National Forum

Tailteann Cup 2026

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Replying To edu:  "Paul Flynn said on the Sunday Game last week that Down would not be motivated for the upcoming Tailteann Cup. Is he right? I can imagine initially that may be the case as I can recall the Kildare manager saying in the interview after winning last years Tailteann Cup how devastated they were after losing to Louth in the Leinster S.F and it took them a while to refocus and get going again.

On a side note Down are odds on to win the Tailteann Cup outright."
I obviously can't speak for the mind of the modern-day inter-county footballer or manager, but personally, I'd find it strange if they couldn't motivate themselves for it.

Yes, they're disappointed not to be in this year's Sam Maguire series instead, as that's where they want to be. But the Tailteann Cup provides an absolutely surefire way of being in it next year, so that they wouldn't end up suffering the same disappointment then. Should not that be motivation enough?

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3648 - 13/05/2026 09:49:55    2672726

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Replying To legendzxix:  "The majority of Tailteann counties exited their provincial championship by weekend 3 of 6. Teams will start exiting the All Ireland championship on June 13th/14th, 3 weeks after counties start being knocked out of the Tailteann. GPA wanted a 30 week intercounty playing season. It runs from the start of January to the end of July. Will anyone think of the clubs..."
Why?
Can they not play football and hurling without their one or 2 county players?
Are the clubs only about the county players?
The club championship starts in August just as the CPA campaigned for. Its up to each respective county board to fill the intercounty season with meaningful games. Some counties do a great job of that and its rare that you hear a current club player complain about the current schedule. I know that in Roscommon they get a minimum of 9 league games from late march/ April through to end of June. They seem to use July as championship prep month. In Dublin they play pretty much all year round.
The season we have is the season that Liam Griffin and the CPA campaigned for and won. Its time for the club player and fan to put value on the competitions they play in without their county players. A club should never be defined by one or 2 players.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 417 - 13/05/2026 10:24:22    2672737

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "Why?
Can they not play football and hurling without their one or 2 county players?
Are the clubs only about the county players?
The club championship starts in August just as the CPA campaigned for. Its up to each respective county board to fill the intercounty season with meaningful games. Some counties do a great job of that and its rare that you hear a current club player complain about the current schedule. I know that in Roscommon they get a minimum of 9 league games from late march/ April through to end of June. They seem to use July as championship prep month. In Dublin they play pretty much all year round.
The season we have is the season that Liam Griffin and the CPA campaigned for and won. Its time for the club player and fan to put value on the competitions they play in without their county players. A club should never be defined by one or 2 players."
Plenty of Club games in Roscommon during the County season .

Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 568 - 13/05/2026 11:29:27    2672757

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "Why?
Can they not play football and hurling without their one or 2 county players?
Are the clubs only about the county players?
The club championship starts in August just as the CPA campaigned for. Its up to each respective county board to fill the intercounty season with meaningful games. Some counties do a great job of that and its rare that you hear a current club player complain about the current schedule. I know that in Roscommon they get a minimum of 9 league games from late march/ April through to end of June. They seem to use July as championship prep month. In Dublin they play pretty much all year round.
The season we have is the season that Liam Griffin and the CPA campaigned for and won. Its time for the club player and fan to put value on the competitions they play in without their county players. A club should never be defined by one or 2 players."
Think hes talking about club championship, not League. We are like Roscommon, there have been League games going on every week since February.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19684 - 13/05/2026 11:36:23    2672759

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Replying To Viking66:  "Think hes talking about club championship, not League. We are like Roscommon, there have been League games going on every week since February."
Yea I know but he keeps talking out both sides of his mouth.
Hes against the Ring Cup because Kerry are in it.
He has no time for the Tailteann Cup either.
Hes both for and against the Provincial Championships in football depending on which thread hes on or what point he's debating.
Non county players are generally well catered for in every county games wise and he knows that.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 417 - 13/05/2026 14:47:41    2672800

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "Yea I know but he keeps talking out both sides of his mouth.
Hes against the Ring Cup because Kerry are in it.
He has no time for the Tailteann Cup either.
Hes both for and against the Provincial Championships in football depending on which thread hes on or what point he's debating.
Non county players are generally well catered for in every county games wise and he knows that."
Pat Spillane sure.....

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19684 - 13/05/2026 14:50:29    2672801

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "I obviously can't speak for the mind of the modern-day inter-county footballer or manager, but personally, I'd find it strange if they couldn't motivate themselves for it.

Yes, they're disappointed not to be in this year's Sam Maguire series instead, as that's where they want to be. But the Tailteann Cup provides an absolutely surefire way of being in it next year, so that they wouldn't end up suffering the same disappointment then. Should not that be motivation enough?"
Yeah, suppose they get a bad run of injuries,and unfavorable run of tough away games= relegation next year? Be handy for Down to have their Sam ticket guaranteed.

