governing the retention of human tissue samples.


A selection of photographs from around the African continent this week:

A "sapeur" poses on Tuesday in the Democratic Republic of Congo's capital, Kinshasa, as he marks the 20th anniversary of the death of their movement's founder Stervos Niarcos Ngashie...
La Sape - a cult of appearance - is known for its flamboyant style of dressing. It was meant to defy then-Zaire's ruler Mobutu Sese Seko who ordered people to wear traditional African clothes.
Two days earlier in northern Nigeria's main city, Kano, traditional regalia was on display for the public coronation of Mohammad Sanusi II as emir of Kano, the second-highest Islamic authority in Africa's most populous state.
The emir is dressed for the occasion by men known as "the kingmakers". His mouth is usually covered to signal that he speaks through his aides. Mr Sanusi, a former central bank chief and an Islamic scholar, rose to the throne last year following the death of his predecessor, Al Haji Ado Bayero...
Horse-riders entertained the thousands of people who attended the ceremony, despite fears that militant Islamist group Boko Haram could launch an attack. The emir is a fierce critic of the group and his predecessor survived an attempted assassination blamed on the militants.
Meanwhile, Moroccan and Egyptian singers perform on Friday at a music festival in the Indian city of Kolkata. It was billed as a peace festival - showing the role music and dance can play in bringing together people of diverse backgrounds...
In South Africa, a Hindu devotee gets pierced with lime and flowers during a festival on Saturday at a temple in Mount Edgecombe, north of Durban. The annual festival is a purification ritual offering prayers, penance, observing a month-long vegetarian diet and celebrating the Hindu god Muruga's birth...
On Tuesday, ballet dancers perform at a theatre in the main city, Johannesburg. The South African Ballet Theatre company is trying to raise awareness about the dance form by encouraging users of social media to upload their best pirouette videos.
In Ivory Coast's main city Abidjan, police estimated that about one million people lined the streets and packed the Felix Houphouet-Boigny stadium on Monday to celebrate the national football team's return from Equatorial Guinea, where they won the Africa Cup of Nations in dramatic fashion...
Ivory Coast beat Ghana 9-8 on penalties. This fan, painted in Ghana's colours, showed his disappointment when the final whistle blew in Bata.


Around 5,500 rare Arctic charr fish have been released into a Snowdonia lake to help restore their numbers.

The Arctic charr population at Llyn Padarn, Llanberis, has been dropping over a number of years with some blaming poor water quality.
It is the fourth year that juvenile charr have been released into the lake.
In previous years the fish have also been restocked at Llyn Crafnant, near Trefriw, Conwy, developed as a back-up source of charr for Llyn Padarn.
However, new stock will not be introduced into Crafnant this year as Natural Resources Wales (NRW) officers are monitoring populations in the lake to see if previous restocking efforts have been successful.
"We're committed to ensuring the future of the iconic Arctic charr population in Llyn Padarn and we've put great effort into restocking thousands of fish over the years," said NRW spokesman Tim Jones.
"At the same time, we're continuing to work with Dwr Cymru Welsh Water and others to find ways to improve water quality in the lake and create a better habitat for the charr to survive."
A breeding programme has been set up at NRW's Mawddach hatchery in a bid to protect the rare fish, which can only be found in a few cold, deep lakes in north Wales.
In July a report confirmed that nutrients from sewage effluent had damaged the water quality at Llyn Padarn following an incident in 2009.
NRW said the nutrients also caused a toxic algal bloom which closed the lake for weeks at a time.
Stricter limits have since been imposed on a local sewage works.


Windows have been smashed on a synagogue in north Belfast.

