Senior Footballers open 2026 with a win

Image Courtesy Matthew Burke

DUBLIN 4-14 

LAOIS 1-17

It proved an encouraging opening for Dublin as they defeated Laois by six points in their Dioralyte O’Byrne Cup Round 1 encounter at a bright and breezy Ratheniska on Saturday afternoon. 

In what was manager Ger Brennan’s first competitive game in charge, the experimental Dublin selection enjoyed a narrow 3-3 to 0-10 interval lead with Niall O’Callaghan, Robert Shaw and Tim Deering all raising green flags for the away side. 

With the wind at their backs, the visitors controlled the third quarter with an Eoin Kennedy goal adding to their lead while O’Callaghan’s trio of two-pointers left them comfortable winners by the final whistle.  

Both teams took their time to settle under heavy underfoot conditions with Evan O’Carroll highlighting his quality with an excellent opening score from the right flank in the 5th minute. 

Laois held an advantage in terms of experience but it was one of Dublin’s few established players that pounced for the opening goal a minute later as O’Callaghan fisted home after fine approach play from Jack Lundy and James McCormack. 

Lundy was denied a second Dublin goal by Killian Roche in the 9th minute and the hosts availed of that let off to assume control of matters as the first quarter evolved. 

O’Carroll thrived during this period as he kicked three points from play inside ninety seconds with a Brian Byrne score edging Laois two points clear by the end of the first quarter. 

A two-pointed free from Roche and a Ben O’Connor score enhanced the home lead before a Seán Guiden free in the 21st minute helped turn the tide back in Dublin’s favour. 

From the resultant restart, the visitors gained possession and Shaw’s run from deep was rewarded as he improvised a powerful punched effort past the helpless Roche. 

Points followed through Kevin Stephenson and Guiden (free) before the influential Lundy found Deering in space and the Skerries Harps defender fired an impeccable finish into the bottom corner of the net. 

The hosts regrouped well to these concessions with late points by Byrne and Roche (’45’) limiting the damage to two points by the break.

Despite O’Carroll halving that margin through a 35th minute free, Dublin completely dominated the third quarter and it was of scant surprise to see them add a fourth goal soon after with Lundy once again providing the assist as substitute Kennedy fisted home at the back post. 

Guiden and Lundy added to the away lead before O’Callaghan showcased his threat from distance as he added a brace of two pointed scores to leave Dublin ten points clear by the 42ndminute. 

Understandably, a degree of fluency was lost as Brennan introduced a plethora of substitutes and the hosts began to claw their way back into contention through successive points from Cian Doyle, O’Carroll and Killian Byrne. 

Another fisted goal, this time from Laois’ Killian Byrne in the 47th minute, was just reward for the home efforts but with another substitute Clyde Burke responding with a two-pointer, Dublin progressed to a meeting with Kildare next weekend as O’Callaghan completed the scoring with another red flag in added time. 

Scorers – Dublin: N O’Callaghan 1-6 (3 P2); S Guiden (2f), C Burke (1 P2) 0-3 each; R Shaw, T Deering, E Kennedy 1-0 each; K Stephenson, J Lundy 0-1 apiece. Laois: E O’Carroll 0-6 (1f); K Byrne 1-0; K Roche 0-3 (1 F2, 1 ’45); B Byrne, M Byron (F2) 0-2 each; B O’Connor, C Doyle (f), P O’Sullivan, C Dunne 0-1 apiece. 

Dublin: S Moloney; E O’Callaghan, F Bruton, J Bannon; P White, T Deering, R Shaw; J Feehan, K Stephenson; J McCormack, J Lundy, D Knight-Sands; S Guiden, N O’Callaghan, C Chawke. Subs: L Smith for Bruton (half-time), E Kennedy for Knight-Sands (half-time), C McCarville for Chawke (half-time), R O’Brien for Moloney (40), D Murphy for E O’Callaghan (40), D Kettle for Lundy (40), C Burke for Feehan (40), F Potts for Bannon (46), C Dunne for McCormack (46).

Laois: K Roche; C Gee, T Collins, B O’Connor; J Lacey, K Swayne, A McEvoy; R Tyrrell, C Heffernan; K Byrne, C Doyle, J Hogan; N Corbet, B Byrne, E O’Carroll. Subs: M Dempsey for Heffernan (half-time), M Byron for Roche (half-time), C Lee for Lacey (40), P O'Sullivan for Corbet (40), D Boland for Gee (46), C Dunne for O'Carroll (46), J Shelly for Hogan (56).

Referee: James Foley (Carlow).