Tag Archive for: Na Piarsaigh Rounders

Club Focus: Kilmore – Family, Community and a Club That Thinks Big

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GAA ROUNDERS • CLUB FOCUS

Kilmore

Family, Community and a Club That Thinks Big

One of the special privileges of these Club Focus articles is highlighting the clubs that encapsulate everything great about GAA Rounders.

Last week, we featured

Galway City Rapparees

– a club that has achieved meteoric success while keeping community and friendship front and centre.

This week, our focus shifts to another Connacht club where those same core values are immediately evident, with the added bonus of family being hugely important: Kilmore from Roscommon.

Club
Kilmore
County
Roscommon
Province
Connacht

“

Ask anyone in our organisation to name a club that is welcoming, fun, hard-working and highly competitive, and the “boys and girls in blue” will instantly come up.

In a remarkably short space of time, Kilmore has become an integral part of the national Rounders family.

Kilmore • Roscommon • GAA Rounders

It’s time to take a closer look at their story!

A Small Club With a Big Place in GAA History

Many of you may have made the trip to Leitrim’s Carrick-on-Shannon for a hen or stag weekend, but just 10km outside the town, across the border in north Roscommon, lies Kilmore GAA.

For a small rural club, Kilmore has already left a remarkable mark on Irish sport. It was Kilmore GAA that brought forward the historic motion to amend Rule 42, paving the way for rugby and soccer internationals to be played at Croke Park while Lansdowne Road was being redeveloped.

That history of a small club being willing to think big feels particularly fitting when you look at what Kilmore Rounders has achieved in such a short space of time.

From Junior Day to National Contenders

Founded in 2023 by Nicola Craughwell and Clare Connellan – who sent a simple “who would be interested in joining a Rounders club?” text to their local group – it soon became evident that many people were! Their very first training session saw an incredible 40 interested players turn up.

Kilmore’s playing journey began that winter in the Connacht Winter League, where their first competitive games came against Galway City Rapparees. That off-season competition proved invaluable for a brand-new club. Game by game, they learned the sport, developed their fielding and batting and improved enormously over the winter months.

Their national debut came at the 2024 Junior Day in Fenagh, Co. Carlow – where they promptly went and won the Mixed competition! Anyone watching that day could see this was a club destined for big things, driven by genuine talent and exceptional team chemistry.

With Rounders firmly established in the parish, Kilmore prioritised youth development in that foundational first year, bringing an U14 Mixed team to Monaghan for the All-Ireland competition in Cloghan. Meanwhile, their adult Mixed team entered the Championship and went from strength to strength, qualifying from their group and storming into the All-Ireland Quarter-Finals in Tymon Park with a win over Wexford side Gusserane. Although their journey ended in the Semi-Finals against Inniskeen Grattans in Clonguish, reaching the final four in their inaugural Championship season was a massive achievement.

Rising Through the Ranks

Ambitious from the outset, Kilmore expanded in 2025 to field Men’s, Women’s, and Mixed teams in All-Ireland competitions. Building on their initial experience, all three setups performed brilliantly during the group stages, with both the Men’s and Women’s panels advancing.

While the Men earned a direct route to the Semi-Finals, the Women’s team faced Monaghan side Inniskeen Grattans in a hard-fought Quarter-Final in Clonguish. Inniskeen took the win and ultimately went on to claim the 2025 All-Ireland title.

Ironically, the following month in Galway, Kilmore’s Men’s team faced that very same team – Inniskeen Grattans – in the Semi-Finals. A tight, well-deserved victory provided sweet redemption, propelling Kilmore into their first Junior All-Ireland Final against Limerick’s St. Senan’s in Dunganny.

That final was an absolute classic that kept spectators on the edge of their seats for all five innings. Outstanding performances from Aidan Carr, Jamie Sharkey, Oisín Boland, and others kept Kilmore right in the mix, before St. Senan’s eventually edged out a 10-6 victory.

Junior Men’s All-Ireland Finalists 2025

The 2026 Campaign: Triple Threat

Kilmore’s powerful 2025 campaign earned their Men’s team promotion to the Intermediate grade for 2026 and they hit the ground running with an explosive 30-6 opening-day win over Dublin Metropolitans. Narrow losses against Emo and St. Senan’s followed, but Kilmore proved they could go toe-to-toe with established Intermediate opposition.