Police said a window was smashed some time on Friday night or Saturday morning.
A replacement window was then smashed on Saturday afternoon or evening. Police are treating it as a religious hate crime.
They have appealed for anyone who witnessed the attacks or has any information about them to contact them on the non-emergency 101 number.
Rabbi David Singer said the Jewish community had been left shocked by the attack.
He said: "I think across the community, first of all, it's very sad that it happened. I would imagine that there's a certain amount of anger that it could happen, but angry in the sense of frustration, not angry in the sense that they'd want to do anything about it.
"Certainly, it's very sad and very disturbing that Belfast would show its face like this."
The Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt said it was "totally unacceptable" for places of worship to be targeted.
"The Jewish community have been valuable members of our society for many years," he said.
"We offered refuge during the Second World War to many fleeing the Holocaust and it is abhorrent that the synagogue has been the target of this hate crime."
Nigel Dodds, DUP, called the attacks "disgraceful and despicable".
"Those who have such hatred in their hearts to carry out this attack must be condemned. The Jewish community are a long established part of Belfast and have a rich history in the city.  I trust the police will be able to apprehend those responsible for this latest act of hatred," he said.
Sinn FÃ©in MLA Gerry Kelly said: "There can be no place for attacks on any place of worship, regardless of the religion or denomination.
"The local Jewish community makes a valuable contribution to our society and there is no justification for hate crimes.
"If anyone has any information on these attacks then they should contact the PSNI."
Alban Maginness, SDLP, said: "I totally condemn the attack on the north Belfast synagogue.
"Anti-semitism and race hate will not be tolerated by the people of Belfast.
"It is disgraceful that such a highly respected and law-abiding community and their place of worship should be attacked in this way."


Four indecent assaults in Swansea city centre have now been reported to police.

A further incident was reported following an appeal on Wednesday, after a woman was assaulted twice in three days..
Officers said the suspect approached lone women in the afternoons of 4 July and 7 July, off Oystermouth Road, and touched them inappropriately.
He is described as Asian, about 5ft 5ins (165cm) and in his teens.


Just after 08:00 BST, speed-reader Anne Jones switched on her reading lamp and opened a brand new copy of Go Set a Watchman.

She had expected to finish Harper Lee's much-anticipated novel in about 40 minutes.
In the event, the six-time world champion speed-reader took just 25 minutes and 31 seconds to get through all 278 pages.
"It was a page turner," she said shortly after finishing the novel at Forum Books in Corbridge, Northumberland.
"I wanted to know happened. It was really funny in places. I was laughing at the scenes of Jean Louise [Scout] at her first dance."
Go Set a Watchman contains some of the same characters as Lee's 1960 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird, including Scout and her father Atticus Finch.
The new book has already proved controversial as early reviews noted that in later years Finch is a racist who seems to support segregation in Alabama.
"Atticus is presented as being as a bigot but I think it's because times have changed," said Ms Jones.  "In To Kill a Mockingbird the white and black people live separately.  In Watchman people are coming to terms with a new status quo.
"What Harper Lee does brilliantly is she explores relationships between Jean Louise and various relatives. At the end of the day we still love our family even if we disagree with them. There's quite a lot of conflict and a very sensitive exploration of these issues."
Atticus Finch wasn't the only revelation. "I think the feminist aspect is something people will notice.  Jean Louise is an independent spirited young girl who is turning into an opinionated and strong woman."
Before she read Go Set a Watchman, Ms Jones has expressed trepidation as to whether it would stand up against To Kill a Mockingbird, which she describes as a "perfect book".
"Go Set a Watchman doesn't quite reach that standard but it is a great read in itself. It is something that a fan, like myself, will really enjoy reading."
She plans to read Harper Lee's new novel again at her leisure: "Normally I'd be reading this in two 45 minute bursts - with a cup of tea in between."


Superhero film Suicide Squad and higher fees from pay TV providers helped drive higher-than-expected quarterly profit and sales at Time Warner.

The firm, which is in the midst of being taken over by US telecoms giant AT&T, owns Warner Brothers film studios, the cable TV channels HBO, the Cartoon Network and CNN.
Revenues rose 9% to $7.2bn (Â£5.8bn) in the three months to the end of September, with net income of $1.47bn.
AT&T is paying $85.4bn for the firm.
Time Warner's shares are currently trading around $89 a share, well below the $107 a share offer price, suggesting investors are doubtful that the deal will be approved by regulators.
A US Senate subcommittee responsible for competition is set to hold a hearing on the merger this month.
The tie-up would combine AT&T's distribution network, which includes 130 million mobile phone customers and 25 million pay-TV subscribers, with content from the Warner Brothers film studios and the cable TV channels HBO, the Cartoon Network and CNN.
There are concerns that because AT&T already owns mobile phone, broadband and cable TV networks, allowing it to control the shows as well might mean less choice for consumers and lead to higher prices.
Speaking after the third quarter results, Time Warner chief executive and chairman Jeff Bewkes said the merger was "a great outcome" for shareholders and would drive "long-term value well into the future" for the firm.


