Westmeath secured their second-ever Leinster Championship title in 2026, defeating Dublin 2-28 to 26 points after extra time in a historic match at Croke Park. This victory was particularly remarkable as it marked Westmeath's first provincial title since 2004 and their first since being relegated to Division 3, making them the first Division 3 or Division 4 team to win a provincial championship since Roscommon in 2010. The win was achieved under new manager Jack McHugh, who had previously replicated his father's success with Cavan in the 1990s. Westmeath's victory was described as one of the best provincial championship wins of all time, with the team demonstrating exceptional resilience by overcoming Dublin, Meath, and Kildare in their path to the final.
Provincial GLORY for Westmeath & Armagh 🏆 Tipperary OUT 😱 LGFA & Camogie Provincial Finals 🔥Added:
[music] [music] >> Yes, hello everyone. Follow us at GAAL E Cuiliin Media. Welcome back to another weekend review show here on the channel.
It's myself, Sheamus Brady, joined by Matthew Hurley to kick off the episode.
Aaron Prendergast will be joining us in about 10 or 15 minutes time. Liam White, unfortunately, cannot be with us today, but we have an outrageous weekend of action to look back on from Gaelic games. We have across the board Westmeath winning just their second ever Leinster title and their first since 2004. Armagh finally winning the Ulster title under Kieran McGeeney. First one for them since 2008. In the hurling, the All-Ireland champions Tipperary have been dumped out of the All-Ireland Championship. Absolutely sensational stuff. Dublin getting a massive win over Galway. Offaly getting a massive win over Wexford. Kilkenny with an impressive win over Kildare. Waterford out of the Championship confirmed after losing to Limerick as well. Then we have huge action from round four of the Joe McDonagh and the final round of the Christy Ring, Nicky Rackard, and Lory Meagher Cups. The All-Ireland Camogie Championship kicked off with group two's round one with the meeting of Offaly and Wexford, which we'll come to. And also the Munster Senior Camogie final between Tipperary and Waterford. That saw the Premier County get a sensational victory over the Déise. And in the LGFA, we had the provincial final for Leinster and Dublin came out on top against Kildare retaining the title. Kildare falling agonizingly short of what would have been a first provincial crown for them.
As always, our Championship coverage for 2026 is partnered by A-Tax Sports.
Massive shout-out to them if you want to buy the best gear around in the game, check them out across their socials and their website. So, as I said, joined by Matthew Hurley to run us through and joined by yourselves, the viewers. If there are any highlights that you want to discuss or want us to discuss, fire it into the live chat there and we will discuss all. Matthew, what a weekend we have to look back on.
Yeah, it was it was quite the weekend when you look at the games this weekend.
Watching the Super game last night. Kind of shocking how the target again Tipperary were in not just one half of both halves, really.
Obviously, with the Dublin-Galway, didn't even mention that in the intro.
Dublin getting over the line there in the Leinster Hurling Championship and having won for into a Leinster final there.
>> [laughter] >> Yeah, exactly.
But but yeah, like today was absolutely remarkable in so many ways and Limerick and Waterford kind of went into under the radar, probably rightly so considering comprehensive winners in many ways. And yeah, I watched the Ulster final and I I was actually at a club game for the Leinster final, so I didn't watch the entire one. So, I actually watched it on the RT player. A combination of the RT player going down in the car and the RT radio. And obviously, they they weren't in sync, so it was kind of confusing at times. But but yeah, Man of the Match stays the same. It was an absolutely brilliant day for Westmeath. First Leinster title since 2004 and yeah, the spirit of Paudie O'Shea kind of lives on in in Westmeath and yeah, it's a brilliant achievement for that Westmeath side to win a provincial crown, I think.
I might be corrected on this, but is it is it the first or I'm thinking other than Tipperary, but obviously that was a weird year in 2020 with COVID. But other than that, is it the first time either a Division 3 or Division 4 team have won a provincial championship since Roscommon in 2010? I might be wrong on Yeah, I was thinking Roscommon in 2010 were in Division 4.
And and then there was that back [ __ ] year where Carlow and Tipperary both won even though they weren't in the top two divisions. Club Championship big shout out of course provided us with the Cooleeny media hoodies. 18 long years we finally did it. Sean saying football is well and truly back and so competitive now than what I grew up with in the decade of the Dubs. We all enjoyed it.
That's the other thing is like uh today obviously big day as well for Cooleeny we were in the press center at Croke Park. I was in the press center Matthew. We wouldn't make you make the trip up to Dublin.
But it's a long long trip for Matthew up to Dublin for those who don't know.
Um but in the press center for it.
Obviously I'm a Dub. I'm in the press center. I'm clapping for Dublin scoring.
But when you are there and you see the emotion and the happiness and the joy in the Westmeath fans, the people, the players you're there and you're going, yeah, you know what? I'm happy for them. Like there's a part of me that is if we if we want the game to have retained that magic we need days like this and you're delighted for Westmeath even though Dublin came out the wrong side of the result.
Yeah, exactly. And yeah, you could definitely feel the emotion in and around them even watching on the TV or even listening to it on the radio.
It was just incredible in so many ways for Westmeath to to win the crown and as a division three team as well I don't think anybody would have envisaged this considering their path to the final as well. They had to beat Meath, Kildare and Dublin. Like or the Louth. Like that is that's that's the biggest way of winning a Leinster championship and beating all the big guns along the way.
So yeah, it's a brilliant achievement for Westmeath and Shout out as well to to to our friend of the show maybe you could call it in Jason Keelan.
Um >> Oh yeah.
And then there you go I got a photo with him.
It'll be up somewhere.
Oh, I seen it.
>> And what's funny is when when Dublin won I went over to him at full time and I was like, "Am I allowed to speak to you?" Or "Do you want a few minutes? Will I come back to you at the end of the game, maybe?" But he's an absolute gentleman.
And yeah, congratulated him at the end and everything like that. And again, you know when I'm talking about being happy, he was so happy at full time. He'd never seen Well, he he hadn't seen Westmeath win a Leinster title in 22 years.
Yeah.
It's mad. And we actually seen a brilliant forward with Jason with Ronan Wallace I think at the terminal area.
Yeah.
>> That was a brilliant pick in fairness as well. And it probably just shows the Westmeath players know what Jason does as well. And Jason is a standout Westmeath man as well. So, absolutely delighted for him more than anything cuz obviously we both know him. Aaron and and Liam I'd imagine would know him quite well as well. So, no, it's just absolutely brilliant for him. Delighted for him. Delighted for everybody in Westmeath getting the glory today. And yeah lads, I'd say it's Monday club will be absolutely rocking in Athlone and Mullingar tomorrow. But we'll we'll see how that all plays out.
Absolutely. Well, let's just dive in.
And Aaron will be with us in just a moment. Hopefully Aaron uh I don't know. Maybe he's having a he's having one more pint before coming on to try and get ready for this episode. But let's start right here. Leinster Senior Football Championship final of 2026.
Westmeath 2-28, Dublin 26 points after extra time. A truly magical day for Westmeath. When you're talking about history for Westmeath, it's only their second ever Leinster title. Their first since 2004. And another thing that's remarkable, it's the first time since 2001 that Dublin have lost a Leinster final. Talk about a historic day in Croke Park. This is absolutely off the scale from Westmeath. What a monumental achievement.
It's superb. And to beat Dublin not only to beat Dublin but to beat them by eight points.
Um It was and I think Aaron said this in his tweet earlier that Westmeath didn't just beat Dublin, like they battered them in many ways. They absolutely deserved it throughout the entire game and I know a lot of people say okay, the goal by Jack Donaghy at the end was kind of a gloss on the scoreline, but in truth Westmeath were way above Dublin.
That first period of extra time, that was the absolute killer in this game.
Yes, the goal by Breen Cooney it's a bit of luck, but I think Westmeath earned it throughout the entire game today.
Dublin were 11 points to nine up and they they were I think five points up at a stage in the second half and you were thinking okay, Dublin need to to calm this down and they get it over the line here, but Westmeath never knew what they they didn't take a loss as a word today. They wanted us to win us and it was just an incredible occasion. Like Matthew Whittaker was brilliant from wing back.
And like earlier in the campaign, the likes of Shane Shane Carthy and Brandon Kelly, we talked about them standing up.
To be fair, Brandon Kelly got four points for play, but Senan Baker off the bench, four points. To be honest, I I didn't know why I don't know Mark McHugh might know more to be fair, but I don't know why Senan Baker didn't start from the off.
>> Brilliant off the bench. He was absolutely fantastic.
Superb and yeah, he's a very very good player as well. Very good youngster and obviously John Heslin coming back to the team.
There was a question mark whether he'd start, even be on the panel. He wasn't on the panel and then he came on, got a two-pointer in extra time, got a free in normal time as well. Like he made an absolutely massive difference to Westmeath in this game. He kind of was the Greaney Walsh that tipped the tipped the scale for them.
Um the likes of Breen Cooney, Sam McCartan, Ronan Wallace who've been absolute heroes. Ray Ray Connellan, Ronan O'Toole, of course, the man of the match officially from RT. I can't really forget him. Like every Westmeath player and I think I think Kieran Staunton actually mentioned on RT radio, there was heroes everywhere you look around Westmeath.
