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All-Ireland Hurling Final Preview

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Your home for the latest news, views and analysis on all things hurling.

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>Brian Gavin reckons only 40% of the black cards shown across the opening three rounds of League fare were correct in their application. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile</p>

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Brian Gavin: Leadership void to blame for inconsistent hurling refereeing

Former inter-county hurling referee Brian Gavin is “worried” about the state of hurling at present. Some of the games he finds “unwatchable”

<p>Between putting the ball on the ground and striking the sliotar, Darragh McCarthy took an average of 24 seconds to send over his two frees against Cork on Saturday. Pic: Ray McManus/Sportsfile</p>

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Tipp will want to drown out Cork's boos for Darragh McCarthy in Thurles

SFogarty Forum: Hurling is in denial about hand-pass

SKieran Shannon: Pre-Tactical Age is over, it's time to bring back the maor foirne

Aidan O'Connor and Darragh Corcoran 8/2/2026

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Casey and O'Donoghue impress against Kilkenny as Limerick pick up first league win

Senan Dunford 8/2/2026

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Handful impress on Clare bows as Banner canter to victory over Down

Tipperary v Kerry - Co-Op Superstores Munster Hurling League Group B

Five-goal Kerry stroll to victory over London

Jordan Brick and Oisin Maunsell both scored 1-3 for Kerry while Daniel Casey hit 1-2

Sat, 07 Feb, 2026

Tipperary v Galway - Allianz Hurling League Division 1A

Cork and Tipperary name teams for National Hurling League clash

Nine of the Tipperary team which started last year's All-Ireland final victory over Cork will line out at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday evening

Fri, 06 Feb, 2026

Adam Screeney and Shane Kingston 28/1/2026

Adam Screeney stars as UL edge UG to set up all-Limerick Fitzgibbon Cup final

The magic from Screeney, who ended with five from play, helped UL prevail

Thu, 05 Feb, 2026

Waterford v Limerick - Allianz Hurling League Division 1A

S Hurling league observations: Swarm tackles, free-taking woes and the need for reform

Swarm tackling, free-taking struggles and fading one-on-ones fuel debate as early hurling league trends raise uncomfortable questions

Thu, 05 Feb, 2026

Tirlán proudly launch 32nd Season of Kilkenny GAA Sponsorship

Kilkenny boss would 'love' to see Fitzgibbon Cup played before Christmas

Kilkenny hurling manager Derek Lyng said there would be "huge interest" in the GAA's third level competitions if they were played before Christmas

Wed, 04 Feb, 2026

Tipperary v Cork - Allianz Hurling League Division 1A Final

S Kieran Shannon: Many good reasons why Páirc will be standing room only Saturday night

Cork’s hurlers are embracing expectation, turning league ambition into sell-out crowds and reviving the competition’s box-office appeal

Tue, 03 Feb, 2026

Galway v Cork - Allianz Hurling League Division 1A

Séamus Harnedy: Hurt Cork are all on the one road

Séamus Harnedy’s return added steel and scoring as Cork sharpened form, depth and belief ahead of a major test

Tue, 03 Feb, 2026

Tipperary v Galway - Allianz Hurling League Division 1A

Tipp's Bryan O'Mara: 'Some of the stuff we were playing, I wouldn't have paid my €40 to go in the gate'

Next up for All-Ireland champions Tipperary is a trip to face Cork at Páirc Uí Chaoimh

Tue, 03 Feb, 2026

Galway v Cork - Allianz Hurling League Division 1A

S John Fogarty: Hurling’s seven deadly sins and how to absolve them

The attention devoted to football last year now needs to shift to hurling. It hasn’t lost its way as much as football but there are sins to be absolved

Tue, 03 Feb, 2026

Tipperary v Cork - Allianz Hurling League Division 1A Final

Cork and Tipp league clash could break attendance record

The 23,402 crowd which watched Cork play Limerick at Páirc Uí Chaoimh last year was the largest attendance for a standalone hurling league fixture in recent times

Mon, 02 Feb, 2026

Tempers flare off the ball 1/2/2026

S Talking Points: Offaly's numbers game, Derry on track, Wexford's net gain

The main takeaways from a hectic weekend of hurling and football action.

