Preview: Weekend’s Tailteann Cup action:
Tailteann Cup
Group One
Saturday 1st June
Longford v Waterford in Laois Hire O’Moore Park at 2pm
A must win game for both counties looms in Portlaoise.
Longford, inspired by Dessie Reynolds, were unfortunate to lose on home turf against neighbours Leitrim.
Paddy Christie’s outfit will be hoping to secure the spoils, but Waterford have enjoyed encouraging moments in 2024.
The Tailteann Cup has featured a couple of losses so far, but Jason Curry and Tom O’Connell have been prominent for the Deise.
Longford: Paddy Collum; Paddy Fox, Oisín O’Toole, Bryan Masterson; Paddy Kiernan, Ryan Moffett, Dessie Reynolds; Darren Gallagher, Dylan Farrell; Mark Hughes, Jayson Matthews, Joseph Hagan; Daniel Reynolds, Aaron Farrell, Cathal McCabe.
Subs: Cian McGuinness, Darragh Finlass, Conor Smith, Ciarán Scanlon, Jack Macken, Daniel Mimnagh, Ruairi Harkin, Keelin McGann, Daire Duggan, Enda Macken, Bryn Peters.
Waterford: Aaron Beresford; Ross Browne, Caoimhín Walsh, Liam Fennell; Billy O’Keeffe, Michael Curry, Robbie McGrath; Seán Walsh, Tholom Guiry; James Walsh, Jason Curry, James Power; Stephen Curry, Alan Dunwoody, Seán Whelan-Barrett.
Subs: Seán Whelan-Barrett, Paudie Hunt, Billy Hynes, Donie Fitzgerald, Michael O’Brien, Tommy Martin, Jason Sheehan, Richard Lynch, Niall McSweeney, John Kinsella, Adam Murray, Conor McCarthy.
Kildare v Leitrim in Glennon Brothers Pearse Park at 6pm
A place in the quarter-finals is the prize for the winners.
Last time out at the same venue, Leitrim’s Barry McNulty landed the winning score against Longford.
Goalkeeper Nevin O’Donnell and Ryan O’Rourke are others contributing handsomely for Leitrim.
Kildare, though, have impressed against Longford and Waterford with Kevin Feely and Darragh Kirwan influential.
Kildare: Mark Donnellan; Mick O’Grady, Shea Ryan, Ryan Burke; Tony Archbold, Brian Byrne, Jack Sargent; Aaron Masterson, Kevin Flynn; Shane Farrell, Darragh Kirwan, Paddy McDermott; Paddy Woodgate, Niall Kelly, Kevin Feely.
Subs: Didier Cordonnier, Alex Beirne, Eoin Doyle, Brendan Gibbons, Ryan Houlihan, Barry Kelly, Luke Killian, Sam McCormack, Kevin O’Callaghan, Shane O’Sullivan, Darragh Swords.
Leitrim: Nevin O’Donnell; Cathal McHugh, Mark Diffley, Aidan Flynn; Donal Wrynn, Radek Oberwan, Tom Prior; Jack Gilheany, Barry McNulty; Jack Foley, Evan Sweeney, Ryan O’Rourke; Riordan O’Rourke, Darragh Rooney, Paul Keaney.
Subs: Killian Gaffey, Adam Reynolds, Kieran Clancy, Conor Reynolds, Shane Quinn, James Rooney Mark Plunkett, Jamie McGreal, Ben Guckian, Darren Cox, Arek Oberwan.
Group Two
Sunday 2th June
Wexford v Tipperary in Netwatch Cullen Park at 2pm
Attaining a third place finish and a potential preliminary quarter-final berth is what Wexford and Tipperary want to achieve now.
Wexford were unlucky to lose a tight encounter against Antrim with Seán Nolan and Darragh Lyons occupying important roles for John Hegarty’s team.
It has been a demanding campaign for Tipperary, but Conor Sweeney and Seán O’Connor are capable forwards for the Premier County.
Wexford: William Foley; Eoin Porter, Gavin Sheehan, Liam O’Connor; Darragh Lyons, Dylan Furlong, Glen Malone; Liam Coleman, Niall Hughes; Páraic Hughes, Eoghan Nolan, Mark Rossiter; Kevin O’Grady, Seán Nolan, Conor Kinsella.
Subs: Colum Feeney, Graham Staples, Conor Carty, Cathal Walsh, Tom Byrne, Jonathan Bealin, Richie Waters, Jack Higgins, Ben Brosnan, John Dunne, Cian Hughes.