There was heroes from 1 to 15, there was heroes on the sideline, there was heroes on the bench. Every person played a part in this Westmeath victory today in their panel. It was just an absolutely incredible victory for so many people involved and it was just an incredible win for so many people in Westmeath that have had some hard years and I think I think I don't know who it was that tweeted this, but I think it was actually Paul Fitzpatrick from the Anglo-Celt in Cavan. He actually said that imagine saying to a Westmeath person in 2024, you'd get knocked out of Leinster Championship by Kildare, you'd lose to two Division 4 sides in the Tailteann Cup, then the next season you'd win the Leinster Championship while beating Meath, Kildare and Dublin while also without your best player in Luke Loughlin.
Like, it's just it's sensational stuff and you have to credit Westmeath. To be fair, I think a lot of people would have said before the Kildare game when Luke got the injury that a lot of people would said this is done. Westmeath are not going to win the Leinster Championship.
The fairytale the storyline is not going to happen here.
But, they didn't seem believe anything that was said in the media. They wanted to win this Leinster Championship and there was other players as I mentioned, the Brandon Kellys, the Shane Carwins, the Ray Connellens, the Ronan Wallaces, the John Heslins today, the Ronan Bakers today, stood up when it was counted and they earned Westmeath this provincial title.
Yeah, it was absolutely unbelievable.
Liam here and saying well lads, sorry I can't be on tonight. Currently on a train back from Limerick Waterford game.
What a result that is for Westmeath football championship delivers again. It certainly does. There's like you do run out of words and like it's ironic as hell, well not ironic, but But almost poetic that you're talking about what was the grain of rice, you know, the the throwback of course the Paudie O'Shea's legendary speech before that 2004 Leinster final.
But what was interesting as well, Matthew Whittaker kind of mentioned it in his post-match interview. This was the press conference and I asked him at the post-match presser, I asked him basically cuz he mentioned in the question beforehand he mentioned that, you know, they've been so unlucky. They've been heartbroken. They lost by a point to Wicklow. They lost by a point in multiple games in Division 2 last season. They got relegated.
They had been so close to famous wins under Dermot McCabe.
But then my thing was was I said that for me, that made it more impressive when they held their nerve at the end because when David Byrne fisted over for Dublin, I thought, okay, Dublin are going to close this out.
And for Westmeath to just go straight down the other end and Senan Baker to slot it over, I was like, okay, there's something a bit different about Westmeath today. They're not going away no matter what. And in extra time, they absolutely had the legs on Dublin. They had the fitness and they drove it on.
The first half of extra time, they dominated and they left us with far too much to do in the second half of extra time to pull it back. They are worthy worthy Leinster champions. When you look at it, they beaten Meath, Kildare and Dublin in the final. No question about it. They're the best team in the province.
And it's absolutely incredible stuff.
For Mark McHugh, his first year in charge. I mean, uh How do you top this already?
Yeah, and this will be again I'm looking at tweets and things like that because you kind of have to with an event like this and the magnitude of this Westmeath victory. But somebody said as well, his dad, Mark McHugh, actually clinched was the manager of Cavan who clinched their first Ulster title in something like 28 years, I think it was, in in So maybe there's something in the blood.
Um with the with the McHughs here. But, um what a job that uh Jack McHugh has done with uh with uh Westmeath. And um the job he did with Roscommon as well with uh with uh the coaching and all that. Like, it did there was serious potential in Westmeath. And he has definitely made it all um come to fruition. He's been an absolute breath breath of fresh air into Westmeath. And um and yeah, he's uh replicated his dad's successes with Cavan in the '90s. And he He was just an incredible occasion for him more than anything.
Welcome, Aaron.
You're just in time for the depression session from a Dublin point of view.
But, in terms of elation, you can't but be happy for Westmeath. It's an amazing achievement. I was saying there when you're talking history If you're talking history, this is the only Westmeath Like, if you're talking history, Westmeath's second ever Leinster title, their first since 2004, and the first Leinster final that Dublin have lost since 2001. What a historic day in Croke Park.
Yeah, absolutely. Like, an incredible incredible win from a from a Westmeath perspective. Like, probably like one of the best provincial championship wins of all time, I think.
Like, to beat Meath, Kildare, and Dublin. Like, I can't remember the last time, if ever >> Division three.
From Division Three as well. Like, probably the only two provincial championship wins that eclipse this is maybe Clare in '92, Leitrim in '94.
Like, but I think aside from that, I think this one is probably number three.
Probably even eclipses the one that they won in 2004 in my opinion. Like, yeah, just just incredible. They probably should have won the game in normal time.
Like, they were by far the better side throughout, in my opinion. Um like, in the I thought like Dublin were like kind of keeping Westmeath at arm's length. It felt like we were sort of just about doing enough up until around the 50th minute. But, when Matthew Whittaker scored an absolute blinder of of a of a two-pointer, the game just became incredibly chaotic after that. And Westmeath absolutely thrived on all the chaos and everything else. And yeah, man. I'm sure we might get on to it, but obviously with the ground probably being 90% Westmeath fans, then yeah, you know, they they were absolutely going to be, you know, that the that you could kind of hear the the roar and everything else. It was definitely driving on driving on the players. Um and yeah, you know, they were fully fully deserved of it. I think it would have been an absolute robbery really if we had have came away with a win there towards the end. Like Westmeath were I think three points up with five or six minutes to go, and they had chances to put the game to bed. They two opportunities that opportunities that they missed, one from a free. Um and they had another one shortly after that as well. Like so So yeah, look, fair play to them. You can't take anything away. By far the better side.
Well deserved. And um yeah, look, it's kind of crazy. I mean, the Leinster Championship was dead for many years, but it's absolutely alive and kicking now.
Yeah, now I I I personally think it's the best Leinster final I've seen.
It's definitely the best Leinster final I've watched live. Like Dublin uh sorry, Louth-Meath 2010 was dramatic.
Louth-Meath last year was very good.
Dublin didn't have many good Leinster finals in the period where we were hammering everyone.
Like there there wasn't really any good Leinster finals to be honest. Like Dublin-Meath 2012 was dramatic at the end. Jamie Queeney smashed in a late goal, and all of a sudden it was game on.
Mhm. But apart from that, there was it was either Dublin were hammering teams or or out.
The Leinster Championship is going to be one of the other. Um Yeah, we plenty of comments flying in.
Aaron looked like way more maroon and white on the hill today. It's only Westmeath's third ever win over Dublin.
So up and Adam says, "Up the banner and the fabulous baker boys of Westmeath."
We've loads of Like guys, love to see it. Keep them coming. We've so much to discuss on this game. A2 says, "Rant over, lads."
Hate to single out individuals, but Comerford has no business being in goals. It it an unfortunate mistake. Um because personally like I I was I did a little bit of filming for that uh point. I thought that I thought that Cooney had taken the two-pointer.
And I thought it had just landed on top of the net. And then I swear to God, like I looked back and I was like, "What? Goal?"
Yeah.
What?
>> Everyone was Everyone was really confused. Like everyone thought it was like I think I was one of the only people who actually seen it go into the net.
I was like, "What the [ __ ] Like How did that Yeah. It's just mental. And in a in extra time like that, I got the chance to ask Damien Rock in the in the post-match pressure at the end of the game.
I got to ask him like, "How much of a sucker punch was that?"
Like because it's one thing if Westmeath got a goal, you know, where they worked it through the hands and they absolutely carved the defense open. And but not only is it a massive boost to Westmeath, it is such a oh my god type of goal to concede, where it really feels like it's not your day. And Dean's answer was said, "Yeah, it was a huge sucker punch. But on top of that, it was the fact that you have so little time to fix it. You've so little time to rectify it." And that that goal turbocharged Westmeath into the lead.
And yeah, then they were winning every kickout as well. Like we got wiped out in midfield. And yeah, it's again, it's another game where it's just a massive Brian Fenton-shaped hole in our midfield. I'm just like one day hopefully he comes back. But that's the other thing that we have to look at this as well. And I go back to you for this, Alan, is we knew after 2023 because we got the band back together for 2023, won the All Ireland, but we knew that there was probably another drop-off coming.
I didn't see it dropping off this much.
This is kind of a little bit frightening, to be honest.
Yeah. Yeah, like it's you know, like it's And like it's mad cuz like the players that are there that are really good footballers, like Cormac Costello and you know, you've seen the likes of Ciaran Kilkenny, Brian Howard. Even the old scolia times today I think we're very good but it just yeah I don't think we've kind of gotten with the new rules. We haven't adapted to the new rules whatsoever.
