Preview: Saturdays Tailteann Cup action:

Dermot McAleese, Antrim, and Cillian Fahy, Limerick, pictured at the launch of the Tailteann Cup.

Saturday 17th May

​Tailteann Cup, Round 2
Group 1
Tipperary v Kildare in Clonmel at 4pm

It wasn’t quite a scoring record for the Tailteann Cup but the 0-36 that Kildare hit in Round 1 against Leitrim was mightily close.

Alex Beirne was terrific for Brian Flanagan’s side with 12 points while U-20 Ryan Sinkey and Darragh Swords impressed too. Flanagan has recalled goalkeeper Didier Cordonnier, defenders Brian Byrne and Tommy Gill, midfielders Aaron Masterson and Brendan Gibbons and attacker Ben McCormack for this one.

The challenge for Kildare is to maintain their form. They similarly hit 3-24 in their first Tailteann Cup game last year but were disappointed not to advance beyond a quarter-final.

Tipperary fought gamely in Tubbercurry against Sligo last weekend. They had the goal chances to tie the game late on but slipped to a five-point loss.

It was a baptism of fire for debutants Manus McFadden, Jack O’Neill and Daithi Hogan who have been retained in their lineup.

KILDARE: Didier Cordonnier; Brian Byrne, Mark Dempsey, Ryan Burke; Tommy Gill, David Hyland, Mick O’Grady; Aaron Masterson, Brendan Gibbons; Ryan Sinkey, Alex Beirne, Ben McCormack; Darragh Swords, Darragh Kirwan, Jimmy Hyland. Subs: Cian Burke, Harry O’Neill, Niall O’Sullivan, James McGrath, Jack McKevitt, Kevin Flynn, Kevin Feely, Tony Archbold, Paddy McDermott, Brian McLoughlin, Daniel Flynn.

TIPPERARY: Shane Ryan; Manus McFadden, Jimmy Feehan, Luke Boland; Mark Stokes, Kieran Costello, Jack O’Neill; Paudie Feehan, Mark Russell; Micheal Freaney, Steven O’Brien, Daithi Hogan; Cian Smith, Darragh Brennan, Sean O’Connor. Subs: Robbie McGrath, Michael Barlow, Ben Comerford, Conor Fahey, Jason Madigan, Emmet Moloney, James Morris, Jack Nevin, Eoin O’Connell, Mikey O’Shea, Eoghan Power.

Group 2
Waterford v Offaly in Walsh Park, Waterford at 1.30pm

Waterford were highly competitive against Laois, the 2024 Tailteann Cup finalists, last weekend, losing in the end by 1-16 to 0-28.

They have home advantage this time against the Allianz League Division 3 winners who had seven points to spare against Wicklow in Round 1.

That was an important win for Offaly as they’d failed to win any of their previous six Tailteann Cup games, bridging a two-year gap without success since a Round 1 win over London in 2023.

Jack Bryant – remember his stunning solo goal in the Division 3 final? – was at it again, hitting Wicklow for 1-5 and has kept his place at full-forward.

Waterford boss Paul Shankey has altered his team somewhat, handing starts to goalkeeper Aaron Beresford, defenders Tommy Martin and Billy Hynes and corner-forward Alan Dunwoody.

WATERFORD: Aaron Beresford; Tommy Martin, Caoimhin Walsh, Billy Hynes; Conor O Currin, Brian Everard, Donie Fitzgerald; Rory Furlong, Jason Curry; Michael O’Brien, James Power, Conor Murray; Alan Dunwoody, Ciaran Walsh, Dylan Guiry. Subs: Paudie Hunt, Adam Crawford, Joe Booth, Stephen Curry, Caolan MacCathmhaoil, Ciaran Looney, Darragh Jacob, Darach O Cathasaigh, Larry Walsh, Jamie Power, Loughlan Walsh.

OFFALY: Paddy Dunican; Lee Pearson, David Dempsey, Daire McDaid; Diarmuid Egan, John Furlong, Cormac Egan; Jack McEvoy, Jordan Hayes; Kyle Higgins, Cathal Flynn, Keith O’Neill; Dylan Hyland, Jack Bryant, Shane Tierney. Subs: Sean O’Toole, Cillian Bourke, Marcas Dalton, Cathal Donoghue, Rory Egan, Aaron Kellaghan, Oisin Keenan-Martin, Aaron Leavy, Ruairi McNamee, Shane O’Toole Greene, Morgan Tynan.

