2025 Tailteann Cup

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2025 Tailteann Cup
Tournament details
LevelTier 2
Year2025
TrophyTailteann Cup
Date10 May – 12 July 2025
Teams17
Winners
ChampionsKildare (1st win)
ManagerBrian Flanagan
CaptainKevin Feely
Qualify forLast 16 of 2026 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
Runners-up
Runners-upLimerick
ManagerJimmy Lee
CaptainCillian Fahy
Other
Matches played35
← 2024
2026 →

The 2025 Tailteann Cup was the fourth edition of the Tailteann Cup, a Gaelic football competition contested by the seventeen county teams that did not qualify for the last 16 of the 2025 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship.[1]

Kildare were the winners, defeating Limerick in the final. Kildare will thus qualify automatically for the last 16 of the 2026 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship.[2]

Format

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The 17 teams who compete in the 2025 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship but did not qualify for the round-robin group stages competed in the competition.

New York advanced directly to the preliminary quarter-finals.[3] The other 16 teams were drawn into four groups of four teams. Seeding was determined by placing in the 2025 National Football League (after promotion and relegation was applied and after NFL division finals).

Each team in a group played the other teams in their group once; each team getting one home fixture, one away and one neutral. Teams are awarded two points for a win and one point for a draw.[4]

The four preliminary quarter-finals consisted of:

  • The four second-placed teams (home), against
  • New York and the three third-placed teams with the best record (away).

At the quarter-final stage the four group winners played the four preliminary quarter-final winners.[5]

The semi-finals and final were played in Croke Park. All knock-out matches were "winner on the day". The key prize for the winner of the 2026 Tailteann Cup was to qualify for the group stage of 2026 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship regardless of their league position.

Teams

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General information

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Seventeen county teams competed in the Tailteann Cup. Only one, Westmeath, does so as a previous winner of the cup.

County Tailteann Provincial All-Ireland Position in 2024 Appearance
Antrim — 1951 — Semi-final 4th
Carlow — 1944 — Group stage 4th
Fermanagh — — — Quarter-finals 4th
Kildare — 2000 1928 Quarter-finals 2nd
Laois — 2003 — Final 4th
Leitrim — 1994 — Preliminary quarter-finals 4th
Limerick — 1896 1896 Quarter-finals 3rd
London — — — Preliminary quarter-finals 4th
Longford — 1968 — Group stage 4th
Offaly — 1997 1982 Group stage 4th
New York — — — Preliminary quarter-finals 4th
Sligo — 2007 — Semi-final 3rd
Tipperary — 2020 1920 Preliminary quarter-finals 4th
Waterford — 1898 — Group stage 4th
Wexford — 1945 1918 Group stage 4th
Wicklow — — — Quarter-finals 4th
Westmeath 2022 2004 — — 2nd

Draws

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Group stage seeding

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Numbers in brackets indicate ranking in the 2025 NFL.

New York (did not play in NFL) enter the Tailteann Cup at the preliminary quarter-final stage.

Knockout stage seeding

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The preliminary quarter-final draw took place on 1 June 2025.[6] The quarter-final draw is on 9 June.[7] The semi-final draw is on 16 June.[8]

Group stage

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Group 1

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Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Kildare 3 3 0 0 95 52 +43 6 Advance to quarter-final
2 Sligo 3 2 0 1 73 68 +5 4 Advance to preliminary quarter-final
3 Leitrim 3 1 0 2 50 71 −21 2
4 Tipperary 3 0 0 3 40 67 −27 0
Source: GAA

Round 1

[edit]
10 May 2025 Tailteann Cup Kildare 0-36 – 0-11 Leitrim Newbridge  
Venue: St Conleth's Park
Report Referee: Liam Devenney


11 May 2025 Tailteann Cup Sligo 2-15 – 2-10 Tipperary Tubbercurry  
Report Referee: Sean Hurson


Round 2

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17 May 2025 Tailteann Cup Tipperary 1-11 – 3-19 Kildare Clonmel  
16:00 Venue: Clonmel GAA Ground
Gls: 1
Pts: 11 		Gls: 3
Pts: 19 		Referee: Jerome Henry (Mayo)


18 May 2025 Tailteann Cup Leitrim 1-18 – 2-19 Sligo Carrick-on-Shannon  
13:30 Venue: Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada
Gls: 1
Pts: 18 		Gls: 2
Pts: 19 		Referee: James Molloy (Galway)


Round 3

[edit]
31 May 2025 Tailteann Cup Leitrim 3-09 – 0-10 Tipperary Mullingar  
Venue: TEG Cusack Park
Gls: 3
Pts: 09 		Gls: 0
Pts: 10 		Referee: T Murphy (Galway


1 June 2025 Tailteann Cup Kildare 4-19 – 1-24 Sligo Roscommon  
Venue: Dr. Hyde Park
Gls: 4
Pts: 19 		Gls: 1
Pts: 24 		Referee: Paddy Neilan (Roscommon


