As it happened: Cork begin league campaign with impressive win over Waterford
Cork's Alan Connolly scores his side’s first goal despite Billy Nolan. Pic: ©INPHO/Tom Maher.
An impressive win for Cork and Ben O'Connor in the opening match of the league.
Stay tuned to our website for the best of the analysis and reaction from the match.
Looks like Sean Walsh has been dismissed for an off the ball incident.
William Buckley named man of the match.
Mark Coleman with a beauty as the clock ticks into injury time.
Two more points for Rueben Halloran. One from a free and one from play. He's had a very good game.
Great score by William Buckley. Looks like he was fouled but then scores while on one knee, almost two.
Here is Waterford's goal from a penalty.
Penalty 🎯for @WaterfordGAA against @OfficialCorkGAA in the Park #AllianzLeagues #CORvWAT pic.twitter.com/WBcLSGPcpJ
— The GAA (@officialgaa) January 25, 2026
Free in for Waterford from close range and Halloran makes no mistake. As usual.
Great score from midfield by Tommy O'Connell. Halloran then adds another free for Waterford.
Both teams raking up the wides although Callum Lyons does score from play for Waterford before Alan Connolly does likewise for Cork.
Halloran fires over a 65 for Waterford but Hugh O'Connor then scores from play at the other end.
Free in for Waterford but Shane Bennett's effort at goal is saved by the defenders on the line.
Game over? William Buckley finds the net, perfect response for the Rebels after Waterford's goal.
Waterford score from the penalty as Shane Bennett squeezes the sliotar under Patrick Collins. Game on?
End to end here as both sides add to their tallys from frees. Fitzgibbon for Cork, Halloran for Waterford.
Waterford open the scoring in the second half through a Halloran free but Cork hit back through Mark Coleman and William Buckley.
The therapy flowed from the throw-in. So did the scores.
Deccie Dalton opened the local account inside 34 seconds. It was the first of 10 Cork point attempts inside the opening 11 minutes and 35 minutes.
All 10 delivered a white flag. Not a single miss.
Turning the page from traumatic 2025 finish to starting afresh in 2026, there was a strong school of thought that Dalton could be the most vulnerable for demotion of the five starting forwards from last year’s All-Ireland final. Dalton’s answer to that consensus was to strike four points in the opening 20 minutes and assist another 1-1.
He tormented both Daniel Lalor and Conor Keane. The former - on his Déise debut - was whipped after only 20 minutes.
Dalton would finish the half with 1-4. We’ll get to the goal momentarily. Back to that phenomenal shooting Cork start.
The No.14 was responsible for three of the scores in Cork’s blink-of-an-eye 0-10 to 0-1 lead. For his second, Dalton raced out in front of two Waterford defenders, snapped up Darragh Fitzgibbon’s low delivery, and swung successfully over the shoulder.
Shane Barrett also clipped an early three. Among the other four contributors was debutant William Buckley.
Billy Nolan’s many early restarts were crashing against the Cork half-back line. Robert Downey was utterly dominant.
Barrett’s wide four seconds shy of the 12-minute mark brought an end to Cork’s perfect scoring start. They’d add six more wides before the call for half-time. Two of those belonged to designated - and new - free taker Alan Connolly.
None of the wides particularly mattered. The half-time scoreline showed Cork 2-16 to 0-9 in front.
Dalton batted across to Connolly for a scrambled opening goal on 17 minutes. It shoved Cork 1-11 to 0-3 on 17 minutes. Their second arrived 11 minutes later. Mark Fitzgerald committed a black card offence on Brian Roche. Dalton dispatched the resultant penalty.
Waterford down by 15 points on the scoreboard and down to 14 men on the field.
Roche’s point on 34 minutes completed the set of Cork's starting six forwards. The Waterford scoresheet, by contrast, showed only two forwards on the mark, they being Jamie Barron and Reuben Halloran.
Half time: Cork 2-16 (22) Waterford 0-9 (9)
Halloran sends over another free.
Brian Roche scores from play for Cork.
Reuben Halloran scores a quick brace to reduce the deficit.
20,464 is the attendance at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
Fourth successive round-robin league fixture where the Cork hurlers have attracted a crowd of 20,000-plus to Ballintemple.
🚨 GOAL 🚨
— The GAA (@officialgaa) January 25, 2026
You don't stop those 🔥🎯@OfficialCorkGAA #AllianzLeagues #CORvWAT pic.twitter.com/nc3Xktis3k
Dalton absolutely blasts the penalty into the top left corner. And a black card for Waterford as well.
