2023 O'Byrne Cup

2023 O'Byrne Cup
Tournament details
ProvinceLeinster
Year2023
TrophyO'Byrne Cup
Date4–21 January 2023
Teams11
Defending championsDublin
Winners
ChampionsLongford (4th win)
ManagerPaddy Christie
CaptainBarry O'Farrell
Runners-up
Runners-upLouth
ManagerMickey Harte
CaptainSam Mulroy
Other
Matches played14
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2024 →

The 2023 O'Byrne Cup was a Gaelic football tournament played by eleven county teams of Leinster GAA in January 2023; Kilkenny did not take part.[1] Dublin were the holders.[2]

The tournament was won by Longford, with Dessie Reynolds scoring 3-3 in the final against Louth.[3][4] The competition was marred by a series of cancelled games, as four teams gave walkovers in the later rounds, saying that they did not have enough players available, with the Sigerson Cup and other competitions going on.[5][6] Leinster GAA stated that "the integrity of the competition has now been diminished. In future, counties will have to give serious consideration to their fixture schedule before committing to participating."[7]

Competition format

The eleven teams are drawn to play in two groups of four teams and one group of three teams.

Each team plays the other teams in their group once. Two points are awarded for a win and one for a draw.

The three group winners advance to the knockout stage, with one of the winners of a four-team group playing the winners of the three-team group in the semi-final, and the other four-team group winners advancing directly to the final.[8]

Group stage

Games took place 4–11 January 2023.

Group A

Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Louth[a] 3 2 0 1 25 22 +3 4[b] Advance to semi-final
2 Westmeath[c] 3 2 0 1 28 17 +11 4[b]
3 Kildare[c] 3 1 0 2 34 25 +9 2[d]
4 Wexford[a] 3 1 0 2 17 40 −23 2[d]
Updated to match(es) played on 7 January 2023. Source: Leinster GAA
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Wexford received a walkover from Louth.[9]
  2. ^ a b Louth are ranked ahead of Westmeath as they won the head-to-head game between the teams
  3. ^ a b Westmeath received a walkover from Kildare.[10]
  4. ^ a b Kildare are ranked ahead of Wexford as they won the head-to-head game between the teams

Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Longford 3 2 1 0 52 27 +25 5 Advance to final
2 Meath 3 1 2 0 42 38 +4 4
3 Carlow[a] 3 1 0 2 16 31 −15 2
4 Laois[a] 3 0 1 2 29 43 −14 1
Updated to match(es) played on 11 January 2023. Source: Leinster GAA
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Carlow received a walkover from Laois.[11]

Group C

Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Offaly 2 2 0 0 23 15 +8 4 Advance to semi-final
2 Dublin 2 1 0 1 29 20 +9 2
3 Wicklow 2 0 0 2 16 33 −17 0
Updated to match(es) played on 11 January 2023. Source: Leinster GAA

Knockout stage

15 January 2023 (2023-01-15)
14:00 IWT (UTC±0)
Semi-Final
Louth w/o – scr. Offaly
21 January 2023 (2023-01-21)
14:00 IWT (UTC±0)
Final
Longford 3-13 (22) – (12) 0-12 Louth
(HT: 1-07 – 0-07)
Pearse Park, Longford
Referee: Keith O'Brien (Westmeath)
GK 1 Paddy Collum (Fr. Manning Gaels)
RCB 2 Barry O'Farrell (Carrickedmond)
FB 3 Andrew Farrell (Cashel)
LCB 4 Ryan Moffett (Killoe Young Emmets)
RHB 5 Peter Lynn (Longford Slashers)
CHB 6 Gary Rogers (Mullinalaghta)
LHB 7 Iarla O'Sullivan (Rathcline)
MF 8 Fergal Sheridan (Colmcille)
MF 9 Darren Gallagher (Granard St Mary's)
RHF 10 Dylan Farrell (Killashee St. Brigid's)
CHF 11 Joseph Hagan (Dromard)
LHF 12 Michael Quinn (Killoe Young Emmets)
RCF 13 Dessie Reynolds (Seán Connolly's)
FF 14 Daniel Mimnagh (Killoe Young Emmets)
LCF 15 David McGivney (Mullinalaghta)
Substitutes:
16 Aaron Farrell (Dromard) for D. Farrell
17 Robbie Smyth (Abbeylara) for Quinn
18 James McGivney (Mullinalaghta) for Mimnagh
19 Jack Macken (Colmcille) for Reynolds
20 Peter Foy (St Loman's, Westmeath) for O'Sullivan
21 Brian Masterson (Abbeylara) for Lynn
22 Ruairí Harkin (Colmcille) for Rogers
23 Tadhg McNevin (Longford Slashers) for Gallagher
24 Conor Keenan (Fr. Manning Gaels) for Hagan
25 Jayson Matthews (Mullinalaghta) for D. McGivney
GK 1 Martin McEneaney (St Patrick's)
RCB 2 Alan Connor (Newtown Blues)
FB 3 Bevan Duffy (St Fechin's)
LCB 4 Páraic McKenny (St Mary's)
RHB 5 Oisín McGuinness (St Joseph's)
CHB 6 Liam Jackson (St Mary's)
LHB 7 Craig Lennon (St Mochta's)
MF 8 Tommy Durnin (Inniskeen Grattans, Monaghan)
MF 9 Conall McCaul (St Joseph's)
RHF 10 Shane Matthews (St Mary's)
CHF 11 Ciarán Keenan (St Mary's)
LHF 12 Ryan Burns (Hunterstown Rovers)
RCF 13 Jay Hughes (Dreadnots)
FF 14 Sam Mulroy (Naomh Máirtín)
LCF 15 Tom Gray (Naomh Máirtín)
Substitutes:
16 Niall Sharkey (Glyde Rangers) for Lennon
17 Gerard Browne (Roche Emmets) for McKenny
18 Jack Murphy (St Patrick's) for Matthews
19 Conor Clarke (Dreadnots) for Connor
20 Evan Maher (St Kevin's) for McCaul

References

  1. ^ Reporter, Leader. "Longford away to Laois in the opening round of the 2023 O'Byrne Cup". www.longfordleader.ie.
  2. ^ McMahon, James (November 16, 2022). "Gannon confirms Pat Gilroy will be joining Dubs set-up" – via www.rte.ie.
  3. ^ Bannon, Dan (January 21, 2023). "Reynolds on fire as Longford claim O'Byrne Cup" – via www.rte.ie.
  4. ^ "Longford - O'Byrne Cup History". Longford Gaelic Stats.
  5. ^ "Outgoing Leinster GAA chairman hopes O'Byrne Cup walkovers don't 'adversely affect' future broadcast deals". independent.
  6. ^ McGuire, Ken (13 January 2023). ""The integrity of the competition has now been diminished" as O'Byrne Cup semi-final is scrapped". Scoreline.ie.
  7. ^ "O'Byrne Cup Statement". Leinster GAA. January 13, 2023.
  8. ^ "2023 O'Byrne Cup Fixtures – Longford GAA".
  9. ^ "'Disrespectful' attitude of Louth disappoints John Hegarty as footballers get walkover". independent.
  10. ^ "Westmeath's clash with Kildare called off". Westmeath Examiner.
  11. ^ "Carlow pull out of Laois game as Offaly express anger". January 12, 2023 – via www.rte.ie.