Two British medics who were part of a large group of students who left their studies in Sudan to join so-called Islamic State have been killed in Iraq.

The BBC understands that Ahmed Sami Khider, from London, and Hisham Fadlallah, originally from Nottinghamshire, died at the weekend.
Khider is understood to have been in a convoy trying to leave Mosul when it was hit by gunfire.
It is not known if Fadlallah was killed in the same incident.
Khider had been working in Mosul, where there have been violent clashes as Iraqi forces try to retake the city from IS.
His parents have travelled to Khartoum, in Sudan, for a period of mourning.
The son of a doctor, Khider had been a student at Wallington County Grammar School in south London.
Like many other middle class Britons with a Sudanese family background, he took a degree in medicine in Khartoum, graduating in July 2014.
Eight months later, he was part of a group of nine students from the University of Medical Sciences and Technology (UMST) who left Sudan to join IS in Syria.
Seven of them were British and included Hisham Fadlallah and Khider's younger sister, Nada. They were followed into IS territory in June 2015 by five other Britons from UMST. At least four have since been killed.
Soon after arriving in Syria, Khider appeared in a slick propaganda film urging other Britons to travel to Syria and Iraq.
This was not the usual IS production with masked men posing in the streets with guns. Here was a softly spoken young man sitting behind a desk in a wood-panelled office with a stethoscope around his neck. That man was Ahmed Sami Khider.
Interspersed with footage of an MRI scanner and babies in incubators were shots of Khider teaching in an IS hospital.
Speaking to camera, he said: "All you are doing is sitting in the West in the comfort of your homes. Use your skills and come here."
A friend, who did not want to be identified, told the BBC that Khider was popular and influential on campus.
"All of the boys in particular looked up to him," he said. "They all listened to what he said and took it to heart. Everyone loved him. He became a leader."
Another fellow student said that Khider changed in 2013. The funny, outgoing young man became more serious and withdrew from his wider circle of friends.
By then he was under the influence of extremists, although UMST has always denied they operated on the Khartoum campus.


County champions Yorkshire have signed India batsman Cheteshwar Pujara as their overseas player after Younus Khan pulled out of a proposed move to Headingley.

Pakistan batsman Younus, 37, agreed to a return to the White Rose on a short-term deal in February.
However, Younus has now said that he would be unable to turn down a possible call to tour Bangladesh with Pakistan.
Pujara, 27, has scored 2,073 runs at an average of 47.11 in 27 Tests.
Pujara, who played three County Championship games for Derbyshire in 2014, averages 57.01 in first-class cricket.
"We have moved quickly to bring in Pujara and he is a superb player," said director of cricket Martyn Moxon.
"He is an outstanding young Test cricketer who is hungry to perform in the English game.
"In the brief conversations I have had with him, he is very much looking forward to be joining Yorkshire and being part of our plans."


A 34-year-old man, who is the husband of the mayor of Derry and Strabane, has been charged with assaulting a couple in their 50s.

Declan Aaron McCallion, from Elaghmore Park in the Galliagh area of Londonderry, is the husband of Sinn Mayor Elisha McCallion.
He has been charged with physically assaulting a man.
He is also charged with assaulting the man's wife by placing her in fear of immediate violence.
He was released on bail and ordered not to be intoxicated in public.
Mr McCallion has been further charged with disorderly behaviour and with resisting a police officer in the due execution of his duty.
The four offences are alleged to have happened before midnight on 19 May at Academy Road.
A police officer told district judge Barney McElholm that he could connect the defendant to each of the four charges.
A defence solicitor said he had no questions for the officer and added that the case should not trouble the court.
The solicitor applied for the case to be adjourned until 17 June to allow him to receive information on other matters.
His application was granted by the district judge.
As part of his bail conditions Mr McCallion must submit to a preliminary breath test if he is ever asked to do so by the police.
The judge also ordered the defendant not to have any direct or indirect contact with the injured parties or with any prosecution witnesses in the case.


Ex-England and Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard and MK Dons have been in contact over the vacant manager's role.