Reuben Halloran scores a free from close range.
Of the five remaining starting forwards from last year's All-Ireland final, there was a consensus that Declan Dalton could be the Cork forward most vulnerable to losing his spot.
Dalton's answer to that school of thought in the opening 20 minutes has been to strike four points from play and assist another 1-1.
His marker, debutant Daniel Lalor, has just been called ashore.
Brian Lynch on for Daniel Lalor.
Bit of a shooting clinic this by Cork as William Buckley sends over a great score.
Fitzgibbon fires over a monster of a score. Cork are flying it. Their fans are sure to start getting excited once again.
Alan Connolly prods the ball across the line after Dalton hand passes the sliotar into his path.
Quick response by the Déise as Barron scores his second.
Declan Dalton with another excellent point from distance.
Shane Barrett's wide four seconds shy of the 12-minute mark brings an end to Cork's phenomenal shooting start.
With their first 10 shots in the opening 11 and a half minutes, there were 10 points. Barrett and Declan Dalton both with three apiece already.
Declan Dalton add to his tally before Patrick Collins makes a great save at the other end. Waterford score thre 65.
Elsewhere It finished Clare 3-18 Dublin 1-22 in NHL Division 1B. Tony Kelly got a late third goal for Clare.
Shane Barrett splits the posts for his second. He then quickly grabs his third. Cork lead by eight, 0-9 to 0-1.
Waterford sub: Joe Booth is in for Jack Fagan.
Diarmuid Healy with his first and Cork's seventh after seven minutes.
Shane Barrett races clear down the left and fires over.
Great score over the shoulder by Deccie Dalton, his seond of the game. William Buckley then gets his first after a fine run. Great start by Cork.
Jamie Barron opens Waterford's account. But Alan Connolly quickly hits back with a free.
Captain Darragh Fitzgibbon fires over from distance.
Declan Dalton gives Cork the lead.
Afternoon all. Andrew here as the national anthem rings out down the Pairc. Almost time for the second game of the double header. The Cork hurlers will be looking to follow the footballers' lead in front of a big crowd.
No social media, no fear, no playing it down: Ben O’Connor speaks his mind
Andrew Horgan will be taking over for the remainder of the action. Up next the Cork hurlers face Waterford.
Kerry beat Roscommon by a point after a buzzer beater by Tomás Kennedy! Kerry launched a last-gap ball towards the Roscommon goal. Kennedy went high, claimed the ball and fisted over. What a day for the young forward. Heartbreaking for Roscommon. It finished Kerry 2-18 Roscommon 1-20.
Roscommon had a glorious chance to take the lead against Kerry but Paul Carey blazed wide when composure was needed.
Going to be a Kilkenny win here. Offaly just lacking the killer instinct. Kilkenny 0-20 Offaly 0-16.
A superb David Clifford two-pointer has Kerry level.
David Clifford gets Kerry level but then Diarmuid Murtagh scores a two-point free for the Rossies. They lead 1-20 to 2-15. Four minutes to play.
Full-time between in a high octane game between Mayo and Galway. Mayo win 3-18 to 2-18.
Roscommon lead by one against Kerry. Jack Duggan with another score.
Roscommon level the game against Kerry through Daire Cregg.
Roscommon cut Kerry's lead to the minimum. There's nine minutes to play. Jack Duggan got their latest point.
There's around five minutes to play between Clare and Dublin in NHL Division 1B with the sides level.
Five minutes to play at Pearse Stadium. A Fergal Boland point extends Mayo's lead to five. 3-18 to 2-16.
A Daire Cregg two-pointer has Roscommon within three of Kerry. 2-14 to 1-14.
Kerry lead Roscommon by five points in Killarney. It's 2-14 to 1-12. David Clifford got Kerry's second goal.
Fifth goal of the game at Pearse Stadium. Fionn McDonagh cuts Mayo's lead to four.
Rock and roll football in Salthill. Let it rip
— Maurice Brosnan (@m_brosnan) January 25, 2026
Another goal for Mayo, their third. They lead by seven now, 3-17 to 1-16.
Galway have cut Mayo's lead to four points. They've scored 1-4 without reply. Shane McGrath got the goal for Galway.
Cork win! 0-24 to 2-17. That was a remarkable comeback. They were six points behind after 64 minutes but two two-pointers from substitute Steven Sherlock helped them to victory.