They bounced back in style with a 15-10 win over Mayo’s Kilmeena, followed by an impressive 21-14 victory over St. Clare’s in Cavan. Having found their rhythm, the Men now look ahead to this Saturday’s Intermediate Semi-Final – a rematch with St. Clare’s – where a place in the All-Ireland Final is on the line in their very first year at the grade!

Kilmore Junior Women

It has been an equally impressive 2026 for the Women’s team, who put together an unbeaten group campaign before defeating Wexford’s Gusserane 27-10 in the Quarter-Finals. Their run came to an end against a powerful St. Kieran’s side in the Semi-Finals on Sunday, 9 August. Despite the 33-18 defeat, Kilmore showed tremendous heart, with brilliant defensive catches from Nicola Craughwell (Back Catcher), Joann Sharkey (2nd Base) and Ruth McElhone (3rd Base), alongside sharp base-running from Clodagh Sheerin, Carmel Murphy and Sinéad Beirne.

Oisin Boland

Meanwhile, Kilmore’s Mixed team has produced a superb season – and their journey isn’t over yet! After topping their group with a perfect record, they defeated Carlow’s Myshall 30-12 in the Quarter-Finals. The sides were closely matched until the fourth innings, when Kilmore found another gear and brought an incredible 18 runners home in a single turn at bat.

They followed that with a dominant 16-1 Semi-Final victory over Na Piarsaigh in Edenderry, driven by standout performances from Mark Harrington, Nicola Craughwell, James Jamieson and an on-fire Oisín Boland, who recorded no fewer than five clean catches and assisted another two outs on base!

That sets up a mouth-watering All-Ireland Junior Mixed Final on 13 September in Mallow GAA. In another one of our sport’s great moments of showing how anything is possible with hard work and dedication, two clubs who first met less than three years ago playing in the Connacht Winter League will face each other again – this time with an All-Ireland title on the line.

A True Family Club

While training, tactics, and talent explain their rapid rise, they only tell half the story. What makes Kilmore truly special is the extraordinary personal bonds within the squad.

Team management is entirely player-led:

  • Women’s Team: Managed by Aidan Carr
  • Men’s Team: Managed by Ana Carr and Nicola Craughwell
  • Mixed Team: Managed by Seán Boland and Mark Harrington

Remarkably, the playing roster boasts no fewer than six married couples (Aidan & Ana Carr, John & Nicola Craughwell, Kevin & Irene White, Jamie & Joann Sharkey, Breian & Siobhán Carroll, and Oisín Boland & Clodagh Sheerin) and two parent-child combinations (Mark & Eli Harrington, and Seán & Oisín Boland), taking the concept of a “family club” to a whole new level! That togetherness shows on the pitch. Kilmore plays with seamless trust, genuine warmth, and a refusal to give up on a play – or a teammate.

 

Kilmore’s Jamie & Joann Sharkey, Barbara & JP Murray, Orla & Mark Harrington, Nicola & John Craughwell and Ana & Aidan Carr at the 2025 GAA Rounders All-Stars

While the whole club contributes to this unique culture, a few individuals deserve special mention:

  • Seán Boland (Chairman), Ruth McElhone (Secretary) & Nicola Craughwell (Communications): This trio is the cornerstone of the club. Ruth manages seamless administration and fixtures while anchoring 3rd Base, Seán leads with warmth and vision, and Nicola is always available to assist with queries and step in wherever needed. Together, they epitomise the spirit of GAA Rounders.
  • Aidan & Ana Carr: The unmistakable faces of Kilmore Rounders. Whether playing, managing, coaching underage teams, driving nationwide to support fixtures, or umpiring, their absolute devotion to promoting and supporting Rounders is inspiring. Everyone across GAA Rounders sends their best wishes to Ana for a speedy recovery following her injury in last Sunday’s Women’s Semi-final – we can’t wait to see you back on a pitch!

Kilmore’s special place in the hearts and minds of their fellow clubs was made official when they won the Junior Club of the Year Award at the 2025 All-Stars – an award voted for directly by their peers. Their hard work was further recognised when pitcher Aidan Carr was selected to represent GAA Rounders in the Men’s Exhibition Game at the GAA World Games on 16 July in Waterford.

