Tailteann Cup 2026.

[The Boy Wonder]

The Sam Maguire Qualification Rules from GAA.ie
(a) The 8 Provincial Champions and Runners-Up 
(b) The next 8 highest-ranked teams at the conclusion of the National League (see exception re. Tailteann Cup)

So Galway qualified as Runners-Up in Connacht - they won one game to reach final
- they would have qualified with their NFL ranking but that is not the point
- as magpie seanie says above, Sligo could qualify in same manner with a similar draw to Galway.

My point is that if you can qualify to Sam by winning one game then Down, Tipperary, Laois & Wicklow would be in the 2026 Sam Maguire Cup 

Sooner or later the provincials have to be run as standalone competitions.

[Blowitupref]

Saturday June 13

Tailteann Cup Quarter-Finals

Offaly v Wexford, O'Connor Park, 1pm, GAA+

Antrim v Wicklow, Corrigan Park, 2pm

Laois v Down,O'Moore Park, 4pm, GAA+

Fermanagh v Sligo, Brewster Park, 5pm

The scheduling on GAA+ could have been looked at also, the Down Laois game will run into the Monaghan/Roscommon game and most neutrals will turn over at half time in Down game you would expect. Could the game not have been at 3.00pm?

True and not the first time they haven't put much thought into their live scheduling.

[Blowitupref]

Result

Offaly 1-22 Wexford 1-17

Half-time

Antrim 1-7 Wicklow 0-9

Full-time
Antrim 3-15 Wicklow 2-19

And the last two results

Fermanagh 2-25 Sligo 0-9
Laois 0-15 Down 2-23

[Milltown Row2]

We were 9 points up at some point!!

2 point game.. Anyone's game

[Milltown Row2]

Some comeback by Wicklow, poor by us to lose such a lead

[imtommygunn]

That was an awful hammering Fermanagh gave Sligo. Laois very poor against down too. Fermanagh improving rightly.

Really disappointing for us to lose the way we did against wicklow

You'd expect Offaly and down to be the strongest left. Be interesting to see what is in Fermanagh now.

[FermGael]

Excellent performance from Fermanagh.

Expected a really tight game but Sligo just didn't turn up.
We dominated the middle , put the ball over the bar and were defensively very good .

I assume Fermanagh can't draw Wicklow now as Down v Offaly would be a repeat game

[Aristo 60]

Think its back to an open draw for the semis

[Lazer]

My previous suggestion was playoffs for who is in Sam and who is in Tailteann.

Could very easily play off top two of division 3 with bottom 2 of division 2 straight after the league to get "new" top 2 (get rid of the league final to make room in the calendar - (side note - leagues shouldnt have finals!)

Then if any other county (via making a provincial final) supersedes new top 2 - another play off

Or hold all playoffs after provincial finals but make top 2 (div 3), bottom 2 (div 1) and provincial finalist (who arent already in top 13/14) fight for a place in Sam

[Aristo 60]

Ulster v Ulster
Leinster v Leinster

I predict an Ulster v Leinster final.

[thewobbler]

My previous suggestion was playoffs for who is in Sam and who is in Tailteann.

Could very easily play off top two of division 3 with bottom 2 of division 2 straight after the league to get "new" top 2 (get rid of the league final to make room in the calendar - (side note - leagues shouldnt have finals!)

Then if any other county (via making a provincial final) supersedes new top 2 - another play off

Or hold all playoffs after provincial finals but make top 2 (div 3), bottom 2 (div 1) and provincial finalist (who arent already in top 13/14) fight for a place in Sam

Just to reflect here.

Your solution to the problem of the bottom 2-3 teams in Sam not being remotely capable of winning Sam, is to give them more games against other teams not capable of winning Sam.

[Fogarty]

Tailteann Cup semi final draw

Wicklow vs Offaly
Fermanagh vs Down

[tintin25]

Will the games be on TV?

Not really clear if they are or not.

https://x.com/TheSundayGame/status/2066426062104355023?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

[snoopdog]

Moved to a sat. The promise of priority for the SF took 4 years for the gaa to demote. They prob put them on GAA+ . Jarlath said crowds have been good.
No they havent.

[Sheedy]

Gaa doing all they can to kill off the tailteann cup, by putting Kerry/ Armagh bang in the middle of the 2 semi final they've showed how much they care about promoting this competition