2026 O'Byrne Cup

Last updated
2026 O'Byrne Cup
Tournament details
ProvinceLeinster
Year2026
Trophy O'Byrne Cup
Date3–16 January 2026
Teams11
Defending champions Longford
Winners
Champions Westmeath (5th win)
Manager Mark McHugh
Captain Ronan Wallace
Runners-up
Runners-up Kildare
Manager Brian Flanagan
Captain Kevin Feely
Other
Matches played9 (Cup)
4 (Shield)
←  2024
2027  →

The 2026 O'Byrne Cup is a Gaelic football competition for county teams in the province of Leinster. [1]

Contents

The draw was announced in November 2025, with the competition starting on 3 January. [2] Features included penalties to decide matches instead of extra time, any number of substitutions permitted, matches being reduced to 60 minutes, and "a Shield competition" intended to guarantee every team is involved in more than one match (except for Louth). [3] [4]

Longford were aiming to complete a three-in-a-row, but were eliminated without playing as their first round game was cancelled due to a frozen pitch. They lost on a coin toss to Westmeath who went on to win the tournament after defeating Louth, Offaly and Kildare. [5]

Competition format

The eleven teams are drawn to play in a knockout system. Ten of them play in the first round, while one (Louth) goes straight to the quarter-final. The five winners progress. Three of the first round winners go into the quarter-finals, and two of them go straight to the semi-finals.

The five losers in the first round are transferred to the O'Byrne Shield, which is also a straight knockout. This structure means that every team, except for Louth, is guaranteed at least two games.

Drawn games go to penalty shootout. Games which cannot be played due to weather conditions are decided by coin toss.

O'Byrne Cup

Round 1

3 January 2026 (2026-01-03)
13:30 IWT (UTC±0)
Match 1
Laois Colours of Laois.svg 1-17 (20)–(23) 4-14 Colours of Dublin.svg Dublin
(HT: 0-10 - 3-3)

Pts: Evan O'Carroll 0-6 (5f), Killian Byrne 1-0, Killian Roche 0-3 (1tpf, 1f), Matthew Byron 0-2 (tpf), Brian Byrne 0-2, Cian Doyle 0-1 (f), Paddy O'Sullivan 0-1, Colin Dunne 0-1, Ben O'Connor 0-1
Pts: Niall O'Callaghan 1-6 (3tp), Tim Deering 1-0, Robert Shaw 1-0, Eoin Kennedy 1-0, Clyde Burke 0-3 (1tp), Sean Guiden 0-3 (2f), Kevin Stephenson 0-1, Jack Lundy 0-1
Park–Ratheniska GAA , Ratheniska
Referee: James Foley (Meath)
3 January 2026 (2026-01-03)
13:30 IWT (UTC±0)
Match 2
Wexford Colours of Wexford.svg 0-09 (9)–(18) 2-12 Colours of Kildare.svg Kildare
(HT: 0-2 - 1-8)

Pts: Colum Feeney 0-3 (1tp), Niall Hughes 0-2 (tp), Pairi Hughes 0-2, Liam Coleman 0-1
Pts: Darragh Swords 1-2, Sam Doran 1-1, Brian McLoughlin 0-2 (1f), Ben Loakman 0-2, Niall Dolan 0-2 (tp), Liam Kelly 0-1, Dara Crowley 0-1, Aaron Browne 0-1 (f)
St Patrick's Park, Enniscorthy
Referee: Darragh Byrne (Wicklow)
3 January 2026 (2026-01-03)
13:30 IWT (UTC±0)
Match 3
Carlow Colours of Carlow.svg 3-09 (18)–(23) 3-14 Colours of Offaly.svg Offaly
(HT: 1-6 - 1-7)

Pts: Adam McCarron 2-3, Paddy McDonnell 1-0, Colm Hulton 0-3, Darragh Foley 0-2 (2f), Mark Foley 0-1
Pts: Rory Egan 1-4 (1tp), Harry Plunkett 0-4 (3f), Aaron Leavy 1-0, Cormac Egan 1-0, Ciaran Murphy 0-2 (tp), Darragh Flynn 0-2, Keith O'Neill 0-2
Páirc Uí Bhriain , Carlow
Referee: Ryan Moran (Kildare)
3 January 2026 (2026-01-03)
13:30 IWT (UTC±0)
Match 4
Wicklow Colours of Wicklow.svg 1-12 (15)–(17) 2-11 Colours of Meath.svg Meath
(HT: 0-4 - 2-7)