Allianz Football League Division 2 Round 1
— Cork GAA (@OfficialCorkGAA) January 25, 2026
Full time
Cork: 0-24 (24) (0-4-16)
Cavan: 2-17 (23) (2-2-13) pic.twitter.com/67INshXXHu
Cork lead against Cavan! A Steven Sherlock two-pointer from a free puts them ahead. Chris Óg Jones had scored a point from play two minutes earlier.
Three Offaly scores in a row have them within a point against Kilkenny. Their defence appears to be getting a grip on the Kilkenny attack.
Clare and Dublin are level after 50 minutes in Division 1B. Clare 2-11 Dublin 1-14. Brian Hayes got a second half goal for Dublin.
Another Mark Cronin free had Cork two behind. Two minutes to play.
Five minutes of injury time to be played between Cork and Cavan. Cavan still lead by three.
Five minutes of the second half gone at Fitzgerald Stadium and Kerry lead Roscommon 1-11 to 1-8.
A Steven Sherlock two-pointer and a Mark Cronin point cut Cork's deficit to three points against Cavan.
There's around five minutes to play at Páirc Uí Chaoimh and Cavan lead Cork by six points.
Mayo get their second goal against Galway. Darragh Beirne scores it. They lead by 11 now.
The Mayo hurlers added a bit of respectability to the scoreboard in the second half of their NHL Division clash with Laois. Laois won 6-23 to 0-12. Mayo had just a point on the board at half-time.
The game has very much turned against Cork here. Gearóid McKiernan and Dara McVeety are marshalling a Cavan streak of 1-4 without reply to lead by four. Ciarán Brady (Arva) got their second goal and Niall Carolan almost had another. A black card for Ryan Brady offers the hosts a ray of light, though. 2-15 to 0-16.
Another Robbie Hennelly two-pointer free, his third of the game, extends Mayo lead to 1-14 to 0-10 against Galway.
Some of the other scores from around the leagues. NFL D1 (HT): Monaghan 0-4 Armagh 0-15; NFL D2 (HT): Offaly 0-14 Louth 0-11; NFL 4 (44') Wicklow 0-7 Leitrim 1-5; NFL D4 (HT): Antrim 0-9 Carlow 2-4; NFL D3 (HT): Westmeath 2-9 Sligo 0-7; NFL D3 (FT) Fermanagh 0-12 Wexford 1-13
The level of pressing by both Galway and Mayo here is wonderful to witness. Can it be sustained for a game? What about a season? Here's hoping. Mayo a tad fortunate to be six ahead, but the early signs are that Moranball will be popular out west. With possession, they are kicking directly and without it, they are chasing Galway down all over the field.
The Tipp footballers have drawn with London, 0-21 each, in Division 4. Cian Smith got a late two-pointer for Tipperary to level the game.
Another goal for Cavan against Cork. They Arva Ciaran Brady with the score. They lead 2-13 to 0-15.
Half-time at Cusack Park and Clare lead Dublin 2-8 to 0-11. David Reidy and Peter Duggan with the goals for the Banner.
It's dry in Kilkenny but the wet turf sure is making the players look ordinary. Twelve wides and 15 scores. Kilkenny deservingly ahead 0-9 to 0-6 because they are working harder and keeping it simpler. They're not above overcooking it and the crowd has been frustrated at times but Offaly haven't asked enough questions.
There's the response though. Goal for Kerry. Young Kerins O'Rahillys forward Tomás Kennedy gets it. He claimed a high ball into the Roscommon defence, swivelled and while falling found the net. Great start to his Kerry career. Kerry end the half with another point and lead 1-9 to 1-6.
Roscommon lead against Kerry. A Keith Doyle point puts them ahead. Roscommon have scored the 1-4 without reply.
Cork and Cavan are level five minutes into the second half at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. Cork 0-14 Cavan 1-11. Gearóid McKiernan got a two-pointer for Cavan.
Goal for Roscommon against Kerry. Diarmuid Murtagh gets it. The Kingdom still lead by a point 0-8 to 1-4.
Jack Carney ends the half-time at Pearse Stadium with a sensational two-pointer for Mayo. They lead 1-12 to 0-9.
In NFL Division 3, Westmeath lead Sligo 1-4 to 0-6. Danny McCartan got the goal for Westmeath. Sligo had scored the first four points of the game.
