Dioralyte O’Byrne Cup senior football Round 1 wrap
Dublin 4-14
Laois 1-17
NIALL O’CALLAGHAN CAPPED a special afternoon in blue with 1-6 as Dublin got the Ger Brennan era off to a positive start.
O’Callaghan, the only player to feature competitively for Dublin in 2025, captained the Sky Blues and scored 1-6 as they cruised through to a Dioralyte O’Byrne Cup semi-final.
They will play Kildare next Saturday, at a Kildare venue.
Brennan went with an entirely new look squad, explaining that it was composed of players who impressed in the club championships and those who stood out in a regional competition in November.
Laois went with a more familiar lineup and there was a significant cameo from Evan O’Carroll who struck six points, five from play, having missed 2025 with a knee injury.
O’Carroll scored Laois’ first four points though first-half Dublin goals from O’Callaghan, Robert Shaw and Tim Deering left the visitors 3-3 to 0-10 up at half-time.
That left Laois with a lot to do as they’d been playing with the win and down the gentle slope in the first-half in Ratheniska.
Dublin duly took over in the third quarter, outscoring Laois by 1-6 to 0-1 in the first 12 minutes of the second-half.
O’Callaghan slotted three two-pointers, all from play and from similar positions out on the left wing, in the second-half while Clyde Burke, one of nine subs introduced by Dublin, grabbed a two-pointer also and 0-3 in total.
Dublin's Niall O'Callaghan with Jack Lacey of Laois. Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO
Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO / INPHO
O’Callaghan is the brother of Dublin star Con while a third brother, Eoghan, lined out in defence in the O’Byrne Cup opener.
Meanwhile, Longford’s bid for a three-in-a-row of O’Byrne Cup titles is over – without even kicking a ball in the competition.
Their Round 1 tie with Westmeath couldn’t go ahead due to an unplayable pitch and a coin toss to see who advanced to the quarter-final went against them.
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So Westmeath will play Leinster champions Louth in a quarter-final on Wednesday evening.
Meath will play Offaly in the other quarter-final on the same evening after both sides pulled through their respective Round 1 games.
Diarmuid Moriarty and Killian Smyth struck first-half goals for a second string Meath side that endured a spirited comeback from Wicklow to win by 2-11 to 1-12.
Offaly came from behind with two goals in the closing minutes to beat Carlow by 3-14 to 3-9.
Elsewhere, Kildare made it through to the semi-finals with a 2-12 to 0-9 win over Wexford in Enniscorthy. Darragh Swords and Sam Doran struck the goals for the Tailteann Cup holders.
In the Connacht FBD League, Mayo got up and running under Andy Moran with a 1-17 to 1-11 win against Sligo at Fr O’Hara Park, Charlestown.
Enda Hession hit the Green and Red’s goal, while ‘keeper Rob Hennelly led their scoring charge with two two-point frees. Bob Tuohy, Darragh Beirne and Ryan O’Donoghue were among others on target.
Lee Deignan top scored with 0-6 for Sligo, who were also under new management in Dessie Sloyane and Eamonn O’Hara.
Meanwhile, Galway powered to a 3-19 to 0-14 victory over London at the Connacht GAA Centre in Mayo. Ciarán Mulhearn (two) and Colm Costello bagged the Tribe’s goals.
And Monaghan beat Cavan 0-16 to 0-13 in their Dr McKenna Cup opener at Kingspan Breffni Park. Injury-time points from David Garland, Micheál Bannigan (free) and Eddie Walsh snatched victory for the Farney county, and inflicted defeat on their neighbours in Dermot McCabe’s first game in charge.
Dublin scorers: Niall O’Callaghan 1-6 (3 2pt scores), Robert Shaw 1-0, Tim Deering 1-0, Eoin Kennedy 1-0, Clyde Burke 0-3 (1 pt score), Sean Guiden 0-3 (0-1f), Kevin Stephenson 0-1, Jack Lundy 0-1.
Laois scorers: Evan O’Carroll 0-6 (0-1f), Killian Byrne 1-0, Killian Roche 0-3 (1 2pt free, 0-1 45), Brian Byrne 0-2, Matthew Byron 0-2 (1 2pt free), Cian Doyle 0-1 (0-1f), Ben O’Connor 0-1, Patrick O’Sullivan 0-1, Coin Dunne 0-1.
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1-6 for O'Callaghan as new-look Dublin open Ger Brennan era with win
LAST UPDATE | 3 Jan
Dioralyte O’Byrne Cup senior football Round 1 wrap
Dublin 4-14
Laois 1-17
NIALL O’CALLAGHAN CAPPED a special afternoon in blue with 1-6 as Dublin got the Ger Brennan era off to a positive start.
O’Callaghan, the only player to feature competitively for Dublin in 2025, captained the Sky Blues and scored 1-6 as they cruised through to a Dioralyte O’Byrne Cup semi-final.
They will play Kildare next Saturday, at a Kildare venue.
Brennan went with an entirely new look squad, explaining that it was composed of players who impressed in the club championships and those who stood out in a regional competition in November.
