Preview – 31 May 2026

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It’s the June Bank Holiday Weekend and, while the rest of the country’s thoughts are turning to barbeques and an extra day off work, true Rounders fans are planning how many matches we can take in and what’s the quickest way to get from Athlone GAA to Clann na nGael and back again to catch as much of the action as possible in the seven games taking place between both venues on Sunday afternoon.

With multiple matches in Monaghan and Carlow, and one each in Mayo and Wexford, there’s no excuse not to be on your nearest pitch watching Bank Holiday Rounders this weekend.

Clubs from Ulster, Connacht and Leinster will be vying for the title of U14 Champion – will Cavan’s Erne Eagles retain their title, or will the cup be going home with underage superstars Emo, newly formed Galway club Clontuskert, Roscommon contenders Elphin, or recent U14 Girls’ All-Ireland title winners Cúchulainn of Carlow?

Midlands Medley

With two pitches – one each for Senior and Intermediate games – on the go in Athlone GAA for the day, it will be a busy afternoon.

Starting proceedings at 12pm will be last year’s Intermediate Mixed winners, Erne Eagles, taking on newly promoted Intermediate side and last year’s Junior Mixed winners, St. Senan’s.

With rumours that Darryl Dolan was hoping to play Intermediate this year firmly quashed after his substitution onto the Senior team last weekend, we’ll have to wait until Sunday to see who lines out for the Cavan side.

While St. Senan’s were powerfully impressive at Junior last year, will they find the jump to playing what should now be a Senior-standard side a step too far?

Prediction: Erne Eagles

Our second Intermediate match will feature St. Senan’s Men, this time taking on Roscommon side Kilmore, also in their first year at Intermediate.

Kilmore have performed strongly so far this year. Having beaten Dublin Metropolitans on opening weekend and narrowly losing 14-10 to last year’s Intermediate Men’s finalists, Emo, their move to Intermediate is going well.

St. Senan’s have also played twice this season – losing to Dublin Mets and beating St. Clare’s – and both sides will be keen to make their way into top position on the league table heading into June.

Prediction: Kilmore

Athlone’s Intermediate games will be refereed by Myshall’s PJ Lalor.

Also in Athlone, two Senior games – both involving Cavan’s Erne Eagles and Wexford’s Raheen – will take place from 1.30pm.

First up will be both sides’ Senior Men. Raheen played last Sunday and lost to Cúchulainn, while Erne Eagles also played last Sunday and beat reigning All-Ireland Champions Carrickmacross Emmets – no prizes for guessing who will go into the game more confident.

Prediction – Erne Eagles

Final game in Athlone, at 3pm, will be the two Senior teams’ Women. Raheen will be bruised following a comprehensive defeat to Cúchulainn, while Eagles, who also lost to Carrickmacross’ Women last weekend, will be keen to get back to winning ways and take the victory.

Prediction – Erne Eagles

Our Senior Referee in Athlone GAA will be Galway City Rapparees’ Craig Davis.

Still in Athlone, but moving from Co. Westmeath to Co. Roscommon, Clann na nGael will host three more Senior games, this time between Breaffy and Glynn Barntown.

Starting at 12.30pm with a replay of the 2025 Senior Women’s final, followed at 2pm by the Senior Mixed clash and ending the day at 3.30pm when the men of both clubs square up on the pitch.

So far this season, in all three grades, Breaffy are the team to beat, and Glynn Barntown will need to be at their best to upset the Mayo side in their quest to continue to top the groups and make three All-Ireland finals.

Prediction – Breaffy to win all three

Refereeing in Clann na nGael will be The Heath’s Danielle Keane.

Junior Games

Starting at 11am in Leighlinbridge is the first of three Junior matches being hosted by the Carlow club. To start, they will take on Emo. With neither side yet suffering a defeat in a Junior Mixed match in 2026, nobody will want to lose that perfect record.

Prediction – Emo

At 1pm, Leighlinbridge’s Women will take on Wexford side Castletown Liam Mellows.

As a newly formed team this year, Castletown are finding their feet and will be hoping this is the day they manage to get their first win. Leighlinbridge, who beat Kilanerin Ballyfad by 29 runs in their opening Women’s game, are aiming to make sure that doesn’t happen.

Prediction – Leighlinbridge

Finally in Leighlinbridge on Sunday, the hosts can take a break and watch Naomh Pól take on Oulart The Ballagh in a Junior Mixed game between two “new to the Championship” sides.

This is both teams’ third fixture of the season, but Oulart are ahead on points having received a walkover in their first game.

Oulart performed well on Junior Day, reaching a Shield Final, but Naomh Pól also showed great promise in the Munster Winter League. This should be an exciting game between two well-matched teams.

Prediction – Oulart The Ballagh

Our Leighlinbridge Referee for the day will be Glynn Barntown’s Sarah McGuinness.

Staying in the South East, Gusserane and Na Gaeil Nua’s Junior Men’s teams both start their Championship campaigns when they travel to Castletown Liam Mellows to play at 12pm.

At Junior Day, Gusserane’s Men’s team came away with the Cup, while Na Gaeil Nua, a brand-new team formed this year, played Mixed and showed that they have great potential.

Prediction – Gusserane

Cathy Kearns of Glynn Barntown will be in charge for this game.

Much further north, in Carrickmacross, three more exciting Junior games will take place in Platinum Tanks Park, starting at 11am when the hosts take on Slaughtneil.

After a few years away from Championship action, the Derry side have returned this year and played their first match last Sunday in Inniskeen. Although they lost, the experience gained will stand to them against this Carrick side, who will be keen to put their opening defeat by Kilmore behind them and get some winning points on the scoreboard.

Prediction – Carrickmacross Emmets

Next up, at 1pm, the hosts will welcome Elphin for another Junior Mixed game.

Elphin have played twice this season and lost both games – to Inniskeen and Kilmore – and will want to ensure they break the cycle. Will Carrick’s second game of the day mean they’re finely tuned and ready to win, or will Elphin’s fresh legs give them the advantage?

Prediction – Carrickmacross Emmets

The final Junior Mixed game in Monaghan on Sunday will be between Elphin and Antrim side Wolfe Tones.

For the second week in a row, Wolfe Tones will be making the journey to Monaghan, but will their narrow defeat to Inniskeen last Sunday have them ready to take it up a notch this week and win? Or will Elphin, with their Intermediate Women players, have the edge in their second match of the day?

Prediction – Elphin

Refereeing all three matches in Carrickmacross will be National Secretary Shirley Lennon.

Not far away, in Inniskeen, there will be another Junior Mixed game at 11am when Inniskeen Grattans once again welcome a Derry team, Naomh Trea, in Junior Mixed.

While Inniskeen have three wins already under their belt this season, Naomh Trea have yet to play a competitive match.

Prediction – Inniskeen Grattans

Longford’s Clonguish will take to the pitch at 1pm to play Inniskeen’s Junior Women.

Clonguish lost to Skryne midweek in their first game of the season and will be aiming to reverse the result for this match. Inniskeen’s Junior Women are a newly formed side with lots of potential and, if they can get their fielding in order, this could be an interesting game.

Prediction – Inniskeen Grattans

Local legend, Carrickmacross Emmets’ Colm Birdy, will referee this match.

Our final venue for the day will be our most westerly when Athenry travel to Garrymore in Mayo to play a Junior Mixed game.

This will be Garrymore’s first time to play this season, while Athenry lost narrowly to Galway City Rapparees in their first outing.

Prediction – Garrymore

Galway City Rapparees’ Jay Hall will be in charge of this match.

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