Cork have had the better of the play in the first half at the Páirc, apart from a slow start and an early goal concession. Those were the only two junctures they've fallen behind as Seán McDonnell and Brian Hurley have slotted two pointers. Dara McVeety is a constant threat for Cavan, scoring 1-3, including a goal brilliantly created Conor Brady. There's no major wind to speak of as Cork hit the change of ends 0-13 to 1-8 ahead.
Eoin Colleran gets a point for Roscommon against Kerry, and they trail 0-8 to 0-4.
21 minutes gone at Cusack Park and Dublin lead Clare 0-8 to 0-5. Mark Rodgers has scored 0-3 from frees for Clare.
A game of hurling might break out any minute but it's been turgid stuff so far between Kilkenny and Offaly. Nine wides and six scores, two of them from frees. Eoin Cody has scored all four of the home side's points. Kilkenny have settled but it wouldn't be difficult in an affair feeling the soft conditions. Kilkenny lead 0-4 to 0-2.
Another two point free from goalkeeper Robbie Hennelly puts Mayo 1-9 to 0-8 ahead against Galway with 28 minutes played.
Great start for Dublin in Ennis where they lead Clare 0-7 to 0-2 in Division 1B of the hurling league. Donal Burke has scored four points from frees for the Dubs.
13 minutes gone at Fitzgerald Stadium. Kerry lead Roscommon 0-5 to 0-2. Micheál Burns and David Clifford have both scored 0-2 for the Kingdom.
Half-time at Páirc Uí Chaoimh and Cork lead Cavan 0-13 to 1-8. A two-pointer by Brian Hurley gave Cork that lead. He has 0-3 in total while Mark Cronin has 0-4. Séan McDonnell also scored a two-pointer for Cork. Dara McVeety has 1-3 for Cavan.
Referee Chris Mooney had to call for a throw-in as the sliotar had become plugged in the sod at Nowlan Park. A worrying day for all groundspeople across the country. Offaly have been sharper in the early exchanges against Kilkenny and lead by two points.
Goal for Mayo. Aidan O'Shea gets it. They lead Galway 1-6 to 0-7.
Disappointing for Mayo's Eoin McGreal as he's helped off the pitch against Galway. He's replaced by Paddy Durcan. A few swift points have Galway ahead 0-7 to 0-6.
Cork lead 0-10 to 1-5 against Cavan. Mark Cronin and Luke Fahy points have them ahead.
They are underway at Fitzgerald Stadium, and David Cifford puts Kerry ahead against Roscommon with a point after just 12 seconds
Nice start for Mayo under Andy Moran in the league. They lead Galway 0-6 to 0-3 after 12 minutes.
10 nóim @Galway_GAA 0-02 (2)@MayoGAA 0-05 (5)
— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) January 25, 2026
Tá an-chruinneas ag Maigh Eo go dtí seo!
Jack Carney sends over a fine score to increase Mayo's lead 👏
BEO/LIVE AR @TG4TV 📺@AllianzIreland #AllianzLeagues #GAABeo pic.twitter.com/znGZuVdWjd
There's around 10 minutes to play at Páirc Uí Chaoimh and it's all level between Cork and Cavan. Cork 0-8 Cavan 1-4.
Mayo lead Galway 0-4 to 0-2. Ryan O'Donogue and Jordan Flynn added to Robbie Hennelly's earlier two-pointer for Mayo.
Goal for Cavan against Cork. Dara McVeety the scorer. That puta Cavan 1-4 to 0-6 ahead but a Paul Walsh point from play gets the Revels level.
At Pearse Stadium, Robbie Hennelly sends over a two-point free and Mayo lead Galway, 0-2 to 0-1. Daniel O'Flaherty had opened the scoring for Galway.
1 nóim @Galway_GAA 0-01 (1)@MayoGAA 0-00 (0)
— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) January 25, 2026
An chéad scór don chluiche faighte ag Daniel O'Flaherty do Ghaillimh!
Galway start the game brightly with a well-finished score 🙌
BEO/LIVE AR @TG4TV 📺@AllianzIreland #AllianzLeagues #GAABeo pic.twitter.com/2ASKjdsQez
At Brewster Park, Wexford lead Fermanagh 1-5 to 0-6 at half-time.
A major mismatch in Division 2 of the hurling league with Laois leading Mayo 5-15 to 0-1.