The Next Chapter

Looking Ahead

A Club With Plenty to Play For

With an Intermediate Men’s Semi-Final this Saturday, an All-Ireland Junior Mixed Final awaiting on 13 September, underage training reintroduced this summer and 40 registered members, the future could not be brighter for the Roscommon club

Kilmore’s story is a reminder of what makes GAA Rounders special. You don’t need to come from a huge club or have decades of history behind you. Get good people together, make everyone feel welcome, put in the work and enjoy doing it, and remarkable things can happen.

For a small rural club that once helped change the course of Irish sporting history by thinking big, perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised that Kilmore Rounders is doing exactly the same.

Whatever happens over the coming weeks, Kilmore has flown the flag for Roscommon, Connacht and GAA Rounders with immense pride, skill and joy

We wish Kilmore the very best of luck in Saturday’s Intermediate Men’s Semi-Final and September’s Junior Mixed All-Ireland Final

Family • Community • Ambition
Something tells us the Kilmore story
is only getting started

Junior Quarter-finals Review – 25 July 2026

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Great Day for Connacht & Munster Clubs at Junior Quarter-finals

Saturday 25 July saw 20 Junior Rounders teams from all over Ireland descend on Dublin 12 to play quarter-finals in Tymon Park. Just think about that for a minute – 20 teams all playing on the same day, in the same venue. Before we go any further, we need to sincerely thank Chris, Christy, Eileen and all of the Limekiln Rounders team for hosting the event and for all their help with preparation and planning. GAA Rounders is very lucky to have a club like Limekiln and a facility like Tymon Park available to us.

Junior Women

Our four 11am matches were all Junior Women and were located in close proximity to each other to facilitate spectators making the most of all games.

Carrickmacross Emmets (Monaghan) vs St. Kieran’s (Limerick)

First to start – and finish! – was Carrickmacross Emmets vs St. Kieran’s. With a clash of team colours, Carrickmacross very kindly agreed to wear white for this game. Unfortunately for them, white jerseys didn’t bring them the same luck they brought Mayo the following day. St. Kieran’s first batting innings saw three Home Runs and a total of 13 scored. Carrick were unable to come close to this, scoring just three. The Limerick side added to this in the second innings, with another Home Run and a total of five home, leaving them with 18 on the board. An under par Carrickmacross team struggled to get runners home and only managed a further one until the final innings, when they got six runners in. But it was too little too late and the final score was 18-10 to St. Kieran’s with three bats in hand.

St. Kieran’s Junior Women

Best for St. Kieran’s on the day were pitcher Deirdre Ambrose, involved in four outs, and Short Stop Emma Galvin and 3rd Base Caitríona Hough, both involved in five outs. Back Catcher Siobhán Halligan got home three times, twice on Home Runs.

The Monaghan side’s Pitcher and Catcher, Mary Lambe and Emma Fay, were each involved in two outs while Sinéad Murphy was the only Carrick player not to be put out while batting.

Referee Chris Hughes officiated this “under an hour” game which started with a minute’s silence to remember Carrickmacross Emmets’ GAA player Stephen Gallogly who passed away earlier in the week.

St. Senan’s (Limerick) vs Myshall (Carlow)

St. Senan’s Junior Women

On the other side of the same pitch, Limekiln’s Áine McLaughlin was taking charge of another Limerick side, St. Senan’s, as they took on Carlow’s Myshall. With their two recent Senior signings, eyes were on Myshall to see what difference this would make to their team dynamic and both Gillian Nolan and Margaret Simpson contributed to the game with three catches, two outs on base and four assists between them. Neither managed to get home while batting and this can largely be contributed to St. Senan’s pitcher, Louise Kelly, who, between foul outs, catches and throws to base, was involved in six outs. Other great plays from St. Senan’s included catches from Short Stop Dympna O’Brien and two outs from Back Catcher Catríona Hanlon. Low scoring until the fourth innings, St. Senan’s took off while batting, bringing 10 home to go into the fifth 12-1 up. Myshall had no answer and it ended 15-2 to the Limerick side.