Mon, 02 Feb, 2026

Galway v Cork - Allianz Hurling League Division 1A

Cork boss Ben O’Connor: 'They are trying to take the manliness out of the game'

'They don’t want any dust-up, they don’t want any bit of blood split, they don’t want a hurley broke. They want to make it a nice game for my little Johnny at home'

Sun, 01 Feb, 2026

Cork v Limerick - GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Final

Caroline Currid's return 'massive positive' for Limerick's young players

Apart from 2017, every season in which Caroline Currid has been off-field consiglieri to John Kiely has concluded with with Limerick winning the Liam MacCarthy Cup

Sat, 31 Jan, 2026

Mayo for Sam, challenges for Cork teams, and more talking points from Late Late Show GAA special

Mayo for Sam, challenges for Cork teams, and more talking points from Late Late Show GAA special

County colours were flying proudly on Friday night’s show. Here are some of the highlights

Sat, 31 Jan, 2026

Cork v Kerry - McGrath Cup Final

O'Connor makes one change to Kerry side for Donegal trip, Cleary likewise for Cork's clash with Louth

The Galway footballers have made no changes to their starting team for their visit to the Athletic Grounds to play Armagh on Saturday evening.

Fri, 30 Jan, 2026

Limerick v Kilkenny - 1973 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Final

Kilkenny great calls for complete ban on hurling hand-pass

The nine-time All-Ireland SHC winner is adamant that restricting passes to those from the hurley will save the game from what he considers the scourge of thrown hand-passes.

Tue, 27 Jan, 2026

GAA Special Congress

Integration could 'suffer if it is rushed in', says Galway GAA chairman

The Irish Examiner understands some counties have yet to form the integration bodies they were requested by the three associations at national level

Mon, 26 Jan, 2026

A view of the Connacht GAA Air Dome 2/8/2020

Munster GAA conducting feasibility study for air dome

Munster GAA chairman Tim Murphy said an air dome in the province would be "worth its weight in gold". It is expected a dome in Munster would exceed the €3.1m which the Connacht GAA air dome cost

Mon, 26 Jan, 2026

Clare v Dublin - Allianz Hurling League Division 1B

S Christy O'Connor: Eoghan O’Donnell return offsets Dublin’s disappointment

Of the five Clare players Eoghan O'Donnell directly came up against on Sunday, he only conceded two shots.

Mon, 26 Jan, 2026

Darragh Lyons reacts as William Buckley celebrates after scoring his side's third goal of the match 25/1/2026

William Buckley stars on debut but tougher tests to come for Cork

“We were lucky enough that we had nine or 10 of the more experienced fellas, and we were able to fire in the few younger fellas to help them out. Not that they needed any help out there today."

Mon, 26 Jan, 2026

Kilkenny v Offaly - Allianz Hurling League Division 1A

Offaly boss questions calendar after opening league defeat to Kilkenny

Johnny Kelly questioned why the first two rounds of the National League overlap with the Fitzgibbon Cup

Mon, 26 Jan, 2026

Peter Queally and Ben O'Connor shake hands after the game 25/1/2026

Cork's fast start and unselfish play delight Ben O'Connor

The Cork hurlers scored 10 points from 10 shots for a nine-point lead inside 12 minutes against Waterford at Páirc Uí Chaoimh

Sun, 25 Jan, 2026

Cork v Tipperary - GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Final

S Maurice Brosnan: Eight observations and predictions for the 2026 hurling season

As the championship opens up, hurling’s flaws are becoming its greatest asset — but only on the pitch

Sat, 24 Jan, 2026

Spring signs: County-by-county guide to Hurling League Division 1A

S Spring signs: County-by-county guide to Hurling League Division 1A

Plenty of eyeballs will be trained on Cork, and their new management team, but spring intrigue won't stop there - can Limerick bounce back, where are Kilkenny, what will Waterford and Offaly bring. And that's before any mention of the All-Ireland champions

Sat, 24 Jan, 2026

Cork v Tipperary - GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Final

Cork name 10 starters from All-Ireland final for league opener against Waterford

Sunday's game between Cork and Waterford throws in at 3:45pm. It will also be broadcast live on TG4.

Fri, 23 Jan, 2026

Cork v Dublin - GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Semi-Final

'You have to make the most of every tool that's available': Mark Coleman on Cork's 2026 reset

During his early years on the Cork hurling panel, Mark Coleman didn't buy into the value of one-to-one sessions with the group's performance coach but he now knows it would be "foolish" not to use all the tool available

Thu, 22 Jan, 2026

Tipperary v Cork - Allianz Hurling League Division 1A Final

S Fogarty Forum: What now for National Leagues after the goldrush of 2025?

It would help if the start of the football and hurling leagues were staggered, as they were previously in 2024.