Like we again we it seems like we only kick two pointers when we genuine when we need them. It's like we're in trouble, we need a two pointer, blah blah blah. The only two pointers we scored today was the Cormac Costello free and even after that as well I don't even think we had a two point attempt even before that. Um it still feels like we're caught playing even the same way that we played under Dessie and even Jim Gavin many many years ago when the game was all about controlling the game and taking the sting out of our teams and high percentage shooting zones and all this kind of crack. Like that game is gone now. It's different. It's a different game now and we just don't we're so lethargic in how we play football and our build up like even as well like even coaching wise as well like I was kind of worried watching that. I don't know like if it's obviously Gerry Brennan hasn't been been there. He's he's you know he's not even allowed to go to train and now you'd imagine his messages have been relayed to Dean Rock and everything else and then Dean Rock is obviously passing them to the players. So it's a hard one to judge because we don't know if things are getting lost in translation. Maybe Gerry Brennan isn't getting time to coach these players and obviously it is worth mentioning with Dean Rock. It's his first year in senior coaching so very very hard for him to have the experience or know-how of what to do. I know he was a phenomenal footballer but it is different when you're a manager.
Do you know what I mean? Um and it just felt like looking at the Westmeath team in terms of how they play like you could see their patterns of play. You could see them driving through the middle. You could see them working two pointers, working goal chances as well. There's a lot of variation in terms of their play.
But yeah with Dublin like there doesn't seem to be a huge amount coming through to be honest.
Um there's you know there's probably like as well as that like the decline could actually get worse because Ciaran Kilkenny, Naul Scully, these lads out there you know they're in their twilight of their career now. So, you know, they probably move on in the next couple of years as well. And maybe they look at recent results and go, "You know what? I think I might just just leave." And and it feels like the fans have given up as well. So, I I don't know.
Yeah, no.
It It does feel like a little bit like we are where Kilkenny were in like 2018, 2019 where all of a sudden a lot of the talent is gone out the door and it's just kind of hard to know.
That being said, Dean Rock rattled off a bunch of names in the press conference of players that can come back. Like he goes, "Well, we still have to get Con back. We have to get Lee Keegan back. We have to get Owen Merchant back."
Padraic Coffey Byrne got injured. He dropped out of that.
And I was thinking, "Yeah, you know what? When he rattles off those names, we can still put together a good starting 15." But again, how much is this papering cracks? How much is this just sticking a bandage on an accident?
Like we do need to rebuild. We do need to rebuild. Like this needs to be a project now that Ger Brennan needs to be quite happy to be at the wheel for a few years and build up a new team.
And because clinging on to the remnants of what was a six-in-a-row glory days team, it's clearly not going to get us to the top anymore. And the reality is there was a question there previously, I think, from Killian McMullen saying, um, "Are Dublin a Division 3 team or are Westmeath a Division 2 or are Donaghmore a Division 3 team or are Westmeath more of a Division 2 team?" No question about it.
Westmeath are more of a Division 2 team.
Hence, why they beat Meath and why they beat Kildare. They absolutely belong at the top table. And today proved it. But my what I was most impressed, and sorry, Colin Walsh as well, another one that he named. But what my one is is >> [clears throat] >> I would look at this and go, "For me, the most impressive thing, as I said was how many games Westmeath have lost by one point, two points over the last few years. And when David Byrne fisted over to put Dublin one point ahead again, it would have been very easy to go, it's happening again, and panic.
But again, Matthew, I'll let you have the final say cuz we're 23 minutes in on the first game. We've got a lot to go through. But uh can I ask you to talk number one on John Heslin, his absolutely sensational return, and then wrap it up for us from there.
It's just sensational for um John Heslin to come back in and he he was always talking about the way he wanted to help back with QO. He wanted to help his former teammates out of the likes of Ronan Wallace and uh and and the likes of Luke Loughlin as well, obviously, who got injured and he wanted to replace him. And he absolutely does. Um Look, I think it's it's crazy to think that he was commentating on GAA Plus uh for the game against Kildare, and then in the Leinster final, he comes on and helps his teammates to win the Leinster championship. What a incredible story.
It's probably one of the stories of the year. I know we're only in May, but um but it's definitely up there. And it was just an incredible occasion for Westmeath um to to win this trophy. And um it does show that Leinster football is does have a place in terms of in in good provincial finals. Like we had a good provincial final in Connacht, a decent provincial final in Ulster as well. It's a shame that Cork let us down, but that second half display um last week in Killarney. But um but yeah, it was just an incredible um win for Westmeath. And it just gives hope to every underdog up and down the country.
Like maybe even to Wexford as well, because Wexford has suffered a beat Westmeath during the league. And it they did beat Limerick in the Talteann Cup.
Fair play to them for that. But it might give Wexford that extra kind of boost to say that we could win the Talteann Cup here. And and the thing is with them there was a lot of talk about the Talteann Cup, but Westmeath have won it, Meath have won it. Those two counties have kicked on. Down have kicked on as well. The only county that hasn't really it is Kildare but that's only a year since they won the title cup. So maybe it'll give hope to the likes of Kildare what they can do in the next few years.
But it's just quite crazy to kind of think that Dublin, Louth, Westmeath, and Meath and Laois Meath and Laois have all won and Westmeath [clears throat] of course have won provincial titles in Leinster more recently than Kildare. And I we don't want to bring up him you know the the the black point that is Kildare football right now but at the same time Kildare have to be thinking to themselves if Westmeath can win it, if Louth can win it, if Laois can win it more recently than us, surely there is something in the water there that we can go on and win Leinster championship with the underage that has come through in Kildare with Brian Flanagan getting the building blocks there. But onto Westmeath yeah, it's a brilliant achievement for them and to win Leinster championship it's probably one of the stories of the year even though we're only not even halfway through 2026.
Yeah. It's absolutely unbelievable Liam has a question for us and then I'll pass it on over to you and then I'll pop up all the comments that we've got in about this game because we've got tons and we appreciate you all throwing them in and getting involved in this episode. Aaron this one is from Liam here. He says how far can we see Westmeath going in the All-Ireland series? For me they'll beat Cavan and then the world is their oyster from there.
I think yeah like I I thought I'd have to take the you know it might depend on draws but you know quarter-finals is definitely achievable and then depending on who they play it's one of them winning this Leinster title like it it will be like an All-Ireland. It will feel like an All-Ireland for them in many ways. There will be a huge amount of celebrations and everything else um across Westmeath.
I've already seen some clips as well that some family have already sent to me um in terms of some of the some of the celebrations and everything else. So you know like that will be absolutely huge. I remember when they won the Leinster title in 2004 they went into an All-Ireland quarter-final I think against Derry and they were beaten quite comfortably on that particular at that particular occasion. We saw what Louth did last year when they won Leinster.
They probably didn't have that good of an order in series in the end. So, it's kind of interesting like it could, you know, it could go one or two ways like it could they could, you know, be celebrating loads and and everything else which is rightly so, but the draw look is very favorable playing Cavan at home. They'll absolutely fancy their chances in terms of winning that game. Obviously going into the winners rounds, there'll be a lot of other good teams in there, of course, but I give them a strong chance and I think a lot of teams don't really know a lot about them like a lot about Westmeath, you know what I mean? They're probably underestimating them a bit like what Meath did. Um and they're a hard team to to figure out. They've a lot of newer players like younger players in their side like Brandon Kelly and Shane Corkeran Ronan Baker. Like these are all very young footballers and we don't know a lot about them. We haven't seen too much of them. So, it's hard for teams I think to do their homework on them. So, um I I I think a quarterfinal is definitely achievable. Um it will depend on draws and everything else, but even in a quarterfinal, you know, like if they like I think Kerry and Armagh are probably the two best teams in the country in my opinion. Donegal as well.
If Westmeath got drawn against them, you know, I would fancy Donegal, Kerry, or Armagh to beat Westmeath, but I think Westmeath would give a good go. Do you know what I mean? So, um you know, I I think in that pack underneath that top three, you know, I think Westmeath are right in and amongst it there.
Yeah, no, it's absolutely sensational and then when you look at the fact as well that they won this game without Luke Loughlin.
Absolutely crazy. One of the best Yeah.
if not their outright best player. Um so, it's sensational. Um already one of the stories of the summer and just like that, the Leinster Championship has had three champions in the last three years.
So, all of a sudden the championship that was absolutely being held up as the example of why you needed to get rid of the provincial championships, all of a sudden it's burst back into life again and had the best run that it's had in terms of multiple different winners since the start of this millennium where we had Westmeath winning in '04, Laois winning in '03, Dublin in '02, Meath in '01, Kildare in 2000, Offaly won I think in '97 or '98 as well.
So, we are in a bit of a golden patch if you're looking at the history books in the Leinster Championship. So, let's enjoy it. And for Westmeath, enjoy what is an absolutely sensational and thoroughly, thoroughly deserved Leinster title. And that's from a Dub. Enjoy it.
So, uh yeah, we're going to move on now to the next game, the Ulster Senior Football Championship final, also into extra time. Armagh 2-28, Monaghan 25 points. Armagh have finally climbed the Mount Everest that was winning that Ulster final. When you consider the heartbreak that they had to go through losing on penalties to Derry, losing on penalties to Donegal, losing after extra time to Donegal again. And now in this final, especially when Monaghan pushed them to extra time, you wonder, did Armagh fans have the heart in their mouth again? But, they get over the line. They dominated in extra time.
Monaghan did run out of gas. They went I think it was over 15 minutes without a score in one period of the extra time.