Leighlinbridge (Carlow) vs Skryne (Meath)

Leighlinbridge Junior Women

Two Limerick wins in the bag on Pitch 1, the first match on Pitch 2 was always going to have a Leinster winner, being contested by Leighlinbridge of Carlow and Skryne of Meath and refereed by Galway City Rapparees’ Jay Hall. Leighlinbridge came into this match not having lost a game and were favourites to win. Batting first, they only got two home before Skryne came in but Leighlinbridge were text book perfect with three up, three out. In the second, the Carlow side’s batting power started to show with nine home. Skryne’s Back Catcher Noeleen Greally got two outs in succession with batters seven and eight. Skryne managed five home, leaving the score 11-5 going into the third. Both sides scored five this innings and after a low scoring fourth for both, the fifth started 18-11. Leighlinbridge brought four home, leaving Skryne needing 11 to bring the game to extra innings, or 12 to win. They only managed to get one home, so the final result was 22-12 to Leighlinbridge.

Best on the day for Skryne were Zita Harris who got home twice and caught one out and Caoimhe McKenna who was involved in six outs, three of them clean catches! Leighlinbridge notables were Tracy McNally with a Home Run, Louise Riddell involved in three outs and Tara Roche involved in five outs.

Gusserane (Wexford) vs Kilmore (Roscommon)

The fourth Women’s match of the morning was between Wexford’s Gusserane and Roscommon’s Kilmore. Both sides had teams involved in Junior Finals in 2025 and both have been ones to watch all season, so this had the makings of a great match and the honour of refereeing it was given to National Secretary Shirley Lennon. Both sides were slow to start, and nerves got the better on a few occasions, but it was Kilmore who made the most of their opportunities in the first innings, leading 8-1 going into the second. Gusserane had a much better showing here, bringing nine home, to Kilmore’s seven. However, in the third innings, Gusserane got nobody past 3rd base while Kilmore got 12 home. When Gusserane failed to bring anyone home in the fourth, they elected to bat on but unfortunately that was their lot for the day, and the match ended 27-10 with two bats in hand for Kilmore.

Kilmore Junior Women

Although on the wrong side of the scoresheet, Gusserane’s pitcher, Mairéad Tubritt, 3rd Base Amy Ryan, Back Catcher Jenny McNamara and 1st Base Joanne Whitty all had great games. Kilmore’s star was Ruth McElhone with involvement in five outs, two of them from excellent catches, as well as getting home four times. Irene Reynolds’ pitching was spot on, leading to several foul outs while Nicola Craughwell at Back Catcher had three spectacular catches and got home four times. Also home four times was Clodagh Sheerin, with involvement in three outs.

Next up for the four winning teams is All-Ireland Semi-finals Day on 9 August in Edenderry GAA where the pairings will be

  • 11am – Kilmore vs St. Kieran’s
  • 1pm – St. Senan’s vs Leighlinbridge

Junior Men

With the top teams in each of the two Junior Men’s groups – Galway City Rapparees and Myshall – going straight to Semi-finals, there were only two Quarter-finals to be decided on Saturday. Yes, we know that mathematically that makes them not quite Quarter-finals but roll with it!

Na Gaeil Nua (Dublin) vs Na Piarsaigh (Limerick)

Both games were scheduled for 1pm and the ever-efficient Chris Hughes got his match started at 1.06pm and finished within an hour again! This featured Na Gaeil Nua from Dublin against Na Piarsaigh from Limerick in a test of experience vs enthusiasm.

With a scoreless first innings from both sides, Na Gaeil Nua got off the blocks with two home in the second while it took Na Piarsaigh until the third to get a score on the board, by which time Na Gaeil Nua were four ahead. The third innings saw the Dubliners bring 11 home, while Na Piarsaigh’s lone run in both the fourth and the fifth just weren’t enough to get them through and it ended 19-5 to Na Gaeil Nua with a bat in hand.

Na Piarsaigh Short Stop Ian Jennings and Pitcher Alan Healy both had a great game, being involved in four outs each. For Na Gaeil Nua, Javier Isern on 2nd Base, Emilio Piccione on 3rd and Short Stop Ryota Yamaguchi were each involved in multiple outs as well as making it home multiple times. Top run scorer was Robin Figueira who got home four times.