Group 2

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Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Wicklow 3 2 0 1 70 56 +14 4 Advance to quarter-final
2 Offaly 3 2 0 1 65 54 +11 4 Advance to preliminary quarter-final
3 Laois 3 2 0 1 71 65 +6 4
4 Waterford 3 0 0 3 56 87 −31 0
Source: GAA

Round 1

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10 May 2025 Tailteann Cup Laois 0-28 – 1-16 Waterford Portlaoise  
15:00 (HT: 0-19 - 1-7) Venue: Laois Hire O'Moore Park

Pts: Cathal Lee (one two-pointer, one free) 0-5, Mark Barry (one mark, one free) and Killian Roche (two frees, one two-point free) 0-4 each, Brian Byrne and Ronan Coffey (one free) 0-3 each, Niall Corbet and Michael Doran 0-2 each, Ben Dempsey, Damon Larkin, Kevin Swayne, Seamus Lacey and Shaun Fitzpatrick 0-1 each 		Report Gls: Ciaran Walsh
Pts: Jason Curry 0-10 (two frees, three two-point frees), Conor Murray 0-4 (one two-pointer). Michael O’Brien (both frees) 0-2 		Referee: Derek O Mahoney (Tipperary)


10 May 2025 Tailteann Cup Offaly 2-13 – 0-11 Wicklow Tullamore  
13:30 (HT: 1-6 - 0-8) Venue: Glenisk O'Connor Park
Gls: Diarmuid Egan, Jack Bryant.
Pts: Jack Bryant 1-5 (1tp), Dylan Hyland 0-4 (0-1f), Diarmuid Egan 1-0, Shane Tierney 0-2, Cathal Flynn 0-1, 		Report
Pts: Oisín McGraynor 0-2f, Mark Kenny 0-2, Kevin Quinn 0-2 (0-1f), Mark Jackson 0-2 (1tpf), Dean Healy 0-1, Cathal Baker 0-1, Cathal Fee 0-1 		Referee: Niall Cullen (Fermanagh)


Round 2

[edit]
17 May 2025 Tailteann Cup Waterford 1-13 – 1-18 Offaly Waterford  
13:30 Venue: Walsh Park
Gls: 1
Pts: 13 		Gls: 1
Pts: 18 		Referee: Conor Lane


17 May 2025 Tailteann Cup Wicklow 0-21 – 0-16 Laois Aughrim, County Wicklow  
18:00 Venue: Aughrim County Ground
Gls: 0
Pts: 21 		Gls: 0
Pts: 16 		Referee: Fergal Kelly


Round 3

[edit]
31st May 2025 Tailteann Cup Wicklow 3-29 (38) – 0-21 Waterford  


31 May 2025 Tailteann Cup Offaly 3-16 (25) – 3-18 (27) Laois  


Group 3

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Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Limerick 3 3 0 0 65 49 +16 6 Advance to quarter-final
2 Westmeath 3 2 0 1 80 52 +28 4 Advance to preliminary quarter-final
3 Antrim 3 1 0 2 58 74 −16 2
4 London 3 0 0 3 48 76 −28 0
Source: GAA

Group 4

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Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Fermanagh 3 2 0 1 74 54 +20 4 Advance to quarter-final
2 Wexford 3 1 1 1 72 68 +4 3 Advance to preliminary quarter-final
3 Carlow 3 1 1 1 67 69 −2 3
4 Longford 3 1 0 2 51 73 −22 2
Source: GAA

Ranking of third-placed teams

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Pos Grp Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 2 Laois 3 2 0 1 71 60 +11 4 Advance to preliminary quarter-final
2 4 Carlow 3 1 1 1 67 69 −2 3
3 3 Antrim 3 1 0 2 58 74 −16 2
4 1 Leitrim 3 1 0 2 50 71 −21 2
Source: GAA

Knockout stage

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Bracket

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Preliminary Quarter-Finals Quarter-Finals Semi-Finals Final
Wicklow 2-18
Westmeath 3-26 Westmeath 2-17
Laois 1-15 Wicklow 1-17
Limerick 2-18
Limerick 4-21
Wexford 5-23 Wexford 2-19
Antrim 2-21 Limerick 2-19
Kildare 1-24
Fermanagh 0-21
Sligo 1-27 Sligo 1-16
Carlow 2-19 Fermanagh 0-9
Kildare 1-13
Kildare 1-17
Offaly 2-25 Offaly 0-19
New York 1-12

Preliminary quarter-finals

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7 June 2025 Preliminary quarter-final Offaly 2-25 – 1-12 New York Tullamore
14:00 Report Stadium: O'Connor Park
Referee: David Murnane
7 June 2025 Preliminary quarter-final Westmeath 3-26 – 1-15 Laois Mullingar
17:00 Report Stadium: TEG Cusack Park
Referee: Martin McNally (Monaghan)
8 June 2025 Preliminary quarter-final Wexford 5-23 – 2-21 Antrim Wexford
13:30 Report Stadium: Wexford Park
Referee: Conor Lane (Cork)
8 June 2025 Preliminary quarter-final Sligo 1-27 – 2-19 Carlow Tubbercurry
14:00 Report Stadium: Kilcoyne Park
Referee: B Cassidy (Derry)