So, yeah. Armagh, thoroughly deserving Ulster champions, not just for this year, but for the journey and for the heartbreak that they experienced before it. They did deserve at least one year with the Anglo-Celt Cup. And lo and behold, 2026 it is.
Aaron, great win for Armagh.
100% yeah, it was a very big win. And to get over the line, to finally get that moment and everything else that they so very well have cherished over the last couple of years having lost a couple of big finals and everything else. So, um yeah, absolutely huge like it was kind of interesting like it was very comfortable for, you know, like 40 to 50 minutes. It was almost maybe too comfortable from an Armagh perspective cuz usually their games as we as we know can get quite mental and chaotic and everything else.
And then it was like, right, this is too comfortable. And then Armagh, as they so often do, the game just becomes a bit mental and Monaghan all of a sudden back in the game kicking two pointers, bringing Jack McCarron off the bench, Rory McKenney has been on the bench made a huge difference in the game and it was in those last 10 minutes it could have went either way. Even in the last minute where Armagh had the ball and they lost it and Monaghan got it on the other end like so very very interesting game but in the end I think Armagh's depth of their panel probably kind of really showed with bringing in O'Neill O'Neill off the bench and a few others as well like Ross McQuillan as well so yeah, very very dominant in the end to get over the line in extra time they, you know, even as McKeever said look they they probably did make hard work out of it probably more so than maybe they should have done but look at the end of the day they got the job done, they got the win and they you know, they've got the monkey off their back and you saw how much it means to the players, to McKeever and the manager and everything else like an incredible achievement.
Absolutely yes and then Matthew we were expecting that this game would be tight not because of the fact that but because those the finals are always tight and competitive and you've got Armagh and Monaghan two teams that I mean if this was back in the day the two of them would be in a coliseum screaming at the fans you're not entertained like the two of them love nothing more than to put on a show and that's exactly what this was.
That is and and to be fair I think the Armagh won this in extra time like they did.
Armagh had 10 shots in extra time they converted eight when you look at Monaghan they had six shots in extra time only converted one and they had one score in extra time that was at the start of it I think with Stephen O'Hanlon got it but other than that Monaghan didn't trouble the post for a minute Armagh point of view and then you look at Armagh like that goal by O'Neill I think in the first period ended the game I think and you look at the way they controlled the game in the second period of extra time as well there was no chaotic elements there There no madness, and there was no chaos uh organized chaos if you want to call it that way.
Our managers got the job done in extra time. And to be honest, they should probably should have got the job done in normal time when Tiernan Kelly got the goal. Ryan Ryan O'Toole kind of misjudges that uh ball in. I think it was by Kieran McAnallen that threw the ball in. And and then Monaghan for some reason when Monaghan always get these kind of bursts, and Armagh just didn't respond.
But at the end of normal time, Jack McCarron gets a two-pointer. And I remember at the end of normal time, Rory Beggan had a chance of a two-pointer. He normally nails them. I know it was beyond the 45-m line, but normally you put your house on Rory Beggan to nail that. And he missed it. And I think that hindsight's a beautiful thing, but I think that was the moment where Armagh and Monaghan lost the game.
It's a shame for them obviously because they got to the final fair play for a brilliant performance against Derry in the semi-final for coming back into that one. But but yeah, Armagh were just a better team in this final, and they were not going to let go of this one. And imagine from an Armagh perspective to lose four Ulster championships finals in a row would be absolutely damaging to that team. So, they would have been desperate to get the job done in this game, and they got it done in fairness to them.
Brilliant extra time display. And that was the one that got them over the line.
And I think the Monaghan kind of frustration culminated into in that same Darren McAleer sending off at the very end. And yeah, it was just a frustrating afternoon for Monaghan especially at the end. But from an Armagh perspective, unbelievable performance. They were absolutely brilliant today. They got 70% shooting accuracy across extra time and normal time, which is is is absolutely exceptional levels of consistency I think in 90 minutes of football. You have to give it to Armagh in that way as well. And they are All-Ireland contenders. There's no doubt about that.
Brilliant display from Armagh, deserving Ulster champions. Everything went right on the day. Everything kind of went smoothly I would think except for the post-match speech by Forker, which I think went on for about 10 minutes, which was a bit too long for my liking, but look, I'll give him I'll give him that.
Absolutely.
Brendan here with a very interesting question. Says is Geezer the first to win provincial and All-Ireland manage All-Ireland medals as both manager and player. Definitely isn't, but it is definitely a very very esteemed club to join. Off the top of my head, I can think of if you want to go back really really far, you've got Kevin Heffernan there, you've got Mick O'Dwyer, you've got the likes of um apologies Larry Tompkins I think Mark Matthew Larry Tompkins No, Billy Morgan.
Billy Morgan.
Billy Morgan.
>> Billy Morgan did.
You've got Conor Counihan, you've got Jimmy McGuinness.
Any basically anybody who won an All-Ireland before the qualifiers were introduced in 2001 if they went on to manage their county doing an All-Ireland. So that's Jim Gavin, Pa Kelly, Roy. Um Dessie Farrell, all three of them did it. Pauric Joyce has done it as a No, no, sorry. Apologies. Should have. And uh Um but there's plenty of examples, but it is definitely an exclusive club. And now added to that club is Kieran McGeeney. Unbelievable stuff. And we were talking a lot Aaron about why Kieran McGeeney was still our man manager. And we were saying the Ulster crown, he had unfinished business. If you could sum that up in a line, the aim was surely to win this Ulster crown. That's surely why he's still here, and he's done that now.
Absolutely, yeah. Like that was the that was the target. That was the goal at the start of the season. You know, like I mean, they've done everything else.
They've won the All-Irelands. The Ulster title is the holy grail for those players, and especially for the likes of Aidan Forker and few of the others as well who've obviously been there for quite a long time. You know, like to to finally get that moment.
You know, like cuz they I know they won the All-Ireland, but they had a huge amount of heartbreak in terms of the Donegal defeats and losing to Derry on penalties as well. Like so to get over the line just absolutely huge I think for for the players and yeah like they it's you know it's it it's why for me like Ulster nearly meant more to them this season than than maybe even the All-Ireland. I know they'll absolutely have their eyes set on the All-Ireland as well but they have to get their monkey off the back. Like to have this group of players that they have and to have not and for for them who have to not have yielded it in Ulster final just would have been a big disappointment for how good these group of players are. So yeah just absolutely huge.
I'm saying here says Armagh's squad depth is on another level. I think Geezer has nailed it by not starting Oisín O'Neill and waiting to bring him on later. He's such a two-point threat off the bench. Sean here saying Armagh finally getting it done great achievement given their squad was where where was where team with Rian O'Neill and injuries to Brendan along with others. Yet they finally got it done. You'd be a little bit sad for players like Stefan Campbell, Niall Grimley, even Rian O'Neill who is not who is not still not got an Ulster medal because he wasn't part of the squad.
Like it is quite interesting to see how many people weren't there. I wonder will Rian come back. He probably won't come back surely not at this stage. Um but uh um we'll get on to the next game. We have Maga here in 2023 we played Monaghan and they were vastly more experienced. Today was totally different. The experience factor now is huge for Armagh and that only comes through playing big games over and over.
That's a very very good point. Westmeath sorry Monaghan in that quarter-final in 2023 the one that was decided on penalties. Monaghan had the experience.
The likes of you know Conor McManus, Darren Hughes, those lads had been around the block and then some whereas whereas Monaghan whereas Armagh were still on the come up and they obviously they'd exploded onto the scene with that cracking game against Galway in that quarter-final. But Sean asking will do we think Geezer will call it quits. I think it's the most likely that I've ever seen him to call it quits now that he's completed the set.
Um but no, to be honest, I don't think he will. I think he'll want to stick around for as long as possible. I think he absolutely adores being involved as a manager, and I think he'll stick. And why would Armagh want anyone other than him? Like he absolutely knows how to get the best tune out of this Armagh team.
But yeah, if we're looking into it, Matthew, you mentioned extra time. What were the key things in this game that tipped it in Armagh's favor in the end?
It was the maybe the subs coming on, like the likes of Oisín O'Neill, and maybe their key performers standing up.
And then for so many teams, you talk about maybe one player standing up or two players, but two players at the back. For Armagh, there was Conor Turbitt scored five points. I think he assisted four as well. Oisín Conaty scored six for play, assisted four.
Um Ross McQuillan even coming onto the pitch, and even the the the panel that Armagh have, to bring Ross McQuillan on, to bring Oisín O'Neill on, to bring these sorts of players in. Rory Grugan, of course.
To bring these sorts of players on and um and get them over the finishing line.
That That was the That was the thing that tipped it for them. Um like the panel that they do have. Okay, Monaghan do have Jack McCarron to come on, and that was a mag- magnificent boost to have. And even Conor McCarthy who started today, I think he was one of these um well, I think he started only a couple of games up until now. But for him to be out of the Monaghan, that would have been a boost. But Armagh just they went deeper into their reserves, and they won the Ulster title because of it.
And there was other players that stepped up. Like I think in the beginning they mentioned on co-commentary, Oisín Conaty scored five points for play in the first half, doesn't really do much in the second half, and doesn't really do much He only scored a point in extra time.