It is not clear whether the 36-year-old midfielder, who is set to leave MLS side LA Galaxy in December, will retire from playing should he land the role.
He would succeed Karl Robinson at MK Dons, who are 21st in League One.
Gerrard, England's fourth most-capped player, left Anfield in 2015 after 17 years in the first team, playing 710 times and winning eight major trophies.
MK Dons are exploring a number of opportunities, and Gerrard is understood to be one of numerous candidates.
Since announcing he is to leave the United States before the end of the year, Gerrard has been linked with moves to both Celtic and Newcastle United.
He has said he has "options on and off the pitch", and former Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson stated the Reds should re-sign him as a player-coach.
Gerrard is currently pursuing his Uefa A coaching licence - the second-highest qualification offered.
Robinson left the Dons in October after six years in charge, as their poor form from their first-ever season in the Championship continued when they were relegated back to the third tier.
The club prides itself on the football it plays and has an emphasis on their youth academy, which saw England and Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli come through its system.
And chairman Pete Winkelman said following the departure of Robinson that his ambition was to take the team into the Premier League, adding that an important factor in the appointment of the next manager was "playing modern football".
"We're a young football club and we want to play football like the big boys play," said Winkelman in October. "We might not play it at the same speed or accuracy but I want our supporters to recognise that football."
Gerrard, the only player to score in the final of the FA Cup, League Cup, Champions League and Uefa Cup, could take his first step into any sort of coaching role with the Dons.
But the Buckinghamshire side do have a history of giving people their first management job in football, having handed Robinson the role at the age of just 29, making him the youngest manager in the Football League.
Gerrard would also not be the first high-profile appointment to be made by the club.
Former Chelsea midfielder Roberto di Matteo and ex-England international Paul Ince were both appointed as manager of a side that has spent 10 of its 13 years in existence in the third tier of English football.


A decision to shelve plans to open a new birth centre in north Worcestershire has been criticised.

Sharon Harvey, from campaign group Save the Alex, said Redditch "gets nothing" whereas Worcester has a birth centre.
Proposals for the new north Worcestershire centre have been put on hold by Redditch & Bromsgrove Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).
Doctors thought there would not be enough demand to justify the Â£1m running costs.
The decision means expectant mothers in the Redditch area would have to continue travelling to Birmingham, Warwick or Worcester.
A separate maternity unit at the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch was initially temporarily shut due to staff shortages for six months from October last year before being extended as a temporary measure in February.
Ms Harvey said: "We can't have a birth centre. Worcester has one, though.
"Worcester has a hospital. Worcester has a proper A&E - we are getting really tired of 'Worcester got everything' and Redditch gets nothing."
On Friday the CCG said in 2014 an independent panel recommended CCGs should consider consulting on whether there should be a "standalone midwifery-led birth centre in the north of the county".
The CCG has said it now supported a recommendation that the proposed centre should be left out of a consultation "on the proposed clinical model for acute services" in Worcestershire.
It said the recommendation had been made in a report from the Future of Acute Hospital Services Programme Board.
The CCG stated neonatal nursing staff shortages, how the Worcestershire Royal Hospital has coped with more births and the impact of the Meadow Birth Centre, which opened at the Worcestershire Royal in April 2015, were looked at when this report was produced.
The CCG said it would instead "look into the possibility of conducting a separate study outside of the Future of Acute Hospitals Services programme to look at whether this facility [a new birth centre in north Worcestershire] is viable locally".


Traditional Irish music is special to people all over the world - so perhaps it should come as no surprise to see a group of young Japanese musicians performing at a traditional Irish music festival in County Clare.

But, as Kozo Toyota explained, he still gets bombarded with questions when he visits Ireland to play with his band from Tokyo.
Mr Toyota and his band were among those performing and competing at the All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil in Ennis, County Clare, on Sunday.
The event is the biggest festival of Irish music and culture in the world, and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.
Thousands compete in music competitions and Mr Toyota's group was among those taking part last weekend in Ennis. They received a warm welcome and managed to make it to the finals of one competition.
"We received a standing ovation at the end of our performance and it filled us with deep emotion," said the music teacher, who is travelling back to Tokyo on Tuesday.
Mr Toyota, who has no connection to the island of Ireland other than a love for the music, discovered his passion while studying the subject at university.
"People here welcome me and my band with open arms and are very warm and kind, but it is clear they are wondering why we became Irish musicians," he told BBC News NI.
"They assume that Japanese people would have no interest in Irish music, and they are surprised when they hear us playing the songs well."
Mr Toyota mainly plays the flute and makes a living from teaching and performing the music at home in Japan.
He founded Toyota Céilí in 2011 and they became the first band to host regular céilí events in Japan.
Mr Toyota said traditional Irish music and dancing were becoming increasingly popular in Japan and the band welcome more than 100 people to some of their events throughout the year.
"I love to play music that people can dance along to," said Mr Toyota.
"When I was studying music at university, and I began my journey with Irish music, I was intrigued to learn that many Irish families played the music together - now my mother, father and younger brother accompany me often.
"There is definitely an increased interest in Irish dancing and music in Japan and it has become very popular with young people, especially students."
Speaking ahead of the Fleadh, Anne Barrington, the Irish ambassador in Japan, said the enthusiasm of Japanese players of Irish music knew "no bounds".
"It is humbling to see the dedication and passion with which this great tradition of ours is pursued here in Japan," she said.


