Earlier All-Ireland senior football draw to take place this year

Hurling managers will concede 20m free for “challenging authority” of referee

Tue, 14 Apr, 2026 - 12:25

John Fogarty

The draw for the first round of this year’s All-Ireland senior football championship will take place before the provincial finals are decided.

The decision to stage the draw on May 4 (live on GAA+) was taken by the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) after counties sought the additional notice.

Logistics and hotel accommodation are among the reasons counties lobbied for the earlier draw. The Connacht and Munster finals take place on May 10. The Leinster and Ulster deciders are organised for May 17.

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One of Clare and Kerry and either Cork or Tipperary will have home advantage in the opening quarter of first round Sam Maguire Cup games on the weekend of May 23/24.

Also playing at home that weekend will be the two Connacht SFC semi-final winners, Mayo/Roscommon and Galway/Leitrim.

The Leinster and Ulster finalists also have a two-week break until their opening All-Ireland SFC game at home on May 30/31.

Because of the new combined Round 2 phase where the Round 1 winners face off against each other for All-Ireland quarter-final places and the losers meet to remain in the championship, the eight teams playing on May 23/24 will have a three-week break until their next game.

As part of team administration regulation changes this year, the CCCC will be publishing the four stand-by players along with the 26-man squads for championship games.

At a recent officiating briefing, it was also clarified that while team management now face the possibility of conceding a 20-metre free and it comes under the dissent rule, the free will be given for “challenging the authority” of the referee.

It was also reiterated that denying a goal-scoring opportunity in hurling is confined to the player in possession whereas it’s a team opportunity in Gaelic football.

Half-time protocols were also highlighted. The first team that emerges from their dressing room is the second team that re-enters it at the interval and vice-versa.