But there was other players that stepped up around the team. Uh even the likes of Damien McMoreland, the likes of Thomas McCormack. Okay, he scored a goal against Antrim in the Ulster Championship last season. But for me, I think he's been one revelation in this Armagh team. Like Jarly Ó Burns, I think the RT panel mentioned he was initially catapulted into the Armagh team around 2018. Then he went off the Armagh team for a small bit, and now he's one of the regulars. Tiernan Kelly at center back has kind of changed his game into going in into that role as well. Like Armagh realistically don't need I know Ethan Rafferty came on and then did the speech at the end. He only came on for 2 minutes, but realistically do Armagh need Ethan Rafferty? Maybe around the panel, maybe around him the dressing room as a leadership um sort of figure. But I don't think they need him on the pitch now. Like you have Tiernan Kelly. Barry McCambridge came on as well. Like he Armagh could survive without him, and that was a footballer of the year contender a couple of couple of years ago. So Armagh and you look at the goalkeeper situation. Blaine Hughes, Ethan Rafferty, two goalkeepers I think would start for any inter-county team in the country. So you have those kind of um people in your reserves. Like Callum Ó Neill can't I don't know was it an injury problem or what it was, but he couldn't even get on the panel.
Um you look at like even around the field, the likes of Aidan Nugent McMullan for instance would have been kind of a squad player for the last few years. He's nailed his role into a starting role. Even Andrew Murnin in midfield for the last few games in the month in the Ulster Championship didn't do a whole lot wrong in in midfield. Like he was winning a lot of ball. They put him in full forward today, and his his um effect on the game didn't change. Like Armagh have these players that are that can play in a multitude of positions, and as well as that they could delve deep into their reserves as well. So people talk about Kerry and their reserves in terms of um All Ireland glory or whatever.
Armagh could run Kerry Kerry very close in terms of their numbers off the bench as well. A lot of people talk maybe about say Kerry's panel and things like that, but I think there is a debate be had and say that Armagh are up there in terms of squads quality, and Kerry are up there as well. Do they got probably in terms of the starting 15, but I think Armagh are certainly up there in terms of their squad numbers in terms of 20 25 players that could seriously do a job.
They could seriously put it up to the first teamers. And those are sorts of players off the bench, the likes of them the likes of McMullan and all them. I didn't even mention Oisín O'Neill. The The confidence he brings off the bench as well. So, Armagh have a serious panel and I think that Armagh could run Kerry a lot a lot closer than people think. We backed them for the All-Irelands and I'm still backing them for the All-Irelands because I think they have serious depth in in their panel. Now they have the Ulster Championship monkey off their back.
Look, I think the sky's the limit for this Armagh team.
Yeah, I think it's very very interesting. I think it would be it would be fascinating to see do they drop off now that they got the Ulster Championship and they already have an All-Ireland or do they kick on to try and go for that second All-Ireland? It'd be fascinating to see what order it goes cuz we don't usually see teams win the All-Ireland before they win a pro- provincial. So, it's a very very rare, very unique. They share that with the Clare hurlers. Like but anyway, massive congratulations to Armagh, worthy Ulster champions for 2026. And now we're going to move on to our next game. We had one game from the Tailteann Cup this weekend, Down beating Leitrim by a goal and 27 points to 16 points. The goal and three points it was came off the bench from Rory McCormack, but Pat Havern also got five points while Miha Rooney and Caolan Darcy also got three points each.
Daniel Guinness got four points from midfield as well. It was a tough day on the road for Leitrim. It was always going to be tough going away to a Down side that had just beaten Donegal in the previous round, but ultimately Down get out with a 14-point win to kick off their Tailteann Cup campaign for 2026.
And moving on now, Aaron, I'm going to go back over to you for this one.
This one was a much happier story for the Dubs. This is the one that kicked off today in Croke Park. Dublin 2-12, Kildare 2-6 in Croke Park. Dublin retain the Leinster football championship beating Kildare by six points in a very very entertaining back and forth contest.
When the game was in the melting pot, Dublin got two crucial goals. The first from Niamh Crowley and the second from Caoimhe O'Connor. In my opinion, it was just a classic case of experience winning out. When the game was in the melting pot, Dublin knew how to close it out. And that's what told ultimately in the end.
Yeah, absolutely. Like it was, you know, from what I seen of it, it was quite an even enough game probably up until those goals. And especially when Alannah McEvoy gets the goal for Kildare, you're kind of thinking, right, this could be a bit of problems here from a Dublin perspective. But as you said, having the big players who obviously been there and done it time and time and again. And obviously some of the newer girls that have come in as well. Caoimhe O'Connor with the goal, Niamh Crowley with the goal. So, yeah, huge in the end I think for for for Dublin to get over the line. And um yeah, look, at least we at least we did have some success with provincial championships this weekend.
Absolutely. So, Matthew, I don't know if you've seen this online or anything like that, but Kildare got one of the best goals I've seen in Croke Park from Eimear Loughran. She absolutely slammed it into the top corner from outside the D. It was one of the most outrageous strikes I've ever seen. At that point, Eimear Loughran slammed in a goal to the top corner. An outrageous goal.
It looked like it might be on for Kildare. And then in the post-match interview, the Kildare manager was basically saying that the amount of players they're missing, Niamh McEvoy, Róisín Byrne, these players are key key losses to Kildare. But the progress they've been making has been astonishing.
Dublin and Kildare now head on into the All-Ireland series. What are you expecting from both of them?
Yeah, Kildare have kind of shocked me in terms of um the players that they have been missing. I knew Róisín Byrne and Grace Clifford were missing from the Kildare team. And obviously Niamh McEvoy going down to the AFLW, that's massive losses.
They still have the likes of Alicia Cronin, but like like obviously Alana Plunkett as well, but that's serious losses in the team for the Kildare perspective, and especially considering they were intermediate champions a couple of seasons ago. You The last thing you need is those sort of players leaving the panel, but the way they put it up to Dublin, okay, this is a Dublin team that got relegated from Division 1, granted, but it's still a Dublin team that has a lot of experience on the panel, the likes of Niamh and then and Niamh Crowley coming I know Niamh Crowley's a younger kind of in the younger brigade from Dublin point of view, but she's still one I think it was it's two All-Ireland championships is it? Uh from her perspective.
>> Two All-Ireland championships as well.
Yeah, exactly. So, like it's it's like Dublin do have experience, likes of Orla Nolan there as well. I know the likes of them Nicole Owens had Hannah Tyrrell they lost him in the off-season through retirement, but you still have the Orla Nolan, you still have Ciara O'Connor, you still have Laura Brennan who got three points today, who was really standing up to be fair. Like you do have some serious um talent in that Dublin team. They're All-Ireland champions last season, and Paul Casey and Derek Murray have that kind of winning mentality in that Dublin team. So, like it was still going to be a hard ask for Kildare despite getting that lead, but I think Kildare should be very proud of their efforts, and you look at the All-Ireland campaign now, they it does bode well for that All-Ireland campaign as well.
Dublin, I'm not sure exactly what group they're going to be in for the All-Ireland series, but you look at them Dublin Kildare's prospects in terms of the players that they do have in the panel, I think they could seriously go far in the All-Ireland series, especially with the likes of Kildare reaching the All-Ireland quarter-final last year. That should have been the springboard in further success in many ways as well.
So, so yeah, I think both will do well in the All-Ireland series. It'll be interesting to see how they progress.
I'm sorry, Peter Saymournan from my club, she's been a prodigy since she was a kid. Peter Saymournan Byrne a massive loss. Um A2 saying perhaps we can get the women out to play in the next day against loud. They they're definitely being more successful lately, no question about it. Um, but yet their experience got them over the line, they certainly did. We'll uh come to this one as I this is a huge win for the Offaly McGaughey team beating Wexford in Tullamore, obviously the newly crowned Leinster champions. We'll come to that.
There were other provincial finals across across the LGFA and intermediate and junior college. Starting off intermediate, Cavan beating Monaghan by 4-13 to 1-20 in Brewster Park. That's back-to-back Ulster titles at the different grades for Cavan. They are absolutely rising like a rocket. And Shauna Lynch once again captaining them to more glory. Antrim also beat Derry in the junior final 3-18 to 2-6 in Healy Park. A very, very dominant victory for the saffron's. The Leinster intermediate final then saw Westmeath put a bit of a beating on Wexford 2-20 to four goals and eight points in St. Conleth's Park.
Very impressive win for Westmeath again.
Another superb weekend for the county.
And Carlow continued their super 2026.
They've already They've already won division four. They can add a Leinster junior football championship to that as well. They beat Longford by 2-12 to eight points in St. Conleth's Park as well. But now lads, it's time to talk hurling. And there is no other place to start but this. The All-Ireland champions of 2025 are out of the hurling championship. Who would have thought that back-to-back years we'd see the same thing happen again? And Clare were the team who finally pushed them over the edge. Clare 1-25, Tipperary 17 points. Absolutely crazy stuff.
Matthew, what on earth do you make of this?