Pts: Padraig O'Toole 1-1, Mark Jackson 0-4 (2tpf), Dean Healy 0-2, Jack Hardy 0-1, Oisin McGraynor 0-1, Chris O'Brien 0-1, Paidi Kavanagh 0-1, Eoin Darcy 0-1
Pts: Diarmuid Moriarty 1-4 (2f), Killian Smyth 1-0, Niall Finnerty 0-3 (1tp), Conor Gray 0-2 (tp), Oisin Martin 0-2
Echelon Park , Aughrim
Referee: Paddy McDermott
3 January 2026 (2026-01-03)
13:30 IWT (UTC±0)
Match 5
Longford Colours of Longford.svg scr. – w/o Colours of Westmeath.svg Westmeath

Match 5 not played due to frozen pitch. Match was decided via coin toss. [6] [7]

Quarter-finals

7 January 2026 (2026-01-07)
19:30 IWT (UTC±0)
Quarter-final 1
Offaly Colours of Offaly.svg 2-13 (19)–(15) 0-15 Colours of Meath.svg Meath
(HT: 2-9 - 0-6)

Pts: Jordan Hayes 1-4 (1tpf), Ciaran Murphy 0-3, Cormac Egan 1-0, Keith O'Neill 0-2 (1f), Daire McDaid 0-1, Ryan Egan 0-1, Eoin Sawyer 0-1, Jack Bryant 0-1 (f)
Pts: Daithi McGowan 0-6 (1tpf, 3f), Diarmuid Moriarty 0-4 (1tpf), Oisin Martin 0-2 (tp), Darragh Campion 0-2, Rian Stafford 0-1
Gracefield GAA , Gracefield
Referee: Enda Kelly (Westmeath)
7 January 2026 (2026-01-07)
19:30 IWT (UTC±0)
Quarter-final 2
Westmeath Colours of Westmeath.svg 2-15 (21)–(15) 0-15 Colours of Louth.svg Louth
(HT: 2-5 - 0-9)

Pts: Luke Loughlin 0-5 (1tpf), Brandon Kelly 1-1, Brian Guerin 1-0, Robbie Forde 0-3 (2f), Kevin O'Sullivan 0-2, Tom Molloy 0-2, Tadhg Baker 0-1, Kealan Connell 0-1
Pts: Ryan Burns 0-8 (2tpf, 2f, 1'45), Dylan McKeown 0-4 (1tpf, 1f), Conall McCaul 0-2, Eoghan Callaghan 0-1
St Loman's Park , Mullingar
Referee: Lar Murphy

Semi-finals

10 January 2026 (2026-01-10)
14:00 IWT (UTC±0)
Semi-final 2
Offaly Colours of Offaly.svg 2-08 (14)–(27) 5-12 Colours of Westmeath.svg Westmeath
(HT: 1-3 — 2-7)

Pts: Ciaran Murphy 2-0, Darragh Flynn 0-2 (2f), Jack Bryant 0-2 (1f), Diarmuid Egan 0-1, Cormac Egan 0-1, Eoin Sawyer 0-1, Harry Plunkett 0-1 (f)
Pts: Brandon Kelly 2-1, Danny McCartan 2-0, Senan Baker 1-0, Ronan Wallace 0-3, Luke Loughlin 0-3 (2f), Matthew Whittaker 0-1, Brian Cooney 0-1, Robbie Forde 0-1
10 January 2026 (2026-01-10)
17:00 IWT (UTC±0)
Semi-final 1
Kildare Colours of Kildare.svg 1-22 (25)–(16) 1-13 Colours of Dublin.svg Dublin
(HT: 0-10 — 1-10)

Pts: Alex Beirne 0-7 (1'45, 1f), Harry O'Neill 1-0, James Harris 0-3 (1tp), Sam Doran 0-3, Brian McLoughlin 0-2, Darragh Swords 0-2, Eoin Cully 0-2, Ben Loakman 0-1, Kevin Feely 0-1, Aaron Browne 0-1 (f)
Pts: Clyde Burke 0-5 (2tp), James McCarville 1-0, Dylan Kettle 0-2, Eoin Kennedy 0-1, Sam Moloney 0-1 ('45), Niall O'Callaghan 0-1, Luke Gifford 0-1
St Conleth's Park , Newbridge
Referee: Eamonn O'Connor (Offaly)