Expertinall (UK) - Posts: 89 - 14/05/2026 13:06:26    2672954

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When are these actual rd2 games been played !!?or when are they going to be fixed ?is the gaa saying its just the t-cup ,we l tell them the day before...

Timmy86 (Sligo) - Posts: 368 - 15/05/2026 13:13:30    2673155

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Replying To Timmy86:  "When are these actual rd2 games been played !!?or when are they going to be fixed ?is the gaa saying its just the t-cup ,we l tell them the day before..."
They must have been listening to you :D

Fixtures details were posted on gaa.ie at 1.21 p.m. -
https://www.gaa.ie/article/tailteann-cup-rounds-2a-and-2b-fixture-details

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3648 - 15/05/2026 14:53:56    2673178

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Predictions for round 2 this weekend??

Round 2A - May 23/24
Antrim v Tipperary - Antrim
Fermanagh v Wexford - Wexford
Offaly v Down - Down
London v Laois - Laois


Round 2B - May 23/24
Wicklow v Limerick - Wicklow
Clare v Longford - Clare
Waterford v Sligo - Sligo
Leitrim v Carlow - Leitrim

mickosarmy (Wicklow) - Posts: 6 - 18/05/2026 12:33:44    2673833

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If Down want to win this cup, they will. Its just a matter if their players decide its important to them.

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1823 - 19/05/2026 11:14:06    2674080

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Replying To mickosarmy:  "Predictions for round 2 this weekend??

Round 2A - May 23/24
Antrim v Tipperary - Antrim
Fermanagh v Wexford - Wexford
Offaly v Down - Down
London v Laois - Laois


Round 2B - May 23/24
Wicklow v Limerick - Wicklow
Clare v Longford - Clare
Waterford v Sligo - Sligo
Leitrim v Carlow - Leitrim"
The big issue with this system is the home and away element and the luck of the draw. I dont know how many teams that lost the first round were away from home? However I know that my county, for example, were away and are away again. We got to the final last year but this year a new system has meant we are away in our first and possibly only 2 games given how hard it can be to win on the road.
The old system is a fairer one. You are guarenteed one home and one away game. The luck of the draw should never replace an existing more equitable format. Any changes should enhance/promote the game/competition not the opposite.

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 417 - 19/05/2026 11:22:32    2674083

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Replying To mickosarmy:  "Predictions for round 2 this weekend??

Round 2A - May 23/24
Antrim v Tipperary - Antrim
Fermanagh v Wexford - Wexford
Offaly v Down - Down
London v Laois - Laois


Round 2B - May 23/24
Wicklow v Limerick - Wicklow
Clare v Longford - Clare
Waterford v Sligo - Sligo
Leitrim v Carlow - Leitrim"
ANTRIM.
FERMANAGH.
DOWN.
LONDON.

WICKLOW.
CLARE.
SLIGO.
CARLOW.

ORIELMAN85 (Monaghan) - Posts: 1064 - 19/05/2026 11:41:58    2674093

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "The big issue with this system is the home and away element and the luck of the draw. I dont know how many teams that lost the first round were away from home? However I know that my county, for example, were away and are away again. We got to the final last year but this year a new system has meant we are away in our first and possibly only 2 games given how hard it can be to win on the road.
The old system is a fairer one. You are guarenteed one home and one away game. The luck of the draw should never replace an existing more equitable format. Any changes should enhance/promote the game/competition not the opposite."
It's a fair point, but it replicates the corresponding change in the Sam Maguire Cup. The feeling was that the issue with the old group system was too many teams advancing despite winning only one match out of three. Perhaps a move to just the top two teams going through from each group would have been better.

But interesting to look at home/away split in results & predictions:
In Round 1, there was an even split of four home winners and four away winners.
In the upcoming Round 2A & 2B, the away team is the bookie's favourite in five of the eight matches.

Obviously still luck of the draw as regards who you have to go away to play against, but many would actually argue that luck of the draw should indeed be an element of cup competitions.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3648 - 19/05/2026 13:27:18    2674132

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "It's a fair point, but it replicates the corresponding change in the Sam Maguire Cup. The feeling was that the issue with the old group system was too many teams advancing despite winning only one match out of three. Perhaps a move to just the top two teams going through from each group would have been better.

But interesting to look at home/away split in results & predictions:
In Round 1, there was an even split of four home winners and four away winners.
In the upcoming Round 2A & 2B, the away team is the bookie's favourite in five of the eight matches.

Obviously still luck of the draw as regards who you have to go away to play against, but many would actually argue that luck of the draw should indeed be an element of cup competitions."
Home or away doesn't matter best team will win regardless of where match is on, obviously you like a home venue because off less travelling sleep in own bed etc ,but this wudnt/shudnt affect results players have same ability either way

Lockerroomboy (Wexford) - Posts: 542 - 19/05/2026 15:48:30    2674183

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