The sole Kerry representative on the U20 Football Team of the Year in 2025, Kennedy was in terrific form, particularly when bagging 1-3 in the Munster final to secure the man-of-the-match award.
A tall imposing attacker, he graduated to the senior squad and saw gametime off the bench last summer against Cavan and Armagh. Kennedy caught the eye in Kerry’s recent McGrath Cup campaign and will target a productive league, offering a different dimension to his team’s attack.
“We have good hopes for him, he has all the tools. If he can stay fit he has a very high ceiling,” remarked Jack O’Connor.
Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
*****
2. Aaron O’Neill (Armagh – Crossmaglen Rangers)
With his older brother Rian off the Armagh panel and seemingly will be so this season, according to manager Kieran McGeeney, they are making use of his younger brother Aaron.
He was three years on the county U20 panel under manager Barry O’Hagan and was joint vice-captain with clubmate Ryan Martin last year.
Has a talent for hitting the back of the net and has shown that regularly in the Armagh championship.
Made his senior debut coming on as a sub for older brother Oisín in the Dr McKenna Cup opener against Tyrone and will be looking to nail down his place over the opening league games.
*****
3. Ethan Dunne (Dublin – Skerries Harps)
The Dublin midfield is always going to be an area of concern, now that Brian Fenton has confirmed he will not be coming back even though he is young and presumably good enough.
Last year, Peader Ó Cofaigh-Byrne gave glimpses that he might be the man to become the main leader in that sector, but while he has sensational fielding ability, Dublin will need a player to get from box to box.
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Ethan Dunne, Dublin. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
This is where the Skerries Harps man could come in. He already has done the ‘lying’ season or two with the Dubs and incoming manager Ger Brennan will be familiar with his work with DCU in the Sigerson Cup.
In a team that needs just slight tinkering, he could claim his spot.
****
Colm Costello celebrates winning a minor All-Ireland with Galway in 2022. Evan Logan / INPHO
Evan Logan / INPHO / INPHO
4. Colm Costello (Galway – Dunmore MacHales)
The Galway U20 captain from 2025 has impressed in the early stages of 2026, hitting 1-6 against London in the FBD League opener. He made a late substitute appearance in the final as Pádraic Joyce’s men secured pre-season silverware after defeating Mayo.
With key forwards Shane Walsh and Damien Comer currently injured, Costello could be set to make an impact in Galway’s Division 1 campaign. He made his senior debut during last year’s league, coming off the bench against Mayo, and also replaced an injured Comer in the panel last year for their All-Ireland series game against Armagh.
Costello kicked three points in the 2024 U20 Connacht final and is also a minor All-Ireland winner from 2022.
*****
5. Shea Malone (Donegal – Naomh Conaill)
Jim McGuinness has never been afraid to put a young player in, going back to his first championship game in charge of Donegal when he put the 17-year-old Patrick McBrearty in as sub.
And not to forgot playing Finbarr Roarty in a Dr McKenna Cup game before he was even eligible.
Shea Malone is not as young as either, but had significantly less experience nonetheless as he has been coaxed, at the age of 20, to give Gaelic football a go after spending years on the books of Sligo Rovers.
When ‘The Bit o’ Red’ didn’t work out for Malone, McGuinness convinced his fellow Naomh Conaill man to give Donegal a go. 2-1 against Monaghan in the McKenna Cup later, and he is on the cusp of making a proper senior debut against Dublin.
*****
6. Jacob O’Driscoll (Cork – Valley Rovers)
A defender who’s had a notable start to the 2026 season, starting in Cork’s McGrath Cup final success last Saturday and also lining out for the UCC team who are in Sigerson Cup quarter-finals next week. The double-jobbing has seen him nail down inside defensive spots.
Captain of the Cork U20 footballers in 2023, he’s been on the fringes of the senior squad. With Neil Lordan, corner-back last year against Dublin in the championship, not involved this season, a vacancy has arisen that O’Driscoll may fill.
A key member of the Mayo U20s last year, Darragh Beirne earned a place on the Team of the Year at corner-forward after reaching the All-Ireland semi-final.
He came on as a substitute to score a crucial two-pointer as Mayo edged out Galway in the Connacht championship and went on to hit 1-3 in the final to help end a seven-year wait for provincial honours. Mayo lost out to Louth in the All-Ireland semi-final where Beirne helped himself to 0-4 including a two-pointer from a free.
Darragh Beirne in action against Louth in the U20 All-Ireland semi-final last year. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
The Claremorris forward has featured in this year’s FBD League, and could be in line to earn more game time in Division 1.
8. Cian McBride (Meath)
Hardly an underground name given his previous sporting exploits in the AFL with Essendon, but the 24-year-old could be about to establish himself properly in the engine room of Robbie Brennan’s Meath side.
He didn’t make the panel for the Leinster final defeat to Louth with recurring injuries being an issue, after he had featured in ten of Meath’s dozen games in 2024.
He transferred to play with his father’s club of Downings, the popular coastal holiday venue in Donegal over the summer and got some uninterrupted gametime in.
In recent weeks, he was featuring at midfield for TU Dublin in the Sigerson Cup.