Tue, 20 Jan, 2026

Jack O'Connor 5/7/2025

Cork hurling league squad: Jack O’Connor left out of Ben O’Connor’s 36-man panel

Ben O’Connor insists omissions are temporary as Cork prepare to defend their Division 1 hurling league title

Tue, 20 Jan, 2026

Cork v Waterford - Munster GAA Hurling Senior Championship Round 5

TG4 to show over 45 games during football and hurling leagues

TG4's coverage gets underway on Saturday when Dublin face Donegal at Croke Park

Mon, 19 Jan, 2026

Conor Sheahan celebrates with the Tommy Moore Cup 18/1/2026

S Christy O'Connor: Ballygunner and Dingle wins cap season of seasons for Munster GAA

The only two marquee competitions that Munster didn’t win were the minor and U20 football. Tyrone beat Kerry in the minor final and the U20 semi-final

Mon, 19 Jan, 2026

Ian Kenny celebrates 18/1/2026

S Anthony Daly: When Gunners find rhythm, it’s impossible to dodge the bullets

Loughrea were nowhere near the levels required to take down a team of Ballygunner's quality.

Mon, 19 Jan, 2026

Ballygunner v Loughrea - AIB GAA Hurling Senior Club Championship Final

Clinical Ballygunner overcome Loughrea to secure second All-Ireland hurling title

Twelve-in-a-row within Waterford borders. Five Munsters since 2018. But one All-Ireland alone was out of kilter with this collection. They needed that second All-Ireland.

Sun, 18 Jan, 2026

Pauric Mahony 7/9/2025

S Anthony Daly: Ballygunner on a mission they are perfectly equipped to complete

A personal lesson in discipline frames a sharp-eyed look at Loughrea’s challenge against an imperious Ballygunner side

Sun, 18 Jan, 2026

Michael Geaney and Ruaidhrí Fallon 14/1/2026

S Christy O'Connor: Reality far different than the perception of Dingle and St Brigid's

Dingle are currently blessed by a freakish cycle of nature and a glorious bounty of talented footballers, just like St Brigid’s.

Fri, 16 Jan, 2026

Loughrea v Slaughtneil - AIB GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Club Championship Semi-Final

Loughrea 'dealing' with Cullen Killeen suspension

Loughrea's Shane O'Brien said there is a "slim chance" he could see action during Sunday's All-Ireland Club SHC final against Ballygunner

Thu, 15 Jan, 2026

Cork v Tipperary - GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Final

Darragh Fitzgibbon to captain Cork hurlers in 2026

Mark Coleman will serve as vice-captain this year

Wed, 14 Jan, 2026

Dublin v Antrim - Leinster GAA Senior Hurling Championship Quarter-Final

Neil McManus foresees GAA player protests over Allianz sponsorship

Former Antrim hurler McManus was one of 800 current and former inter-county players to sign a petition urging the GAA to end its relationship with Allianz

Wed, 14 Jan, 2026

Colm McCarthy with Cathal Malone 12/1/2026

Cork surge late to pip Clare and earn first win for Ben O'Connor

A late Ben Cunningham penalty completed Cork’s comeback as they edged Clare by a point

Tue, 13 Jan, 2026

An Ghaeltacht v Glenullin - AIB GAA Football Intermediate Club Championship Final

S Fogarty Forum: Nobody's found a way to stop Kerry’s grading gain

If Dingle complete the job next Sunday, Kerry will have produced the four adult All-Ireland football winners.

Tue, 13 Jan, 2026

Cork v Dublin - GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Semi-Final

Cork make nine changes for Munster SHL clash with Clare

Monday's game in Mallow throws in at 7pm

Mon, 12 Jan, 2026

Philip Wall celebrates with his brother Jamie Wall 10/1/2026

S Christy O'Connor: Why Saturday's All-Ireland finals double-header was the best we've ever seen

All four teams in the junior and intermediate hurling finals were heroic

Mon, 12 Jan, 2026

Philip Wall celebrates with his brother Jamie Wall 10/1/2026

Kilbrittain's Philip Wall hails brother Jamie: 'Success is as much his as it is mine'

Philip quickly roused himself after the final whistle to race over and sink his head into the lap of his wheelchair-bound brother

Mon, 12 Jan, 2026

Tooreen players 14/1/2023

S Christy O'Connor: Big days, bigger dreams for Easkey, Gaeltacht and Tooreen

Winning an All-Ireland club title would be a glorious breakthrough for Sligo hurling

Sat, 10 Jan, 2026

Fergal Boland and Keith Ryan 7/1/2026

Tom Hayes on the pull of Upperchurch: 'There's a toughness in us, but it's allied to a lot of skill'

The Tipperary outfit look forward to special day in Croke Park this weekend.

Fri, 09 Jan, 2026