American Danielle Kang and South Korea's Chella Choi share a two-stroke lead going into the final day of the Women's PGA Championship.

Kang shot a three-under-par 68 and Choi birdied the last for a 67 to go 10 under after three rounds.
Another South Korean, Jiyai Shin, is in third spot after a 64, with Canada's Brooke Henderson a further shot behind.
England's Jodi Ewart Shadoff had been just one off the lead but carded a 74 to fall seven shots behind the leaders.
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Kang, a two-time US Women's Amateur champion, said she had received messages of support from former Olympic decathlon champion and now reality celebrity, Caitlyn Jenner, and also ice hockey great Wayne Gretzky.
"Wayne texted me this morning. He said 'just go win it,'" Kang said.
"Caitlyn Jenner called me yesterday. I have a couple of people rooting for me. I love it.
"It would be incredible to be called a major champion, however I didn't really fortify the tournament as much as I wanted."
Choi, whose father is her caddie, said: "I'm very excited to work with my dad and he gives me a lot of confidence.
"He just carries my bag and says 'calm down and focus on golf, just one shot [at a time]. If you are bogey-free today I will give you a gift'. That's why I'm bogey-free."
"I'm just thinking what I need," she added. "Maybe money. There is no price limit but I have to be considerate of the fact that it is a gift from my father, so I want to do something that's modest."


A 33-year-old man has been arrested in Edinburgh after an assault police believe is connected to an earlier hate crime.

The assault took place at a bus stop in Great Junction Street near the Ladbrokes at about 15:45 on Thursday.
Police said the 18-year-old victim was uninjured.
The earlier hate crime involved a man who was subject to racial abuse as he was believed to be boarding the number 22 Lothian Bus.
Officer have urged the man to come forward.
PC Christopher Paul said: "This type of behaviour is absolutely unacceptable and we're also asking any witnesses, or anyone with information which can help, to get in touch.
"There was about three adults in the area of the bus stop at the time of these incidents who we're particularly eager to speak to."


Jack Payne's injury-time penalty helped Southend secure a vital point against second-bottom Crewe at Roots Hall.

Following a number of misses by both sides, the game sprung into life in the 86th minute when George Cooper fired home a 25-yard free-kick to give the visitors a shock lead.
However, the hosts were awarded their second spot-kick of the match after Ben Nugent fouled Jamar Loza in the box.
Tyrone Barnett had seen his first-half penalty saved by keeper Ben Garratt.
The draw leaves Southend a point off the play-off places, while Crewe have slipped eight points adrift of safety.
Crewe Alexandra manager Steve Davis told BBC Radio Stoke:
"We were terrific. We deserved to win. That is all you can ask from them, the penalty incident aside at the end. We have gone to a tough place, battled away and shown the ability we have.
"The players can be proud of their performance. We have gone head to head with a team who are looking to get into the top six and were the better team.
"We know George Cooper is capable of scoring free-kicks like that. He did that against Coventry in his early days in the team and slowly he is getting that confidence back."


Hull City have signed Chelsea defender Ola Aina on a season-long loan.

Full-back Aina, 20, made three substitute appearances in the Premier League and one in the FA Cup, and started two EFL Cup games last season.
He is the first major arrival at Hull since Leonid Slutsky was appointed as manager in June.
"I'm very excited to be here and it is the start of a new chapter in my career. I just want to hit the ground running," Aina told Hull's website.
Born in London and with England caps up to under-20 level, Aina has declared his allegiance to Nigeria.
He been part of three FA Youth Cup-winning sides at Stamford Bridge and twice helped them win the Uefa Youth League.
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