7.30pm – Tyrone senior football final replay: Errigal Ciaran V Edendork St Malachy’s – Healy Park, Omagh
Having a county final replay on a Friday night may appear unusual, but it’s not unheard of in Tyrone.
Almost 10 years ago to the day, Healy Park played host to the county final replay on a Friday night, Killyclogher claiming a comfortable 0-20 to 0-6 win over Coalisland on that occasion.
Last weekend, a late, dramatic two-pointer from Darren McCurry was enough to rescue this year’s replay for championship first-time finalists Edendork, as they pegged back 2025 All-Ireland finalists Errigal Ciarán.
The winners of this replay will be facing a tight turnaround before facing Down champions Clonduff on Saturday 31 October in their Ulster opener.
Darren McCurry under pressure in the drawn final from Cormac Quinn. Lorcan Doherty
Lorcan Doherty
****
Saturday 24 October
7pm – Galway senior football final: Maigh Cuilinn V Salthill Knocknacarra – Pearse Stadium, Galway.
Talking of rematches, this is a repeat of last year’s decider in Galway, which saw Moycullen prevail by 1-17 to 1-15.
There is also the whiff of a derby about it, just under 10 miles separating the two clubs.
Interested spectators will be the new Tribesmen manager Éamonn Fitzmaurice and various assorted backroom members.
Dessie Conneely. Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO
Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO / INPHO
Right now, Moycullen are bringing a huge head of steam into the decider, having beaten Annaghdown by 30 points in the county semi-final. Fitzmaurice will no doubt be keen to have a closer look at Dessie Conneely, who hit an enormous 2-16 in what was only his second start for the club after returning from Australia.
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A two-time Connacht champion in the past, Conneely was also the leading scorer of last year’s championship.
*****
Sunday 25 October
3.30pm – Wexford senior hurling final: Shelmaliers V Rathnure, Chadwicks Wexford Park
Rathnure are the market leaders in the county with 20 titles, but it is also 20 years since their last Dr RJ Bowe Cup.
They took out reigning county and provincial champions St Martin’s 0-21 to 0-15 after extra-time in the semi-final stage, a reversal of last year’s final.
In a similar story to Glen Rovers in Cork, Rathnure actually lost their senior status as recently as 2023, but have responded in the best way possible under manager Declan Ruth.
Shelmaliers have claimed two senior hurling titles, the last one in 2020, and they have a delicate balance to strike, being also proficient in football.
Since winning the intermediate in 1997 they have never dropped out of senior and have won their two senior finals to date, while they are managed by Kilkenny great Richie Power.
*****
3.30pm – Derry senior football final: Magherafelt O’Donovan Rossa V Newbridge Seán O’Leary’s, Celtic Park, Derry
The anticipation and joy of winning a county title is often said to not be commensurate with the disappointment of losing one.
Therefore, Magherafelt will be sick of the record they have compiled in losing finals this decade – 2020 to Slaughtneil, 2023 to Glen, and last year at the hands of Newbridge. Managed by Louth manager Gavin Devlin, while aided by former Armagh player Stephen Kernan and Derry legend Enda Muldoon, they have thrown a lot at this.
Newbridge march behind the band. Lorcan Doherty / INPHO
Lorcan Doherty / INPHO / INPHO
This decider is a repeat of 2025 in Derry with Newbridge seeking a three-peat. The Seán O’Leary’s tend to buck the trend of success being built off the back of underage titles; their own underage teams tend to operate in Grades 2 or 3, yet they manage to parlay it into a serious senior team.
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*****
3.45 – Limerick senior hurling final: Na Piarsaigh V Kilmallock, TUS Gaelic Grounds, Limerick.
There’s an air of utter consistency with these two teams in the decider of the Limerick senior championship. Na Piarsaigh have made it to the last four stage for the last decade, while Kilmallock’s record stretches back 15 years.
Na Piarsaigh are defending the John Daly Cup after Shane O’Neill’s return paid such dividends last season. Since 2011, they have been in 12 finals, winning nine.
Kilmallock cannot claim the same consistency, but nonetheless they were champions recently in 2021, beaten finalists in 2022 and have been in five deciders since 2010. When the two sides met in the round 1 phase of the championship this season, Kilmallock were winners. But as we keep getting told, that will count for little.
*****
4pm – Cork senior football final: St Finbarr’s V Nemo Rangers – Supervalu Pairc Uí Chaoimh
As nice as it is to see a first-time pairing or a plucky underdog make their way to the Big Dance, there’s an intoxication to seeing two heavyweights slug it out once more.
St Finbarr’s are the current champions, having beaten Nemo Rangers in last year’s final 1-14 to 1-13. They also claimed titles in 2021 and 2018.
It gets nice and complicated that Nemo’s last Andy Scannell Cup came when beating the Barrs in 2022.