Yeah, I watched the the full game in this. And um, Clare had the winds in the first half. And you were thinking, "Okay, Clare are building up a lead here." And um, it will take a while for Tipperary to get back into it. And then when Eoin Galvin's goal went in, it was almost like I I don't want to say now because it's it's just it's it's it's an amateur organization or whatever, but it was almost like the tip players kind of gave up.
Um there was just no kind of bite to Tipperary in that in that game. I know there was obviously the sending off of Willie Connors, which compounded matters in the second half, but even the fans they even like even when Stephen Tobin and all them were coming on and they're younger players as well coming on and getting scores, it was a mild cheer and like the tip supporters left early as well. I think they kind of knew the writing was on the wall as well. It was just a poor performance on so many levels from a Tipperary point of view. Even to have like Clare had 45 shots in 70 minutes. Tipperary had 26 shots. That kind of just epitomized the game in a nutshell. Clare had 17 wides to Tip's five.
Clare had most of the ball. They They had most of the shots. They had most of the opportunities. They utterly deserved to win the game.
1-25 to 17 points obviously was as comprehensive as it looked. That was the score at the interval the entire game as well. And you look at Clare, they originated scores. Clare got 1-15 off turnovers. Seven points off Tip puck-outs. That's 1-22 off turnovers out of their 1-25. Only three came off Clare's own account.
So 1-22 came off Tip errors.
That's like to be honest for All-Ireland champions and you could say All-Ireland champions or whatever.
Um they beat Clare fair and square the All-Ireland final. They were serving champions last year with pure whatever.
That stat is not good enough in any level. It's not good enough it to stay in the Munster championship and to even come remotely close. Like you look at Waterford I know I didn't watch most of the Waterford Limerick game, but it looked like Waterford were at least ready to battle against Limerick in the Gaelic Grounds. It didn't look like it last night from a Tipperary perspective at all. And that is the worrying thing I think for Liam Cahill even going to next week's game against Limerick because like they've nothing to play for now.
have a monster final to play for.
It'll be very interesting to see kind of the reaction from the Tipperary players.
I know they're out of the championship.
They'll know they're out of the championship and all that.
But, it will be interesting to see what reaction the Tipperary players will be giving uh next week. But, it was just it was very very poor. Jason McGrath, okay, he got some it got two um assists in the first half, but like the ball just didn't go to him enough.
Jason McCarthy wasn't involved only by frees. Jake Morris was trying to be fair. Like, Jake Morris was a player trying to take game by the score for the next four assists, four points as well.
But, it was just it was just lethargic again from Tipperary perspective. Like, we talked about it. In the first half, in the two first halves, they actually performed well. And against Cork and Waterford, and then the second half they started to dip. The dip was the entire game last night.
And Like, it's very very hard to establish from a Tipperary point of view.
Considering when you look at the But, the talk was from Tipperary fans maybe in the off-season or before the championship season.
Tipperary have been disrespected. They were deserving All-Ireland champions last year.
We knew Tipperary would have a dip because they haven't defended an All-Ireland since 1965. Like, that is that is the start being put a brand to support.
Like, to give up your All-Ireland like that in that fashion last night against a Clare team let's not forget that went down pretty tamely against Limerick at home a couple of weeks ago.
It was just very very poor from a Tipp perspective. And um and yeah, it was just a tame tame way to go out of the championship. Look, as for Clare, it was a brilliant display from them. Ian Galvin missed a few shots, but was absolutely brilliant in this game. Shane O'Donnell, strangely enough, Jake Morris said he didn't have his best game, but he still got four assists. I know he didn't get in the score sheet, but I thought he was he was still chipping in. I thought Tony Kelly was very very good here at stages.
Diarmuid Ryan was superb. Absolutely superb for a guy so young, for a guy that did well at the Fitzgibbon Cup for you well, he announced I know he's done well enough in the first two games for Clare, but he announced himself properly last night. He was absolutely brilliant.
I think their puck-out strategy was absolutely superb as well. Their defense, the likes of John Conlon was sweeping up. I think he chipped him with two assists there as well. Niall O'Farrell has been brilliant from center back, too. Like and to do this all without Mark Rodgers, who went off injured early for like in my opinion, probably should have been a sending off there against him for Willie Connors, but for Mark Rodgers to go off early and for still Clare to put up a tally like 1-25 and to get to um 1-22 off turnover ball, like that's exceptional from a Clare point of view.
But they'll be going to that Cork game with a spring in their step now next week. And you look at the table, Clare only need a four-point win over Cork to reach the Munster final.
Looking at the performance in this game, not in the Limerick game, because you'd like to think Clare will put it up that behind them.
But in this game against Tipp, I think they'll definitely rattle Cork. Yeah, considering Cork's injury issues as well.
Clare are definitely up in contention for a Munster final suddenly.
Yeah. And again, we're talking about how how Armagh finally got the monkey off the back in terms of winning an Ulster title. Clare will definitely be eyeing up a last-minute surge into a Munster final where hopefully they can put that to bed as well. We plenty of comments flying in about these games. Peter saying, "Lads, remember what Donal Óg prophesied." Um and Sean's here like Donal Óg says, "No one rises or falls faster than Tipp." They were very lackluster, very disappointing even though they never back up All-Irelands well.
Uh Jay here saying, "Must be delighted with the Clare win." Saying, "Interesting thing is last week we all thought Cork win the Munster final. Now Clare can pip Cork there with a four-point win. Wouldn't back it, but not impossible."
Um yeah, we're seeing a lot. Um Liam here saying, "Clare way better than Tipp. Tipp are nowhere near the standard they set from 2025."
Uh Jay here saying, "Will people stop saying that Clare title defense last year was the worst ever? At least last year we had an injury crisis, but Tip had the best players available to them.
And some stat 122 from turnover ball.
Loads in about this. Clare will have the opportunity against Cork to get to a Munster final. Cork's injuries including recently Dara Fitzgibbon potentially out for the season. When I seen Dan talk about it, I think he's at least out for 4 weeks. So that's a massive blow for Cork if so. But yeah, we've seen remarkable recovery. So hopefully for Cork's sake he's not out for too [clears throat] long.
>> [snorts] >> But a very very impressive win for Tipperary for Clare sorry and Tipperary out of the championship along with Waterford. They went down against Limerick 229 to 220 in the Gaelic Grounds. Limerick looking very very strong for Waterford. Another year comes to an end and the Munster championship once again just proving that little bit too ruthless.
Yeah. Is that for me?
>> That's for you yeah.
>> [laughter] >> Um yeah, I didn't see any of this game now being at the being at the Dublin game.
But obviously kind of keep keeping an eye on the score and everything else.
Like I think Waterford were leading at half time which definitely seems like a bit of a bit of a surprise at the time and everything else. But look from looking at it just from kind of looking through it on Scorbio like they obviously got two goals in the last 10 minutes from Peter Casey and Robbie Hegarty which were obviously crucial there from from a Limerick perspective.
And yeah, unfortunately for Waterford it's you know, again they go out. You know, another season where they go out of go out of championship and everything else. And you know, maybe in other games they're a little bit unfortunate. I'm not too sure in regards to this one. But yeah, huge huge win from a from a Limerick perspective. But yeah, I don't know if any of you lads seen the game.
Liam here with a good one says simply put Limerick played for the first 10 and final 15. Obviously Liam Limerick the game. Waterford played well, but the goals killed them mentally and Limerick kicked on from there. Kean Lynch had a huge impact off the bench.
Yeah, Limerick in a good place, but we're going to move on because we have to get the skates on. We've a lot more to get through. And Aaron, I will go back to you and you definitely will know your stuff about this next game. Dublin beating Galway in Pearse Stadium 3-16 to 21 points. Absolutely sensational win for Dublin away in Galway. This one shakes up the Leinster Championship. We pulled the rabbit out of the hat again.
We did it under when Galway were under Henry Shefflin. Now they're under Micheál Donoghue and they're in a much different light. A lot of people see Galway as moving in the right direction, but once again, we managed to go over there and beat them. Ronan Hayes and John Hetherington in off the bench had a massive impact on the game. And especially Ronan Hayes looked fantastic.
Brian Hayes getting the goal at the end to kind of seal it. Huge win for the Dubs.
Yeah, massive massive win from a from a Dublin perspective.
Um yeah, like biggest win of the season, I think. Um going away to Galway having, you know, considering how good they've looked, you know, people have been talking about Galway as maybe a side that could potentially win the All-Ireland. So to go there and beat them just absolutely huge. Um I was actually watching this in the the Pora Pearsons pub as well. Um it's very a very historical pub I was there with with a few lads just watching the the the Celtic game and they actually had this game on afterwards, which was nice actually to actually show um a GAA Plus game in a in a pub, which very rarely actually happens nowadays.
Um so, at least that was that was good.
But um but yeah, very very dominant performance um and dominant win from from a Dublin perspective. Like there was times in the game where it looked like Galway were probably going to have a an off. Um but I think we just managed to keep ourselves in it. Like in particular, I thought Conor Burke was absolutely brilliant in the game. Donal Burke obviously scoring 1-9 as well. Um and then the goal at the end, you know, the kind of icing on the cherry from Brian Hayes. I mean, the catch first of all to take the ball that's coming in round the goalkeeper. Um really, really solid stuff and um you know, I think the most impressive thing is from a Dublin perspective is that I've seen these games so many times where we're falling behind with big team.