*****
- Compiled by Declan Bogue, Sinead Farrell, and Fintan O’Toole
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8 rising Gaelic footballers to watch in the 2026 season
1. Tomás Kennedy (Kerry – Kerins O’Rahilly’s)
The sole Kerry representative on the U20 Football Team of the Year in 2025, Kennedy was in terrific form, particularly when bagging 1-3 in the Munster final to secure the man-of-the-match award.
A tall imposing attacker, he graduated to the senior squad and saw gametime off the bench last summer against Cavan and Armagh. Kennedy caught the eye in Kerry’s recent McGrath Cup campaign and will target a productive league, offering a different dimension to his team’s attack.
“We have good hopes for him, he has all the tools. If he can stay fit he has a very high ceiling,” remarked Jack O’Connor.
*****
2. Aaron O’Neill (Armagh – Crossmaglen Rangers)
With his older brother Rian off the Armagh panel and seemingly will be so this season, according to manager Kieran McGeeney, they are making use of his younger brother Aaron.
He was three years on the county U20 panel under manager Barry O’Hagan and was joint vice-captain with clubmate Ryan Martin last year.
Has a talent for hitting the back of the net and has shown that regularly in the Armagh championship.
Made his senior debut coming on as a sub for older brother Oisín in the Dr McKenna Cup opener against Tyrone and will be looking to nail down his place over the opening league games.
*****
3. Ethan Dunne (Dublin – Skerries Harps)
The Dublin midfield is always going to be an area of concern, now that Brian Fenton has confirmed he will not be coming back even though he is young and presumably good enough.
Last year, Peader Ó Cofaigh-Byrne gave glimpses that he might be the man to become the main leader in that sector, but while he has sensational fielding ability, Dublin will need a player to get from box to box.
This is where the Skerries Harps man could come in. He already has done the ‘lying’ season or two with the Dubs and incoming manager Ger Brennan will be familiar with his work with DCU in the Sigerson Cup.
In a team that needs just slight tinkering, he could claim his spot.
****
4. Colm Costello (Galway – Dunmore MacHales)
The Galway U20 captain from 2025 has impressed in the early stages of 2026, hitting 1-6 against London in the FBD League opener. He made a late substitute appearance in the final as Pádraic Joyce’s men secured pre-season silverware after defeating Mayo.
With key forwards Shane Walsh and Damien Comer currently injured, Costello could be set to make an impact in Galway’s Division 1 campaign. He made his senior debut during last year’s league, coming off the bench against Mayo, and also replaced an injured Comer in the panel last year for their All-Ireland series game against Armagh.
Costello kicked three points in the 2024 U20 Connacht final and is also a minor All-Ireland winner from 2022.
*****
5. Shea Malone (Donegal – Naomh Conaill)
Jim McGuinness has never been afraid to put a young player in, going back to his first championship game in charge of Donegal when he put the 17-year-old Patrick McBrearty in as sub.
And not to forgot playing Finbarr Roarty in a Dr McKenna Cup game before he was even eligible.
Shea Malone is not as young as either, but had significantly less experience nonetheless as he has been coaxed, at the age of 20, to give Gaelic football a go after spending years on the books of Sligo Rovers.
When ‘The Bit o’ Red’ didn’t work out for Malone, McGuinness convinced his fellow Naomh Conaill man to give Donegal a go. 2-1 against Monaghan in the McKenna Cup later, and he is on the cusp of making a proper senior debut against Dublin.
*****
6. Jacob O’Driscoll (Cork – Valley Rovers)
A defender who’s had a notable start to the 2026 season, starting in Cork’s McGrath Cup final success last Saturday and also lining out for the UCC team who are in Sigerson Cup quarter-finals next week. The double-jobbing has seen him nail down inside defensive spots.
Captain of the Cork U20 footballers in 2023, he’s been on the fringes of the senior squad. With Neil Lordan, corner-back last year against Dublin in the championship, not involved this season, a vacancy has arisen that O’Driscoll may fill.
*****
7. Darragh Beirne (Mayo – Claremorris)
A key member of the Mayo U20s last year, Darragh Beirne earned a place on the Team of the Year at corner-forward after reaching the All-Ireland semi-final.
He came on as a substitute to score a crucial two-pointer as Mayo edged out Galway in the Connacht championship and went on to hit 1-3 in the final to help end a seven-year wait for provincial honours. Mayo lost out to Louth in the All-Ireland semi-final where Beirne helped himself to 0-4 including a two-pointer from a free.
The Claremorris forward has featured in this year’s FBD League, and could be in line to earn more game time in Division 1.
8. Cian McBride (Meath)
Hardly an underground name given his previous sporting exploits in the AFL with Essendon, but the 24-year-old could be about to establish himself properly in the engine room of Robbie Brennan’s Meath side.
He didn’t make the panel for the Leinster final defeat to Louth with recurring injuries being an issue, after he had featured in ten of Meath’s dozen games in 2024.
He transferred to play with his father’s club of Downings, the popular coastal holiday venue in Donegal over the summer and got some uninterrupted gametime in.
In recent weeks, he was featuring at midfield for TU Dublin in the Sigerson Cup.
*****
- Compiled by Declan Bogue, Sinead Farrell, and Fintan O’Toole
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