Laois went with a more familiar lineup and there was a significant cameo from Evan O’Carroll who struck six points, five from play, having missed 2025 with a knee injury.
O’Carroll scored Laois’ first four points though first-half Dublin goals from O’Callaghan, Robert Shaw and Tim Deering left the visitors 3-3 to 0-10 up at half-time.
That left Laois with a lot to do as they’d been playing with the win and down the gentle slope in the first-half in Ratheniska.
Dublin duly took over in the third quarter, outscoring Laois by 1-6 to 0-1 in the first 12 minutes of the second-half.
O’Callaghan slotted three two-pointers, all from play and from similar positions out on the left wing, in the second-half while Clyde Burke, one of nine subs introduced by Dublin, grabbed a two-pointer also and 0-3 in total.
O’Callaghan is the brother of Dublin star Con while a third brother, Eoghan, lined out in defence in the O’Byrne Cup opener.
Meanwhile, Longford’s bid for a three-in-a-row of O’Byrne Cup titles is over – without even kicking a ball in the competition.
Their Round 1 tie with Westmeath couldn’t go ahead due to an unplayable pitch and a coin toss to see who advanced to the quarter-final went against them.
So Westmeath will play Leinster champions Louth in a quarter-final on Wednesday evening.
Meath will play Offaly in the other quarter-final on the same evening after both sides pulled through their respective Round 1 games.
Diarmuid Moriarty and Killian Smyth struck first-half goals for a second string Meath side that endured a spirited comeback from Wicklow to win by 2-11 to 1-12.
Offaly came from behind with two goals in the closing minutes to beat Carlow by 3-14 to 3-9.
Elsewhere, Kildare made it through to the semi-finals with a 2-12 to 0-9 win over Wexford in Enniscorthy. Darragh Swords and Sam Doran struck the goals for the Tailteann Cup holders.
In the Connacht FBD League, Mayo got up and running under Andy Moran with a 1-17 to 1-11 win against Sligo at Fr O’Hara Park, Charlestown.
Enda Hession hit the Green and Red’s goal, while ‘keeper Rob Hennelly led their scoring charge with two two-point frees. Bob Tuohy, Darragh Beirne and Ryan O’Donoghue were among others on target.
Lee Deignan top scored with 0-6 for Sligo, who were also under new management in Dessie Sloyane and Eamonn O’Hara.
Meanwhile, Galway powered to a 3-19 to 0-14 victory over London at the Connacht GAA Centre in Mayo. Ciarán Mulhearn (two) and Colm Costello bagged the Tribe’s goals.
And Monaghan beat Cavan 0-16 to 0-13 in their Dr McKenna Cup opener at Kingspan Breffni Park. Injury-time points from David Garland, Micheál Bannigan (free) and Eddie Walsh snatched victory for the Farney county, and inflicted defeat on their neighbours in Dermot McCabe’s first game in charge.
Dublin scorers: Niall O’Callaghan 1-6 (3 2pt scores), Robert Shaw 1-0, Tim Deering 1-0, Eoin Kennedy 1-0, Clyde Burke 0-3 (1 pt score), Sean Guiden 0-3 (0-1f), Kevin Stephenson 0-1, Jack Lundy 0-1.
Laois scorers: Evan O’Carroll 0-6 (0-1f), Killian Byrne 1-0, Killian Roche 0-3 (1 2pt free, 0-1 45), Brian Byrne 0-2, Matthew Byron 0-2 (1 2pt free), Cian Doyle 0-1 (0-1f), Ben O’Connor 0-1, Patrick O’Sullivan 0-1, Coin Dunne 0-1.
Dublin
1. Sam Moloney (Castleknock)
2. Eoghan O’Callaghan (Cuala), 3. Finn Bruton (Lucan Sarsfields), 4. Josh Bannon (St Sylvesters)
5. Paidi White (St Sylvesters), 6. Tim Deering (Skerries Harps), 7. Robert Shaw (Castleknock)
8. Jack Feehan (Naomh Olaf), 9. Kevin Stephenson (Castleknock)
10. James McCormack (Templeogue Synge Street), 11. Jack Lundy (Ballinteer St John’s), 12. Dylan Knight-Sands (St Pat’s, Donabate)
13. Sean Guiden (St Sylvesters), 14. Niall O’Callaghan (Cuala – captain), 15. Conor Chawke (Castleknock)
Subs
Laois
1. Killian Roche (Killeshin)
2. Conaire Gee (Ballyroan-Abbey), 3. Trevor Collins (Graiguecullen), 4. Ben O’Connor (Portlaoise)
5. Jack Lacey (St Joseph’s), 6. Kevin Swayne (Portlaoise), 7. Aaron McEvoy (Ballyroan-Abbey)
8. Robert Tyrrell (Courtwood), 9. Conor Heffernan (Killeshin)
10. Killian Byrne (Ballyroan-Abbey), 11. Cian Doyle (Courtwood), 12. Josh Hogan (Portlaoise)
13. Niall Corbet (Clonaslee St Mamman’s), 14. Brian Byrne (Graiguecullen), 15. Evan O’Carroll (Crettyard)
Subs
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