Tipperary: Evan Comerford; Emmet Moloney, Jimmy Feehan, James Morris; Mark Stokes, Paudie Feehan, Conor Cadell; Stephen Grogan, Conall Kennedy; Eoghan Power, Jack Kennedy, Peter McGarry; Jack Kennedy, Seán O’Connor, Darragh Brennan.
Subs: Jack Rodgers, Luke Boland, Tadhg Condon, Kieran Costello, Teddy Doyle, Manus McFadden, Shane O’Connell, Colm O’Shaughnessy, Riain Quigley, Stephen Quirke, Mark Russell.
Sligo v Antrim in Kingspan Breffni at 4pm, GAAGO
Another top of the table encounter between two in form teams.
Seán Carrabine and Niall Murphy continue to impress for Sligo, who are making significant strides under Tony McEntee.
Reaching the Croke Park rounds is the objective too for Antrim, who feature the impressive Dermot McAleese and Ryan McQuillan.
Sligo: Aidan Devaney; Evan Lyons, Eddie McGuinness, Paul McNamara; Brian Cox, Darragh Cummins, Nathan Mullen; Paul Kilcoyne, Canice Mulligan; Cian Lally, Alan McLaughlin, Seán Carrabine; Mikey Gordon, Patrick O’Connor, Niall Murphy.
Subs: Daniel Lyons, David Quinn, Donal Conlon, Eoghan Smith, Jack Lavin, Keelan Cawley, Lee Deignan, Luke Casserly, Mark Walsh, Pat Spillane, Peter Laffey.
Antrim: Michael Byrne; Declan Lynch, Eunan Walsh, Kavan Keenan; Niall Burns, Joseph Finnegan, Dermot McAleese; Patrick McAleer, Cathal Hynds; Conor Hand, Patrick McBride, Ruairi McCann; Ryan McQuillan, Ruairi McCann, Marc Jordan.
Subs: Luke Mulholland, Calum Higgins, Colm McLarnon, Conhuir Johnston, Cormac McGettigan, Daniel McNicholl, Dominic McEnhill, Eoin Hynds, James McDonnell, Oran Downey, Pat Shivers.
Group Three
Saturday 1st June
Fermanagh v Laois in Glennon Brothers Pearse Park at 3.45pm
Fermanagh have won their opening two fixtures, but they know a tough test awaits against Laois.
Two late Carlow goals forced a draw with Laois on the opening weekend, but Justin McNulty’s charges responded by beating Wicklow in Aughrim.
Evan O’Carroll was effective for Laois, while goalkeeper Killian Roche also contributed some vital scores.
Fermanagh have enjoyed a productive stint in the competition with Che Cullen and Josh Largo Elis industrious in the win over Carlow.
Fermanagh: Ross Bogue; Lee Cullen, Che Cullen, Oisín Smyth; Declan McCusker, Shane McGulliom, Josh Largo Elis; Ronan McCaffrey, Joe McDade; Callum Jones, Conor McShea, Fionan O’Brien; Ultan Kelm, Garvan Jones, Seán Cassidy.
Subs: Seán McNally, Aidan Breen, Brandon Horan, Conor Love, Jonathan Cassidy, Darragh McGurn, Oisín Murphy, Tiarnan Bogue, Diarmuid King, James McMahon, Rian McGovern.
Laois: Killian Roche; Dylan Kavanagh, James Kelly, Mark Timmons; Séamus Lacey, Brian Byrne, Simon Fingleton; Mikie Dempsey, Conor Heffernan; Mark Barry, Eoin Lowry, Kevin Swayne; Rioghan Murphy, Evan O’Carroll, Niall Dunne.
Subs: Conor Brown, Ciarán Burke, Niall Corbet, Brian Daly, Shaun Fitzpatrick, Fionn Holland, Paul Kingston, Jack Lacey, Damon Larkin, Kieran Lillis, Aaron McEvoy.
Wicklow v Carlow in Parnell Park at 3.45pm
Aaron Amond’s brace of goals earned Carlow a draw against Laois so Niall Carew’s charges know a win will leave them in a decent position to advance to the knockout rounds.
Wicklow, though, staged a rally against Laois, but just fell short of earning a result.
Patrick O’Keane and Eoin D’Arcy are key performers for Oisín McConville’s team.
Mikey Bambrick, Ross Dunphy, and the prolific Darragh Foley remain important Carlow contributors.