But they are staring into a bit of an abyss, having lost the last three finals, to the Barrs last year and Castlehaven the two years prior to that.
Their manager is Robbie O’Dwyer, son of Kerry legend Micko. He has been involved with the club over two decades and knows the sting of defeat well.
Robbie O'Dwyer. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
However, the Barrs will be going at it tooth and nail to ensure they won’t complete a miserable double of losing both football and hurling county finals within seven days of each other.
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Limerick and Wexford hurling deciders, old pairings in Cork and Derry football finals
Friday 23 October
Having a county final replay on a Friday night may appear unusual, but it’s not unheard of in Tyrone.
Almost 10 years ago to the day, Healy Park played host to the county final replay on a Friday night, Killyclogher claiming a comfortable 0-20 to 0-6 win over Coalisland on that occasion.
Last weekend, a late, dramatic two-pointer from Darren McCurry was enough to rescue this year’s replay for championship first-time finalists Edendork, as they pegged back 2025 All-Ireland finalists Errigal Ciarán.
The winners of this replay will be facing a tight turnaround before facing Down champions Clonduff on Saturday 31 October in their Ulster opener.
****
Saturday 24 October
Talking of rematches, this is a repeat of last year’s decider in Galway, which saw Moycullen prevail by 1-17 to 1-15.
There is also the whiff of a derby about it, just under 10 miles separating the two clubs.
Interested spectators will be the new Tribesmen manager Éamonn Fitzmaurice and various assorted backroom members.
Right now, Moycullen are bringing a huge head of steam into the decider, having beaten Annaghdown by 30 points in the county semi-final. Fitzmaurice will no doubt be keen to have a closer look at Dessie Conneely, who hit an enormous 2-16 in what was only his second start for the club after returning from Australia.
A two-time Connacht champion in the past, Conneely was also the leading scorer of last year’s championship.
*****
Sunday 25 October
Rathnure are the market leaders in the county with 20 titles, but it is also 20 years since their last Dr RJ Bowe Cup.
They took out reigning county and provincial champions St Martin’s 0-21 to 0-15 after extra-time in the semi-final stage, a reversal of last year’s final.
In a similar story to Glen Rovers in Cork, Rathnure actually lost their senior status as recently as 2023, but have responded in the best way possible under manager Declan Ruth.
Shelmaliers have claimed two senior hurling titles, the last one in 2020, and they have a delicate balance to strike, being also proficient in football.
Since winning the intermediate in 1997 they have never dropped out of senior and have won their two senior finals to date, while they are managed by Kilkenny great Richie Power.
*****
The anticipation and joy of winning a county title is often said to not be commensurate with the disappointment of losing one.
Therefore, Magherafelt will be sick of the record they have compiled in losing finals this decade – 2020 to Slaughtneil, 2023 to Glen, and last year at the hands of Newbridge. Managed by Louth manager Gavin Devlin, while aided by former Armagh player Stephen Kernan and Derry legend Enda Muldoon, they have thrown a lot at this.
This decider is a repeat of 2025 in Derry with Newbridge seeking a three-peat. The Seán O’Leary’s tend to buck the trend of success being built off the back of underage titles; their own underage teams tend to operate in Grades 2 or 3, yet they manage to parlay it into a serious senior team.
*****
There’s an air of utter consistency with these two teams in the decider of the Limerick senior championship. Na Piarsaigh have made it to the last four stage for the last decade, while Kilmallock’s record stretches back 15 years.
Na Piarsaigh are defending the John Daly Cup after Shane O’Neill’s return paid such dividends last season. Since 2011, they have been in 12 finals, winning nine.
Kilmallock cannot claim the same consistency, but nonetheless they were champions recently in 2021, beaten finalists in 2022 and have been in five deciders since 2010. When the two sides met in the round 1 phase of the championship this season, Kilmallock were winners. But as we keep getting told, that will count for little.
*****
As nice as it is to see a first-time pairing or a plucky underdog make their way to the Big Dance, there’s an intoxication to seeing two heavyweights slug it out once more.
St Finbarr’s are the current champions, having beaten Nemo Rangers in last year’s final 1-14 to 1-13. They also claimed titles in 2021 and 2018.
It gets nice and complicated that Nemo’s last Andy Scannell Cup came when beating the Barrs in 2022.
But they are staring into a bit of an abyss, having lost the last three finals, to the Barrs last year and Castlehaven the two years prior to that.
Their manager is Robbie O’Dwyer, son of Kerry legend Micko. He has been involved with the club over two decades and knows the sting of defeat well.
However, the Barrs will be going at it tooth and nail to ensure they won’t complete a miserable double of losing both football and hurling county finals within seven days of each other.
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Club Previews club scene County Finals GAA October