No changes to the named teams in Kilkenny. Teenager David Barcoe named at right-half back for Kilkenny. Mikey Carey filling Huw Lawlor's big boots at full-back. It's a strong Offaly team that has travelled. A contest is expected.
Mark Cronin gets Cork level against Cavan but four minutes later, Dara McVeey, with his second of the game, puts Cavan back in front.
It's half-time in Ruislip where London lead Tipperary 0-11 to 0-7. Joseph McGill has score 0-6 for London while Cian Smith has 0-4 for Tipp.
Ruairí Deane has a second point for Cork, and they now trail Cavan 0-3 to 0-2.
Cavan are off to a quick start at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. The lead 0-3 to 0-1 with points from Gerard Smith, Dara McVeety, and Oisín Brady. Colm O'Callaghan got one back for Cork.
Changes to both the Galway and Mayo teams before throw-in. Galways's Matthew Tierney is out with Cian Hernon starting. Tierney does not tog with Jack O'Neill taking his place. Cein D'Arcy is replaced by Charlie Power on the bench. As for Mayo, Stephen Coen starts. Rory Brickenden won't tog out either, with Jack Coyne taking his place. Maurice Brosnan
Galway v Mayo gets underway at 1:45pm in Pearse Stadium and will be live on TG4.
Here's how Kerry will line out against Roscommon. That game throws in at 2pm. You'll be able to watch it live, if you're at Fitzgerald Stadium, and if not, TG4 will have it on their player/app with full deferred coverage later this evening on TV.
S Murphy; E Looney, J Foley, D Casey; A Heinrich, M Breen, T Morley (C); S O’Brien, L Smith; J O’Connor, S O’Shea, M Burns; D Clifford, T Kennedy, T Brosnan
S Broderick, D O’Sullivan, C Trant, E Healy, T O’Donnell, R Murphy, K Spillane, D Roche, D Lyne, C Keating, P O’Leary
and here's the Roscommon team:
A Brady, P Gavin, C Keogh, E McCormack, E Ward, R Daly, S Lambe, K Doyle, C Ryan, D Ruane, E Smith, D Heneghan, D Murtagh, D Cregg, E Colleran
S Kelly, T Lambe, N Higgins, O Cregg, R Hughes, D Kenny, R Heneghan, J Tumulty, P Carey, C Lennon, J Duggan
It's 10 years since Cork last played in the top flight of the football league. Kieran Shannon took a look at their decade in the lower tiers, and the hope that the might pull off the great escape from Division 2.
Here are the Cork and Cavan teams for today's Páirc Uí Chaoimh clash. The game throws in at 1:30pm.
CORK (NFL v Cavan): P Doyle, S Brady, D O’Mahony, T Walsh, B O’Driscoll, R Maguire, L Fahy, C O’Callaghan, S Walsh, P Walsh, S McDonnell, R Deane, M Cronin, B Hurley, C Óg Jones
M A Martin, M Shanley, J O’Driscoll, S Meehan, M Taylor, I Maguire, D Sheedy, D Buckley, C Cahalane, S Sherlock, C Daly
L Brady; J McLoughlin, N Carolan, P Meade; Ciaran Brady (Arva), D McVeety, G Smith; Ciaran Brady, Conor Brady; R Donohoe, P Lynch, T Madden; O Brady, G McKiernan, P Corrigan
G O’Rourke, T Noack-Hofmann, C Brady, R Brady, E Clarke, C O’Reilly, C Shekleton, F Shehu, C McGovern, R Tobin, D Lovett
If you thought Saturday was busy, well Sunday looks even busier!
Welcome to our liveblog on what promises to be another exciting and hectic day of Allianz Football and Hurling League action.
So hectic in fact that we need two reporters to cover this liveblog throughout the entire afternoon.
PJ Browne will kick us off from 1pm where the focus will predominately be on the football with Kerry taking on Roscommon, Galway hosting Mayo and Cork facing Cavan before Andrew Horgan then logs on to bring us home with Cork’s clash with Waterford in the hurling.
And if that isn’t enough, our reporters will also be sending on their thoughts and analysis from their position in the press boxes across the country so stay tuned.
But until then, feel free to enjoy the best of the articles from our website currently.
No social media, no fear, no playing it down: Ben O’Connor speaks his mind
Anthony Daly: Last thing Cork need is more negativity. Time to move on now
Liam Cahill grateful for county board support as Tipp open league campaign with Galway win.
A collection of the latest sports news, reports and analysis from Cork.
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