We're a couple of points behind and then we we kind of make a bit of a comeback and we overturn them, but then the other team comes back and and finishes finishes us off, but this time no, we we held our own and we kept going. We kept pushing. Like even that goal at the end from Brian Hayes, he didn't need a goal.
He could have just took a point. So, to have the kind of tenacity to, you know, bury in the way that he does and obviously Keano Sullivan gets a point after. So, yeah, huge, huge win I think from from a Dublin perspective. It doesn't guarantee us in a Leinster final just yet because we will need to get something versus Kilkenny. Um and Liam Rushe will absolutely have his Dublin jersey on as well for that game because um and there is actually been a bizarre scenario where which probably won't happen. Well, no, it's Wexford, so it won't happen.
But if Wexford beat Galway, Dublin beat Kilkenny, Offaly beat Kildare, Dublin-Offaly final. That would be you know what I mean? I think that would be pretty cool, but let's be honest, Galway are not losing to Wexford. We've seen some mad things this year, but no, no, that's not going to happen.
>> [laughter] >> Um Peter here saying we plenty of comments in about this game.
Starting with Peter saying oh, Galway is starting to creep back in. A2 saying Dublin hurlers challenge Jack Charlton get it long to the big fella and Ronan Hayes.
Dubs to win Leinster. Peter saying Galway are false dawn. Sean saying great win for the Dublin hurlers. Hedge your money on Ronan Hayes off the bench made a real difference. A2 saying proper smash and grab, but that's what good teams do. Kilkenny been praised for it for decades. Peter saying have to fancy the Dubs for Leinster now. Stockroom Tim says says the external chapter about Galway getting to them a bit. Be very interesting to see that because there was a while where a lot of people were talking about for the All Ireland. Jerry saying here have to respect Brian Hayes going for the goal at the end and scoring it. Imagine if the keeper caught it and worked it down. High risk and in this case high reward. Liam says, "Please be Kilkenny next weekend or I'll never talk to you two again." Well, there's nothing we can do about it, Liam.
Um A2 saying big credit to the management to write subs at the right time. And Stockton saying Lester Championship shaping up to be great for next two years. Time for the fans to get out and support. I couldn't agree more.
But yeah, we're going to move to the next game and it's a shame that Liam isn't here with us for this one because this one shakes up the order in the Lester Championship Offaly are now a top four team in the province officially beating Wexford 2-21 to 2-15 in O'Connor Park. Sensational win in terms of its significance and everything like that.
But let's be honest, when you look at the form this year, it had been coming.
Offaly drawn with Kilkenny and drawn with Dublin two teams that Wexford have lost to fairly soundly. O'Meara Cahal absolutely outstanding with 1-12. Adam Screeney with a goal and a point.
Thoroughly deserved win for Offaly. And yeah, shakes up the championship, Matthew.
And you're on mute, sir.
>> [laughter] >> Yeah, sorry. Um yeah, it's a brilliant win. A brilliant win for for Offaly in many ways. Like it was a fantastic display from from O'Meara Cahal, Adam Screeney all them as well. And obviously did he did he get a bit of luck? I would say at the start of the second half obviously with him descending off the penalty. But uh but to be fair, they had to drive down on it. Once they slotted that penalty away to uh O'Meara Cahal, then the goal from Adam Screeney like it was just like the roar. I know I only watched the highlights so, but from what I've seen like the roar around O'Connor Park was absolutely brilliant. And it was just a brilliant day overall for Offaly. And it's it's just an indication. I've seen Liam's match reaction from him in the favorite podcast and Instagram as well.
The faith it seems like the faithful county are coming back now into the top tier in hurling which is absolutely brilliant to see obviously. Even before I met Liam, obviously, you'd want to see the counties like Offaly do so well.
Like like genuinely, before this season, the only kind of good moments I I got of Offaly was 2013 when they scored four goals against Kilkenny. Yeah, they still lost the game, but that was against Kilkenny team under Brian Cody. They scored four goals, and that was like an indication of what Offaly hurling could be. And they then went down through the ranks, down through the grades. It's absolutely brilliant that they're on the way back up again, a proper hurling county. I'm absolutely to see them get this win over Wexford. Wexford is just not been a good campaign for them, and keep Ross around. I don't know what will happen in the off-season now with them.
But but yeah, they're still up anyway because of the head-to-head record with Kildare. I don't think they'll people believe by that. But yeah, brilliant win for Offaly. But from a Dublin perspective, lads, you have to think Denzel Washington from Gladiator, too.
Give me the ball. Strike Kilkenny down while you can. Kill them, and get them out of the championship.
>> [laughter] >> And do it yourself. And like I think the whole country will be shouting for Dublin. Genuinely now, lads, I think the whole country will be shouting for Dublin to knock them I wouldn't be 100% sure about that.
Uh maybe. It depends how much they have a rivalry with Kilkenny.
Um big shout-out to Killian the football genius commenting here, obviously a regular guest on our pod and as passionate a man as our man as you'll meet. And if you haven't checked out his pod, first of all, I'm surprised if you come and watch our show and you haven't seen Killian's work. But he says, "Well, folks, just home now. What a day. Got absolutely soaked and thought we were going to lose it in extra time, but we prevailed. Unreal, lads. Ulster Ulster champs. Well done. Enjoy it, Killian.
Totally totally deserved and definitely paid for in full with the heartache and everything like that that they experienced in previous finals. And enjoy it." Um Liam says, "I'll file legal action if you lose." Thanks, Liam.
>> [laughter] >> But uh yeah, we're going to move on.
Um the final game in the Lester Championship doesn't need to be broken down too much unfortunately from a Kildare point of view. Kilkenny put a very comprehensive win together 4:25 to 14 points. TJ Reid leading the way with 2:06 while Harry Shine and Owen Cody both scored a goal and two points each.
It was a very comprehensive win for Kilkenny in Nolan Park. Many people thought maybe Kildare would be able to bloody up their nose a bit the same way they did it to Galway the previous week in Newbridge, but it wasn't to be.
Comprehensive win for Kilkenny. That sets up a huge showdown against Dublin next weekend in round five. It's going to be something else. We're going to move on now to round four of the Joe McDonagh Cup. Matthew, hugely consequential round as always, the penultimate round. And start off, Carlow had a very very impressive win in Cullen Park over London 5:27 to 11 points.
Antrim bounced back a bit against Westmeath winning by 2:29 to 2:20. And Laois had a very impressive win over Down 4:28 to 27 points over where Down side, they haven't been going quite well in the Joe McDonagh this year.
Yeah, it was consequential results in in one game in particular, the Carlow game because it does confront Carlow's place in the Joe McDonagh final and London are relegated back to the Christy Ring, which is kind of a shame. You wanted London to stay up and because you want new teams coming up to to the ranks in hurling, but wasn't to be for this London side. Martin Kavanagh, Conor Kehoe and Jack Tracey goal for Carlow.
It was a brilliant display from them.
Laois, it isn't mathematically confirmed, but they're technically in the Joe McDonagh final because like it the results are not going to sway in terms of scoring difference. And even if it does, Laois are playing London in the final game.
And even if the game is on at Ruislip, Laois are winning that game.
No doubt about it. And they only need a draw to get to the Joe McDonagh final officially. Our Donnacha Walsh got three five in this one. Tomás Keyes got one two and Stephen Maher had eight points.
So, really big win for Laois, which kind of ends Down's hopes in terms of getting to Joe McDonagh final. And as for Antrim, good confidence-boosting win for Davy Fitzgerald's team, but you have to feel this is Davy's penultimate game in terms of his Antrim gig. And yeah, I don't think they're getting to the final either. So, it looks like it's going to be a Carlow-Leitrim final London going down.
I'm saying Carlow-Leitrim you think is the final that most of us predicted. I think I predicted an Antrim-Leitrim final, which No, I Yeah, I think I did.
I think I went Antrim-Leitrim. I expected a bit more from Davy and Antrim, to be honest. I thought that Davy would use that talk about them being washed and everything like that and create that kind of siege mentality, but it just hasn't really quite happened. But still, results like this showed that there is still a bit of a kick in them. But not quite enough to get to the final, it would seem. The Christy Ring Cup had its final round this weekend as well. Derry beat Kerry by two goals and 15 points to 19 points.
Meath beat Donegal by two goals and 18 to 1-16 in O'Donnell Park. While Wicklow beat Roscommon by 3-12 to 1-11 in Aughrim. The key results are Wicklow-Roscommon results and the Derry versus Kerry. Because Derry and Kerry will meet again in the final, while Roscommon are relegated from the competition. In the Nicky Rackard Cup then, we had this result Mayo beating Louth by three goals and 22 points to 19 points in Dowdallshill. Sligo beat Fermanagh 3-29 to 2-10 in Markievicz Park. And Tyrone once again put up a huge number of goals, beating Armagh eight goals and 15 points to one goal and 22 points in the Tyrone Centre of Excellence. And with that, Tyrone are into the final. The semi-final will be between New York and Mayo on Saturday the 23rd of May. And Armagh are relegated to the Lory Meagher Cup. And speaking of the Lory Meagher Cup, the final round of the Lory Meagher also took place. And the finalists are Leitrim, who beat Cavan by a goal and 23 to 1-16 at Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada. And Longford, who beat Monaghan by 4-16 to 1-14 in Pearse Park. And the other game then was between Lancashire and Warwickshire. Very, very interesting game by the looks of the score sheet.