Wicklow: Mark Jackson; Tom Moran, Malachy Stone, Patrick O’Keane; Matt Nolan, Eoin Murtagh, Gavin Fogarty; Dean Healy, Craig Maguire; Darragh Fee, Oisín McGraynor, Jack Kirwan; Jonathan Carlin, Kevin Quinn, John Paul Nolan.
Subs: Shane Doyle, Mark Kenny, Cillian McDonald, Gearoid Murphy, Joe Prendergast, Adam Arslan, Eoin Darcy, Padraig O’Toole, Christopher O’Brien, Conor Fee, Jaques McCall.
Carlow: Johnny Furey; Colin Byrne, Mark Furey, Eric Molloy; Mikey Bambrick, Jamie Clarke, Colm Hulton; Conor Doyle, Ross Dunphy; Aaron Amond, Paddy McDonnell, Conor Crowley; Liam Gavin, Darragh Foley, Cormac Lomax.
Subs: Aaron Power, John Murphy, Mark Mullen, John Phiri, Ciarán Moran, Shane Buggy, Kevin Murphy, Oisín Doyle, Cathal Kelly, Niall Hickey, Josh Egan.
Group Four
Saturday 1st June
Limerick v London in Parnell Park at 1.30pm
Wins over Offaly for Limerick and London ensure this match will be worth monitoring.
The promising Emmet Rigter starred in Limerick’s success over the Faithful, while Cathal Downes and Barry Coleman were others to make an impact.
Shay Rafter and Josh Obahor have been effective for Michael Maher’s London team, who would relish an opportunity to feature in the knockout stages.
Limerick: Josh Ryan; Cormac Woulfe, Seán O’Dea, Paul Maher; Barry Coleman, Cillian Fahy, Iain Corbett; Tommy Childs, Tommy Griffin; Emmett Rigter, James Naughton, Cathal Downes; Brian Ahern, Rob Childs, Peter Nash.
Subs: Jeffrey Alfred, Darren O’Doherty, Jim Liston, Tony McCarthy, Ruadhan O’Connor, Colm McSweeney, Bryan Nix, Danny Neville, Eoin Hurley, Shane Costelloe, Diarmaid Kelly.
London: Andrew Walsh; Daire Rooney, Cahir Healy, Eoin Walsh; Oran Kerr, Ciarán McKeon, Aidan McLoughlin; Josh Obahor, Michael Carroll; Stephen Dornan, Daniel Clarke, Ciarán Diver; Ruairi Rafferty, Shay Rafter, Nathan McElwaine.
Subs: Matt Moynihan, Seán McMonagle, Michael Miller, Seán Tucker, DJ O’Flaherty, Joseph McGill, Tighe Barry, Conor Cox, Luke Kelly, Fiontan Eastwood, Liam Gallagher.
Sunday 2nd June
Down v Offaly in Kingspan Breffni at 1.45pm
Conor Laverty’s Down have chalked up a couple of convincing victories so far.
Eamonn Brown, Pat Havern, and Odhran Murdock are influential players for Down, who are eager to secure silverware.
Offaly have endured disappointing defeats to London and Limerick so the Faithful require a much improved performance at the weekend.
Peter Cunningham and Eoin Carroll have been key performers for Offaly.
Down: John O’Hare; Finn Murdock, Pierce Laverty, Paddy McCarthy; Gareth McKibben, Danny Magill, Shealan Johnston; James Guinness, Jonny Flynn; Rory Mason, Shane Annett, Ben McConville; Paul Quinn, Conor McCrickard, Eamonn Brown.
Subs: Oisín Treacy, Caolan Mooney, Jack McCartan, Jamie Doran, Tom McCarroll, Finn McElroy, Miceal Rooney, Oisín Savage, Ryan Magill, Ryan Johnston, Daniel Guinness.
Offaly: Ian Duffy; Diarmuid Finneran, David Dempsey, John Furlong; Cormac Egan, Peter Cunningham, Lee Pearson; Eoin Carroll, Cathal Donoghue; Dylan Hyland, Cathal Flynn, Jordan Hayes; Nigel Dunne, Keith O’Neill, Jack Bryant.
Subs: Mikey Cunningham, Adam Bolger, Jack McEvoy, Daire McDaid, Aaron Leavy, Cian Farrell, Kevin McDermott, Anton Sullivan, Dan Molloy, Nathan Poland, Dan Wyer.