Gusserane (Wexford) vs Inniskeen Grattans (Monaghan)

The second Men’s game was between Wexford’s Gusserane and Monaghan’s Inniskeen Grattans. Gusserane’s Women had played earlier in the day while Inniskeen’s Mixed were playing at 3pm. The Heath’s Danielle Keane was in charge here and it got off to an impressive start with Gusserane leading 19-15 by the end of the second. Inniskeen had a great third and fourth innings and were behind by one going into the last. Batting first, they got one home in the fifth, leaving the score level and with all to do to make sure that Gusserane didn’t score in their final batting innings. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be and with Mark Molloy and Conor Murphy both making it home, the game ended 31-29 to Gusserane, sending them through to the semi-finals.

Gusserane Junior Men

For Inniskeen, Short Stop Trevor Hilliard had five outs from clean catches while Back Catcher Ciarán McArdle was involved in four outs of his own. Gusserane’s Morgan Nash Colfer, Matthew Flynn and pitcher Carel van der Merwe had the lion’s share of their side’s outs while Conor Murphy got home an impressive six times.

Men’s Semi-finals will also be on 9 August in Edenderry GAA where Gusserane will meet Galway City Rapparees at 11am and Na Gaeil Nua will play Myshall at 1pm.

Junior Mixed

Eight of our Semi-finalists decided, it was time to turn attentions to Junior Mixed and fill the final four slots available in Offaly on 9 August.

Emo (Laois) vs Galway City Rapparees (Galway)

First up at 1pm was the clash of Emo and Galway City Rapparees. Both sides have Intermediate Mixed teams – so the coaching strength is there; Rapparees have Senior Men – so the depth of panel is there; and Emo have been outstanding at underage for years – so the fundamental training is there. This was another fascinating match with Shirley Lennon in charge for her second game of the day.

Galway City Rapparees Junior Mixed

Emo batted first and managed to get one home and bases loaded before Rapparees got their first out from a super catch by Back Catcher Sorcha Dowd. The next batter was fouled out and, the following caught out as well. Rapparees got two home from their first batting but a very impressive one-handed catch from Emo’s Barry Ryan as well as a great high ball catch from Back Catcher Padraig Langford kept the scores low. Innings two and three were similarly low scoring for both teams and the fourth started 5-3 to Rapparees. Emo didn’t get anyone home. With bases loaded, Rapparees’ Ajay Kumar came to bat, sent the ball way out over second, cleared the bases and scored a Home Run. From there, Rapparees kept the momentum going and scored 10 before their first out. Great work by Emo’s Darragh Meredith on 2nd Base saw him get an out on base and then a great catch to finish the innings. Emo managed to get three home from their final batting, leaving Rapparees not needing to bat their final innings. The game ended 15-3 to Galway Rapparees with a bat in hand.

Other notable performances from both sides were Greg Mannion with three great catches and two further assists. Not content with a Home Run, Ajay Kumar was also involved in three outs while Mel Mannion on 1st Base was super composed and got two great outs on base.

Emo’s Padraig Langford had the bulk of their outs with super catches and throws. Darragh Meredith on 2nd was impressive while Niamh Horgan on 1st Base was involved in two outs.

Carrickmacross Emmets (Monaghan) vs Na Piarsaigh (Limerick)

In his longest match of the day, Chris Hughes took charge of the next Mixed game between Monaghan’s Carrickmacross Emmets and Limerick’s Na Piarsaigh. Carrick’s ladies and Na Piarsaigh’s men were both playing their second game of the day. Na Piarsaigh started strong with a 5-2 lead after the first, but Carrick pulled back and were leading 10-9 going into the fourth. Both sides were evenly matched and Carrick went into their last bat needing at least one to draw or two to pull ahead. Pull ahead they did, by the narrowest of margins, giving themselves the task of getting three outs before Na Piarsaigh got anyone home. They almost managed it with three outs but before the ball made it back into home base from a super outfield catch by Val Wallace, Miriam Kearns just ran in to claim the victory 14-13 and put Na Piarsaigh into the Junior Mixed semi-final.