Final

TG4
16 January 2026 (2026-01-16)
19:30 IWT (UTC±0)
O'Byrne Cup Final
Kildare Colours of Kildare.svg 1-16 (19)–(21) 1-18 Colours of Westmeath.svg Westmeath
(HT: 0-08 – 0-04)
Gls: Liam Kelly 1
Pts: Alex Beirne 5 (1x2p, 1 '45', 1f), Brian McLoughlin 4 (1x2p), Ben Loakman 3 (1x2p), Kevin Feely 2(2p), Eoin Cully 1, Calum Bolton 1		Gls: Ronan Wallace 1
Pts: Luke Loughlin 8 (3x2p, 1 '45'), Ronan Wallace 7 (3x2p), Danny McCartan 2, Senan Baker 1f
St Conleth's Park , Newbridge
Referee: Kevin Williamson

O'Byrne Shield

Quarter-final

7 January 2026 (2026-01-07)
19:30 IWT (UTC±0)
Carlow Colours of Carlow.svg 1-13 (16)–(13) 0-13 Colours of Wexford.svg Wexford
(HT: 0-5 - 0-7)

Pts: Colm Hulton 1-3 (1f), Shane Clarke 0-2, Conor Crowley 0-2 (1f), Tadhg Roche 0-1, Conor Doyle 0-1 (f), Sean Murphy 0-1, Ross Dunphy 0-1, Paddy McDonnell 0-1, Patrick Doyle 0-1
Pts: Sean Nolan 0-6 (1tp), Cathal Kehoe 0-2, Eoghan Nolan 0-1, Shane Doyle 0-1, James Lawless 0-1, Mark Rossiter 0-1, Pairic Hughes 0-1
Tullow GAA , Tullow
Referee: Stephen Fagan (Wicklow)

Semi-finals

10 January 2026 (2026-01-10)
14:00 IWT (UTC±0)
Carlow Colours of Carlow.svg 2-15 (21)–(18) 3-09 Colours of Laois.svg Laois
(HT: 1-8 - 1-6)

Pts: Conor Doyle 0-5 (2tp), Colm Hulton 1-2, Ross Dunphy 1-1, Paddy McDonnell 0-2, Tadhg Roche 0-1, Sean Murphy 0-1, Conor Crowley 0-1 (f), Mikey Bambrick 0-1, Shane Clarke 0-1
Pts: Alan Kinsella 2-0, Paul Kingston 1-1 (1f, 1pen), Matthew Byron 0-3 (1'45, 1tpf), Cian Nolan 0-3, Niall Corbet 0-1, Jake Darcy 0-1
Fr Ryan Park , Rathvilly
Referee: Darragh Byrne (Wicklow)
10 January 2026 (2026-01-10)
14:00 IWT (UTC±0)
Wicklow Colours of Wicklow.svg 3-15 (24)–(14) 1-11 Colours of Longford.svg Longford
(HT: 2-6 - 0-5)

Pts: Eoin Darcy 1-3 (1f, 1tpf), Mark Jackson 0-5 (1tp, 1tpf), Sean Murphy 1-0, Conor Fee 1-0, Chris O'Brien 0-2 (tp), Liam O'Neill 0-2, John Paul Nolan 0-1, Tom Moran 0-1, Oisin McGraynor 0-1 (f), Padraig O'Toole 0-1
Pts: Dessie Reynolds 0-5 (1tp), Matthew Carey 0-4 (1f), Cathal McCabe 1-0, Jayson Matthews 0-1, Paddy Mollaghan 0-1

Shield Final

16 January 2026 (2026-01-16)
19:30 IWT (UTC±0)
O'Byrne Shield Final
Carlow Colours of Carlow.svg 2-13 (19)–(10) 1-07 Colours of Wicklow.svg Wicklow
(HT: 2-07 – 1-04)
SETU , Carlow
Referee: Ultan McElroy

References

  1. ↑ "2026 O'Byrne Cup & Walsh Cup | Dublin GAA | Latest News, Fixtures & Results". Dublin GAA Board.
  2. ↑ Ryan, Clem (4 November 2025). "2026 O'Byrne Cup Draw". KFM.
  3. ↑ "Louth drawn against Longford or Offaly in O'Byrne Cup Quarter-final". Irish Independent. November 5, 2025.
  4. ↑ "2026 O'Byrne and Walsh Cup fixtures revealed". Hogan Stand. 5 November 2025.
  5. ↑ Callaghan, Tommy (January 16, 2026). "Kildare fall to a late Westmeath two-pointer". www.kildarenow.com.
  6. ↑ O'Brien, Padraic (January 3, 2026). "FROZEN out of the O'Byrne Cup as Longford v Westmeath is postponed". www.longfordleader.ie.
  7. ↑ "GAA: Clare edge Treaty, Longford lose out via coin toss". rte.ie. January 3, 2026.
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