2026 Walsh Cup

Last updated
2026 Walsh Cup
Tournament details
ProvinceLeinster, Ulster, Connacht
Year2026
Date4–18 January 2026
Teams10
Defending champions Wexford
Other
Matches played9 (Cup)
4 (Shield)
←  2024
2027  →

The 2026 Walsh Cup is a hurling competition for county teams in the provinces of Leinster, Ulster and Connacht. [1]

Contents

The draw was announced in November 2025, with the competition commencing on 4 January. [2] Features announced in advance 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 was involved in more than one match. [3] The final is scheduled for 18 January. [4]

Format

The ten teams play in the first round. The five winners progress. Three of the first round winners go into the semi-finals, and two of them play a quarter-final.

The five losers in the first round are transferred to the Walsh Shield, which is also a straight knockout. This structure means that every team is guaranteed at least two games. [5]

Drawn games go straight to a penalty shootout without any extra time being played. Games which cannot be played due to weather conditions are decided by coin toss. [6]

Walsh Cup

Round 1

4 January 2026 (2026-01-04)
13:30 IWT (UTC±0)
Match 4
Laois Colours of Laois.svg 0-17 (17)–(23) 1-20 Colours of Wexford.svg Wexford
4 January 2026 (2026-01-04)
13:30 IWT (UTC±0)
Match 5
Carlow Colours of Carlow.svg 0-17 (17)–(23) 0-23 Colours of Dublin.svg Dublin
4 January 2026 (2026-01-04)
14:00 IWT (UTC±0)
Match 2
Offaly Colours of Offaly.svg w/o – scr. Colours of Antrim.svg Antrim
  • Game not played due to frozen pitch. Result was decided via coin toss. [7]
4 January 2026 (2026-01-04)
14:00 IWT (UTC±0)
Match 1
Kildare Colours of Kildare.svg scr. – w/o Colours of Galway.svg Galway
  • Game not played due to frozen pitch. Result was decided via coin toss. [8]
4 January 2026 (2026-01-04)
14:30 IWT (UTC±0)
Match 3
Westmeath Colours of Westmeath.svg w/o – scr. Colours of Kilkenny.svg Kilkenny
Dovida Lakepoint Park, Mullingar
  • Game not played due to frozen pitch. Result was decided via coin toss. [8]

Quarter-final

8 January 2026 (2026-01-08)
19:30 IWT (UTC±0)
Quarter-final
Wexford Colours of Wexford.svg 1-11 (14)–(23) 2-17 Colours of Dublin.svg Dublin

Semi-finals

11 January 2026 (2026-01-11)
14:30 IWT (UTC±0)
Semi-final 1
Dublin Colours of Dublin.svg v Colours of Westmeath.svg Westmeath
11 January 2026 (2026-01-11)
14:30 IWT (UTC±0)
Semi-final 2
Galway Colours of Galway.svg v Colours of Offaly.svg Offaly

Final

18 January 2024 (2024-01-18)
Walsh Cup Final
v

Walsh Shield

Quarter-final

8 January 2026 (2026-01-08)
19:30 IWT (UTC±0)
Laois Colours of Laois.svg 3-14 (23)–(18) 2-12 Colours of Carlow.svg Carlow

Semi-finals

11 January 2026 (2026-01-11)
14:00 IWT (UTC±0)
Laois Colours of Laois.svg 0-10 (10)– 2-17 (23) Colours of Kilkenny.svg Kilkenny
11 January 2026 (2026-01-11)
14:30 IWT (UTC±0)
Kildare Colours of Kildare.svg 0-17 (17)– 2-10 (16) Colours of Antrim.svg Antrim

Shield Final

18 January 2026 (2026-01-18)
Walsh Shield Final
Colours of Kildare.svg Kildare v Colours of Kilkenny.svg Kilkenny

References

  1. ↑ "2026 O'Byrne Cup & Walsh Cup | Dublin GAA | Latest News, Fixtures & Results". Dublin GAA Board.
  2. ↑ Ryan, Clem (4 November 2025). "2026 Walsh Cup Hurling Draw". KFM.
  3. ↑ "2026 O'Byrne and Walsh Cup fixtures revealed". Hogan Stand. 5 November 2025.
  4. ↑ Hartnett, Alan (5 November 2025). "Laois footballers and hurlers learn their fate as O'Byrne and Walsh Cups return for 2026". Laois Today.
  5. ↑ "Walsh Cup Hurling Fixtures 2026 – Galway GAA". November 18, 2025.
  6. ↑ Nolan, Daragh (November 5, 2025). "Kildare begin Walsh Cup against Galway with 2026 competition rule changes". www.kildarenow.com.
  7. ↑ Corrigan, Kevin (January 4, 2026). "Toss to decide outcome as Offaly v Antrim Walsh Cup tie called off". www.offalyexpress.ie.
  8. 1 2 Telford, Thomas (January 4, 2026). "Galway GAA match called off as Met Eireann issue snow warning update". Galway Beo.
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