OFFALY RECORDED THEIR first competitive win of 2026 as they opened their Tailteann Cup campaign with victory in Clare.
Mickey Harte and Declan Kelly’s side ended a run of nine successive defeats as they bounced back from Division Two league relegation and a disappointing Leinster championship loss to Laois with a three-point win in Ennis.
Backed by a significant breeze, Offaly laid the platform in the first half, powering into a 0-9 to 0-4 interval lead with Dylan Hand’s two-pointers key.
Hand finished with a tally of 0-9, while Shane Tierney scored the Faithful’s goal, which cancelled out that of Cormac Murray shortly after the restart.
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Clare moved in front, but Offaly held their nerve, and four unanswered points in the closing 10 minutes saw them secure a morale-boosting victory.
Wexford join them in the Round 2A draw after an 11-point win over Limerick at Chadwicks Wexford Park.
The hosts powered into an early 0-6 to 0-0 lead, holding Limerick scoreless until the 20th minute. Mark McCarthy’s goal just before the break left the Treaty 0-12 to 1-3 in arrears.
Two quick-fire Wexford goals on the resumption stopped them gathering momentum, with Liam O’Connor and Michael Kinsella raising green flags. Ben Brosnan signed for 0-6, with goalkeeper Darragh Brooks also finding joy from two-pointers.
A late double-dismissal, with Darragh O’Hagan red-carded and Mark McCarthy sin-binned, encapsulated Limerick’s disappointing day.
Glen Malone on the charge today. James Lawlor / INPHO
James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO
Meanwhile, Carlow survived Down‘s impressive second-half rally to make it three wins from three in the Joe McDonagh Cup.
Down trailed by 10 points just after half-time after James Doyle scored Carlow’s second goal. Martin Kavanagh, who finished with 1-10 (1 ’65, 7 frees) had rattled the net in the opening period.
The Mournemen clawed back, with majors from Donal Hughes and Pearse Óg McCrickard helping them hit the front.
But Carlow restored their lead down the home straight, with their third green flag, raised by Paddy Boland, proving crucial in maintaining their 100% record.
And Laois kept alive their hopes of making the Joe McDonagh final as they hit 5-28 while swatting aside Westmeath.
The O’Moore county stormed to an 18-point triumph on the road, with Aaron Dunphy accounting for 1-10. Early goals from Tomás Keyes and Dunphy moved them into a 2-9 to 0-5 lead after the opening quarter.
Stephen Maher was spot on with the third, before Peter Murphy struck for Westmeath in injury-time to make it 3-14 to 1-10.
Ben Conroy and Gearóid Lynch scored Laois’ other majors in a comprehensive victory, with Adam Bate providing a reprieve in between on a disappointing day for the Mullingar hosts.
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Offaly record first win of 2026 in Tailteann Cup as Carlow stay perfect in Joe McDonagh
GAA results
Tailteann Cup
Joe McDonagh Cup
*****
OFFALY RECORDED THEIR first competitive win of 2026 as they opened their Tailteann Cup campaign with victory in Clare.
Mickey Harte and Declan Kelly’s side ended a run of nine successive defeats as they bounced back from Division Two league relegation and a disappointing Leinster championship loss to Laois with a three-point win in Ennis.
Backed by a significant breeze, Offaly laid the platform in the first half, powering into a 0-9 to 0-4 interval lead with Dylan Hand’s two-pointers key.
Hand finished with a tally of 0-9, while Shane Tierney scored the Faithful’s goal, which cancelled out that of Cormac Murray shortly after the restart.
Clare moved in front, but Offaly held their nerve, and four unanswered points in the closing 10 minutes saw them secure a morale-boosting victory.
Wexford join them in the Round 2A draw after an 11-point win over Limerick at Chadwicks Wexford Park.
The hosts powered into an early 0-6 to 0-0 lead, holding Limerick scoreless until the 20th minute. Mark McCarthy’s goal just before the break left the Treaty 0-12 to 1-3 in arrears.
Two quick-fire Wexford goals on the resumption stopped them gathering momentum, with Liam O’Connor and Michael Kinsella raising green flags. Ben Brosnan signed for 0-6, with goalkeeper Darragh Brooks also finding joy from two-pointers.
A late double-dismissal, with Darragh O’Hagan red-carded and Mark McCarthy sin-binned, encapsulated Limerick’s disappointing day.
Meanwhile, Carlow survived Down‘s impressive second-half rally to make it three wins from three in the Joe McDonagh Cup.
Down trailed by 10 points just after half-time after James Doyle scored Carlow’s second goal. Martin Kavanagh, who finished with 1-10 (1 ’65, 7 frees) had rattled the net in the opening period.
The Mournemen clawed back, with majors from Donal Hughes and Pearse Óg McCrickard helping them hit the front.
But Carlow restored their lead down the home straight, with their third green flag, raised by Paddy Boland, proving crucial in maintaining their 100% record.
And Laois kept alive their hopes of making the Joe McDonagh final as they hit 5-28 while swatting aside Westmeath.
The O’Moore county stormed to an 18-point triumph on the road, with Aaron Dunphy accounting for 1-10. Early goals from Tomás Keyes and Dunphy moved them into a 2-9 to 0-5 lead after the opening quarter.
Stephen Maher was spot on with the third, before Peter Murphy struck for Westmeath in injury-time to make it 3-14 to 1-10.
Ben Conroy and Gearóid Lynch scored Laois’ other majors in a comprehensive victory, with Adam Bate providing a reprieve in between on a disappointing day for the Mullingar hosts.
*****
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GAA Joe McDonagh Cup Tailteann Cup Wrap