Warwickshire won by 6:20 to 4 goals and 12 points in Parnell Park. So, the final of the Lory Meagher Cup will be Leitrim against Longford. Lads, any thoughts on how are things shaping up? Any early picks for who you think is going to win those finals?
Um I'll go Christy Ring probably Kerry. I think that scores well for Christy Ring Cup. The Nicky Rackard, Mayo New York is such a hard one to call because you don't know where New York are actually at because they haven't played a game obviously and you don't know who's on their panel. So, be interesting to see who is on their panel. Um but No, I'm going to go for Mayo. I'm going to go for Mayo in that game and I think Mayo I think Tyrone will win that final.
They've been absolutely exceptional in this competition and I think Longford will beat Leitrim in the Lory Meagher.
Um what are you thinking? I'm going to go Leitrim first of all. I'm going to go Leitrim to win Lory Meagher and Christy Ring I'm going to go with apologies to you lads. Nicky Rackard I'm going to go Tyrone and Christy Ring I'm going to go with Kerry.
Yeah, I'd probably agree as well. Yeah, I think Kerry I know they lost to Derry but they there was nothing to play for.
Um probably resting players and everything else. So, I would go with Kerry to to win that.
Um in terms of the Nicky Rackard, yeah, I'd agree with you both both yourself there as well. I think um yeah, I think Tyrone are looking a bit too strong there and the Lory Meagher I think I would go for Leitrim.
If if I was to waver, I probably go Longford. I go a little bit dodgy because Matthew said Longford right from the beginning and usually if Matthew's that confident, he knows some information that that we don't. But, anyway, we're going to move on now to the final call.
It's time to talk camogie. I'm actually going to go back to you for this one cuz it took place in your own province.
Tipperary winning the Monster Senior Camogie Championship a goal and 14 to 14 points in Semple Stadium. Tipperary win the Monster Championship incredible win over Waterford in Semple Stadium 114 to 14 points it finished. Fantastic win for the Premier County.
Yeah, it is great confidence booster for Tipperary who won them their second Monster title I think in four years. So um so it's fantastic achievement for all involved there even Róisín Howard points quick thinking who's one of the new players on the team got the goal in this game as well. Áine Kennedy and Grace O'Brien like they all contributed. From a Tipperary point of view and it was a brilliant win for them and Waterford their wait for a big trophy is still going on which is kind of unfortunate for Waterford and because like a lot of people including two two people in the the live show actually tipped Waterford for the All-Ireland. It's kind of worrying though with Waterford having they've made great strides but they haven't won a league title or a provincial ground which is very very concerning. I think in terms of getting over the line in these sort of big games but uh for Tipperary it's a brilliant win for them and it's a question mark can they break that glass ceiling in the All-Ireland series. Now they do play each other in group one of the Camogie Championship in the next two weeks so it will be interesting to see will Waterford win that one was there a bit of shadow boxing going on the Monster final I'd imagine not because there was a trophy on the line after all but um but yeah it was a brilliant win for Tipperary and I'm sure they'll be definitely All-Ireland contenders this summer especially the way Cork are going and the way Kilkenny are going and teams like that as well they got always in ability to do two in a row might be costly as well. So Tipperary will fancy themselves in terms of an All-Ireland crown especially after winning this provincial title.
Absolutely and I think that's one of the best points that Matthew made there Aaron is that when you're looking at Camogie over the last decade there's no question that Cork, Kilkenny and Galway have definitely just been the dominant force.
However, if you're looking at teams that are going to break that mold Tipperary and Waterford are the two main ones that you look to.
Seeing them face off in a monster final is very, very interesting cuz I think the way the championship could go, we could see these sides meet for silverware again down the line. Cork don't look at 100% Kilkenny are a bit in transition right now. And on top of that, Galway, as Match you said there, haven't really shown a tendency to go back to back in the past. Now, obviously they can put that to right this year, but it seems a very, very open Camogie championship this year.
Absolutely, it does. Yeah, like you wouldn't say there's a definitive favorite. You know, people can make arguments maybe for Galway after what they did last season. Maybe Cork, you know, will will will bounce back. But yeah, between Waterford, Tipperary, and the likes of Wexford, Offaly who've, you know, kind of, you know, been able to cause their own kind of shocks and surprises. Now, I would be surprised if one of them went and and won the the Leinster or the the All-Ireland crown. But yeah, absolutely.
It does feel a lot more wide open. And I think it's good, you know, like I I think when you have, you know, we were speaking about it even with, you know, Leinster football earlier like it's when you having the same team win the competition or the same finals and everything else, it kind of kills the excitement, kills the buzz, and you know, you don't want to be watching the same thing every year. You want new teams, you want you storylines, and um you know, it kind of keeps it interesting and entertaining, doesn't it? So, um so yeah, no, I think it's great for for Waterford, great for for Tipperary, and and great for Camogie, yeah.
I think when you look across the board, lads, we are having an absolutely sensational year, and I'll come back to it in just a second. We have one more Camogie game to go through that took place at senior level across this weekend. That was the opening round of the Camogie championships of 2026. Group two, round one saw Offaly beat the newly crowned Leinster champions. Wexford brought back down to earth with a bit of a bump. Offaly two 10, Wexford one 12.
One of the goals came from Fay Mulrooney. Also, Grace Teehan got two points. Clodagh Leahy got three points and the other goal came from Mairéad Teehan, she got also got three points along with that from midfield. Matthew Wexford brought down back down to air with a bit of a bump.
Yeah, and um yeah, what a win for Offaly and what a league goals to get as well.
I'm sure. Like it was the ideal day for Liam Keane in Glennon Goal Corner Park yesterday, I have to say so. So fair play for Offaly for getting over the line. Faye Mulrooney getting one and obviously with Mairéad Teehan putting in the performance that she did yesterday and Clodagh Leahy. Like it was a brilliant win for Offaly and it was a great way to start the Camogie Championship because many people I'm not sure would we have said them them to go down and I'm not entirely sure but a lot of people probably would have said Offaly would get relegated back down to the intermediate championship. So for them to get over the line, it is a magnificent achievement to to do that especially against a Wexford team that won the Leinster Championship only a week ago. So um so yeah, brilliant win for Offaly, brilliant way to start the championship. Easter and Naomh Eanna to say though Wexford were kind of you know, maybe recovering a spot but from the Leinster celebrations obviously it would have been it would have been the an ideal excuse I have to say but but look, fair play to Offaly and Naomh Eanna it's a fantastic result for them and it should set them up for a decent championship especially with being group two. Group two is well open in this. You look at Limerick, Clare, Dublin these are the teams. Offaly while they probably would be on a lower scale to them, they're well capable of beating them. So it is a good start to have in the Camogie Championship and they're well capable of beating the teams in and around this group.
Absolutely. Well, just before you wrap up I was going to make that point about the fact that we're only on May the 17th and the amount of incredible stories that we've already had in the championship is absolutely sensational.
Westmeath winning the Leinster Championship, Roscommon winning the Connacht Championship, Leitrim beating Sligo in the Connacht Championship.
We've had the resurgence I suppose of the Monster Football Championship with that massive crowd that went to the Monster final. We've had again a brilliant Monster Hurling Championship.
The All-Ireland champions dumped out again in the provincial championship.
We've had the shake-up of the Leinster championship with Offaly coming to the fore and Dublin coming to the fore as well, changing the guard I suppose at the top of the Leinster tree. That's superb action across the John McDonagh Christy Ring. Nicky Rackard, Laois, Antrim, still more to go. The Camogie championship has already delivered the Leinster champions losing in round one to Offaly who were the underdogs in that one. And Waterford and Tipperary were the final. Cork weren't even in the Monster final. Like already we're seeing shocks across the board. Like it's just unbelievable and it's almost impossible to keep up with. But long may it continue. And we are here on the 17th of May. God knows what will come with the rest of the championship. But that is it from us this weekend. Peter here saying, "Lads, great review. Thanks a million.
Have a good week ahead and catch you as usual on Thursday at 8:00 p.m. Good luck." Sean says, "Great pod, lads. See you Thursday."
Brian here saying, "Lads, see you Thursday for the preview show." Thank you so much to all the commenters. Thank you so much everybody who got involved in this show. And thank you so much to anybody who paid attention at any point during the show. It's been a really, really enjoyable one from myself and all the lads. Thanks a million for joining us. Congratulations to all the teams who were successful across the weekend, especially the ones who got their hands on some silverware, especially the ones who made history like Westmeath, etc. But yeah, we're going to move to the end of the show. Massive thanks again to ATAX Sports for partnering our championship coverage in 2026. And until our weekend preview show on Thursday, so long.
Follow your instinct.
>> [music] [music] >> Follow your instinct.
Follow me. follow me.
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