Longford exit O'Byrne Cup by coin toss while Dubs and Meath secure opening wins

January 03, 2026

Dublin's Dylan Knight-Sands with Killian Byrne of Laois during the O'Byrne Cup[ clash in Ratheniska ©INPHO/Tom O'Hanlon

Longford’s hopes of a third successive O’Byrne Cup went up in smoke in unusual fashion this afternoon.

The Midlanders saw their opening round game against neighbours Westmeath at Glennon Brothers called off due to the frozen condition of the pitch.

With no timeframe for a re-fixed game on the calendar ahead of the Wedenday’s quarter-finals, the decision was taken to flip a coin to see which side would be advancing to the pre-season competition’s last eight.

Westmeath won the toss which took place in front of Leinster GAA officials and will now play Louth in four days’ time, while the 2023 and 2024 champions (no competition was played in 2025) enter into the O’Byrne Shield next weekend.

Meanwhile, Ger Brennan got his Dublin reign off to a winning start as the capital men saw off Laois by 4-14 to 1-17 in Ratheniska.

Niall O’Callaghan, Robert Shaw, Tim Deering and Eoin Kennedy supplied the goals for the visitors, with Killian Byrne’s bagging the O’Moore men’s.

Meath also made their goals count in a 2-11 to 1-12 opening win against Wicklow in Aughrim, where Diarmuid Moriarty and Killian Smyth grabbed the victors’ goals in the first-half, while Offaly and Kildare also commenced their respective 2026 campaigns in winning fashion.

The Faithful men saw off Carlow by 3-14 to 3-9 at the Eire Og club grounds, and Brian Flanagan’s Kildare were comfortable in a 2-12 to 0-9 victory over Wexford in Enniscorthy.


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