ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONS Dublin will have to wait to find out if they’ll be hitting the road for their opening game in the Leinster senior football championship next summer.
It was decided at a Leinster Council meeting last night to defer a decision on the venues for the quarter-final matches until after the first round games on the weekend of 12/13 May.
Dublin are due to play the winners of Offaly and Wicklow on 26/27 May. The past two seasons have seen Jim Gavin’s side travel to Nowlan Park and O’Moore Park for their opening ties but they’ll have to wait to see will a trip to Tullamore or Aughrim be in the offing.
That first round meeting of Offaly and Wicklow, along with the clash of Carlow and Louth, have been fixed as a double-header in Portlaoise for 12/13 May.
On the same weekend Wexford will face Laois at Innovate Wexford Park after they won the coin toss to secure home advantage.
The quarter-final tie between Longford and Meath has been fixed for Glennon Brothers Pearse Park but that is subject to the completion of redevelopment work. Otherwise the game will be switched to Páirc Tailteann in Navan.
The remaining quarter-final games will see Kildare face Louth or Carlow and Westmeath will meet Laois or Wexford.
The draws were also made last night for the pre-season Bord na Móna Leinster GAA series, which will only include inter-county teams this year.
New Dublin hurling manager Pat Gilroy will have his first game in charge on Wednesday 3 January.
O’Byrne Cup SF
Group 1: Dublin, Offaly, Wexford
Group 2: Kildare, Louth, Longford
Group 3: Meath, Carlow, Wicklow
Group 4: Westmeath, Laois
Format: Round robin with first placed team advancing to semi-finals. Westmeath and Laois play each other home and away with aggregate score deciding who tops Group 4.
Dates: 30 Dec, 3 Jan, 7 Jan. Semi-finals – 13/14 Jan. Final – 20/21 Jan.
Opening Fixtures: 30 Dec: Offaly v Wexford, Louth v Longford, Wicklow v Carlow, Westmeath v Laois.
Walsh Cup SH
Group 1: Wexford, Carlow, Wicklow.
Group 2: Kilkenny, Kildare, Laois.
Group 3: Dublin, Antrim, Meath.
Group 4: Offaly, Westmeath.
Format: Round robin with first placed team advancing to semi-finals. Offaly and Westmeath will play each other home and away with aggregate score deciding who tops Group 4.
Dates: 30 Dec, 3 Jan, 7 Jan. Semi-finals: 14 Jan. Final: 21 Jan.
Opening Fixtures: 30 Dec: Carlow v Wicklow, Kildare v Laois, Meath v Antrim, Offaly v Westmeath
The42 has just published its first book, Behind The Lines, a collection of some of the year’s best sports stories. Pick up your copy in Eason’s, or order it here today (€10):