Wicklow v Laois in Echelon Park, Aughrim at 6pm

Wicklow enjoyed a positive Tailteann Cup experience in 2024, reaching the quarter-finals.

So Oisin McConville’s crew started this year’s campaign in an optimistic mood, particularly after a strong showing against Dublin in the Leinster championship.

But they failed to summon the same ferocity against Offaly in Round 1 last weekend, suffering an eight-point reversal.

If they can click this time, they have the quality in players like Mark Jackson, Paddy O’Keane, Dean Healy, Eoin Darcy and inside attackers Oisin McGraynor, Kevin Quinn and Mark Kenny to cause Laois trouble. They have home advantage on their side too.

But Laois have a strong Tailteann Cup pedigree, reaching a final (2024) and semi-final (2023) from the two previous times they’ve been involved. Laois defeated Waterford in Round 1 and manager Justin McNulty has announced an unchanged team for the trip to Aughrim.

WICKLOW: Mark Jackson; Tom Moran, Matt Nolan, Malachy Stone; Joe Prendergast, Patrick O’Keane, Darragh Fee; Dean Healy, Padraig O’Toole; Christopher O’Brien, Eoin Darcy, Cathal Baker; Oisin McGraynor, Kevin Quinn, Mark Kenny. Subs: Cathal Fitzgerald, Jacques McCall, Gavin Fogarty, Liam O’Neill, Conor Fee, Adam Arslan, Cian Deering, Paidi Kavanagh, Brian Bohan, Ryan Harrison, James Fleming.

LAOIS: Killian Roche; Ben Dempsey, Trevor Collins, Liam Knowles; Patrick O’Sullivan, Seamus Lacey, Fionn Holland; Conor Heffernan, Damon Larkin; Niall Corbet, Brian Byrne, Kevin Swayne; Mark Barry, Cathal Lee, Ronan Coffey. Subs: Aaron Cooney, Ryan Brady, John Brennan, Michael Doran, Shaun Fitzpatrick, Padraig Kirwan, Jonah Kelly, Jack Lennon, Aaron McEvoy, Sean O’Neill, Cian Ryle.

Group 3
Antrim v Limerick in Corrigan Park, Belfast at 4.30pm

Antrim will see this as a huge opportunity to register a first win of the campaign.

They will have home advantage at Corrigan Park and if they produce a performance to match their first-half there in the Ulster SFC against Armagh, Limerick will be under extreme pressure.

Andy McEntee’s crew struggled on their travels in Round 1, conceding 4-24 to a fully focused and fired up Westmeath.

That was another case of Antrim being overwhelmed in the second-half so McEntee will have preached the need for a full 70-minute performance this time. Ruairi McCann is in at full-forward for Ryan Murray in their only change.

Limerick, the Allianz League’s Division 4 winners, put 0-25 on the board when getting their campaign off to a winning start at London’s expense last Saturday and have named an unchanged team.

Emmet Rigter, who made last year’s Tailteann Cup Team of the Year, is in strong form again, as is the prolific James Naughton.

ANTRIM: Michael Byrne; Eoghan McCabe, Eunan Walsh, Kavan Keenan; James McAuley, Dermot McAleese, Patrick Finnegan; Conor Hand, Marc Jordan; Ronan Boyle, Adam Loughran, Patrick McBride; Ryan McQuillan, Ruairi McCann, Dominic McEnhill. Subs: Luke Mulholland, Calum Higgins, Conor Stewart, Daniel McNicholl, Eunan Quinn, Fionn Nagle, James McDonnell, John Morgan, Niall Burns, Peter King, Ryan Murray.

LIMERICK: Josh Ryan; Jason Hassett, Darren O’Doherty, Colm McSweeney; Mark McCarthy, Iain Corbett, Tadhg O Siochru; Tommie Childs, Darragh O’Hagan; Paul Maher, Emmett Rigter, Cillian Fahy; Danny Neville, James Naughton, Peter Nash. Subs: Jeffrey Alfred, Fiacra Cotter, Cormac Woulfe, Tony McCarthy, Killian Ryan, Diarmuid Buckley, Sean Clancy, Darragh Murray, Rory O’Brien, Andrew Meade, Rob Childs.