Quarter-finals

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14 June 2025 Quarter-final Fermanagh 0-21 – 1-16 Sligo Enniskillen
17:00 Report Stadium: Brewster Park
14 June 2025 Quarter-final Kildare 1-17 – 0-19 Offaly Newbridge
18:30 Report Stadium: St Conleth's Park
Attendance: 11,500
Referee: Thomas Murphy (Galway)
15 June 2025 Quarter-final Wicklow 2-18 – 2-17 Westmeath Aughrim
13:15 Report Stadium: Echelon Park
15 June 2025 Quarter-final Limerick 4-21 – 2-19 Wexford Limerick
15:45 Stadium: TUS Gaelic Grounds

Semi-finals

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22 June 2025 Semi-Final Wicklow 1-17 - 2-18 Limerick Dublin
14:00 D Healy 0-5 (2 tp); M Stone 1-0; M Jackson (2 frees), J Prendergast, E Darcy, K Quinn 0-2 each; C O'Brien, M Kenny, O McGraynor, J Kirwan 0-1 each. Report D Neville 1-2; J Ryan 0-4 (2 tpf); R Childs 1-0; P Nash 0-3 (3 frees); J Naughton, T McCarthy, B Coleman 0-2 each; E Rigter, C Fahy, D Murray 0-1 each. Stadium: Croke Park
Attendance: 13,960
Referee: D Murnan (Cork)
22 June 2025 Semi-Final Fermanagh 0-9 - 1-13 Kildare Dublin
16:00 Conor Love 0-2, Darragh McGurn 0-1, Ryan Lyons 0-1, Joe McDade 0-1, Declan McCusker 0-1, Fionan O'Brien 0-1, Sean Cassidy 0-1, Josh Largo Ellis 0-1. Report Brian McLoughlin 0-5 (1 tp), James McGrath 1-0, Colm Dalton 0-2, Kevin Feely 0-2 (1 tp), Daniel Flynn 0-2, Alex Beirne 0-1, Darragh Kirwan 0-1. Stadium: Croke Park
Attendance: 13,960
Referee: Kieran Eanetta (Tyrone)

Final

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Main article: 2025 Tailteann Cup final
12 July 2025 Final Kildare 1-24 – 2-19 Limerick Dublin
14:30 Darragh Kirwan 0-8 (2 tp), Alex Beirne 1-2, Ryan Sinkey 0-3, Brian McLoughlin 0-3 (1 tp), Callum Bolton 0-2 (tp), Kevin Feely 0-2 (1f), Colm Dalton 0-2, Tommy Gill 0-1, Daniel Flynn 0-1. Report Cillian Fahy 1-1, Killian Ryan 1-1, Tony McCarthy 0-3, Josh Ryan 0-3 (1tpf, 1 45), Peter Nash 0-3 (1f), Emmet Rigter 0-2, James Naughton 0-2fs, Danny Neville 0-1, Tommie Childs 0-1, Iain Corbett 0-1, Rory O’Brien 0-1 Stadium: Croke Park
Referee: Liam Devenney

Stadia and locations

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Statistics

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Scoring events

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In Westmeath's game against Antrim, Luke Loughlin nearly broke Cillian O'Connor's record for the highest individual score in a championship match.[9]

  • Widest winning margin: 25 points
  • Most goals in a match: 7 (Wexford v Antrim)
  • Most points in a match: 47
  • Most goals by one team in a match: 5 (Wexford)
  • Most points by one team in a match: 36
  • Highest aggregate score: 51 points
  • Lowest aggregate score: 22 points (Kildare v Fermanagh)

Miscellaneous

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  • None of the four semi-finalists had ever reached the Tailteann Cup semi-finals before.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "GAA Master Fixtures for 2025 published". 5 December 2024.
  2. ^ https://www.breakingnews.ie/sport/saturday-sport-kildare-face-limerick-in-tailteann-cup-final-1782799.html
  3. ^ "New York targeting elusive Tailteann Cup win - HoganStand".
  4. ^ "Wexford Footballers enter the 2025 Tailteann Cup – here are all the fixture dates | Wexford Weekly".
  5. ^ "GAA Congress 2025: New-look football championship and provincial final replays - explained". 20 February 2025.
  6. ^ "Tailteann Cup Preliminary Quarter Finals draw". www.gaa.ie. 30 May 2025.
  7. ^ "Tailteann Cup quarter-final draw on Monday". www.gaa.ie. 6 June 2025.
  8. ^ "All-Ireland SFC and Tailteann Cup draws on Monday". www.gaa.ie. 13 June 2025.
  9. ^ "Cillian O'Connor's scoring record almost went last Sunday". Hogan Stand. 13 May 2025.