Na Piarsaigh Junior Mixed

Outstanding for Na Piarsaigh were Short Stop Ian Jennings, Pitcher Alan Healy, Patrick Fitzgerald outfield and Back Catcher Sarah Stanley. Carrickmacross had some brilliant play from Pitcher Paul Boylan, Catcher Darren Hughes and infielders Rachel Boylan and Sinéad Murphy but it just wasn’t to be their day. Still in the running in the Senior Championship, all three Junior sides are now out of the competition for 2026.

Kilmore (Roscommon) vs Myshall (Carlow)

Meanwhile, on Pitch 3 Danielle Keane was presiding over the third quarter-final between Kilmore and Myshall. Again, both sides’ ladies had played that morning, Kilmore’s taking the victory while Myshall’s weren’t successful. But this was a new game and a new start and there was all to play for. In another ‘uneventful until the fourth innings’ game, it was 12-9 to Kilmore after the third. And then Kilmore found their stride, getting an incredible 18 home in that innings. Myshall could only answer with two and so elected to bat on but their fifth only yielded one home so it ended 30-12 with a bat in hand for Kilmore.

Kilmore Junior Mixed

Despite the scoreline, Myshall had some great play and Matthew Roberts, at Back Catcher, had a great game with five outs and got home three times. Also strong at bat were Gillian Nolan and PJ Lalor.

Kilmore’s stars were the ever-reliable Mark Harrington at Short Stop with four outs and home five times. Pitcher, Aidan Carr, was involved in five outs and Ana Carr on 1st Base got home three times and got the first out of the match with a great catch. Eli Harrington as Back Catcher was also impressive and is certainly one to watch for the future.

Leighlinbridge (Carlow) vs Inniskeen Grattans (Monaghan)

The final match of the day started late due to the overrun of the Men’s game between Gusserane and Inniskeen Grattans but Leighlinbridge waited patiently and it got started late but was well worth the wait. Limekiln’s Áine McLaughlin refereed this and, from the start, it was a tense affair that could have gone either way. Leighlinbridge took an early lead, which Inniskeen closed down well in the second. Leighlinbridge pulled ahead again slightly but by the bottom of the fourth Inniskeen had increased their lead to four runs. With nobody getting home in their fifth batting, the Monaghan side took the game 21-17 with a bat in hand.

Leighlinbridge great plays came from multiple players. Back Catcher Drew Dedula got his name on five outs. Louise Riddell who started the game on 1st Base but moved to pitching was also involved in five outs while Jason Curran, Chiara Trench and Skylar Bryska also all caught some impressive balls to get outs.

Inniskeen’s Trevor Hilliard, not content with five outs in the earlier Men’s game, was involved in a further eight outs in this game! Sinéad Hilliard was responsible for three outs while JJ Smith got involved in four outs. Pitcher Seán O’Connor, pitching for the second game in a row, was impressive with just one walk-on in the entire match.

Our Junior Mixed games on 9 August will both be at 3pm and will feature

  • Kilmore vs Na Piarsiagh
  • Galway City Rapparees vs Inniskeen Grattans

Summary

We’re slightly biased but Saturday was an incredible day of Rounders. The skill, the sportsmanship, the batting and fielding, the craic that was had…and that was just the quarter-finals! The future is bright for our sport if this is what our Junior teams can produce.

Before we finish up, a few words of thanks

  • To our Referees – Chris, Áine, Danielle, Jay and Shirley – as always, super job and none of these days would run without you and your hard work
  • Our Umpires – Colin, Serena C, Serena L, Grace, Cat, Seán and Shirley – thank you for making our Referees’ jobs just a bit easier
  • Limekiln Rounders – for an excellent hosting job as always
  • Our President – Paula Doherty, who was there to watch matches and support our players
  • And especially to our Quarter-finalists – thank you for your dedication and commitment, for training all year, for organising and playing your league matches and for coming to Tymon Park last Saturday and giving it your all. To the players, managers, coaches and Club Secretaries, míle buíochas – we hope that, whatever the result, you enjoyed the day!

There will be Intermediate and Senior League games for the next two Sundays but for our Junior Semi-finalists the next stop is Edenderry in Offaly on Sunday 9 August. Keep an eye on our website for the previews for all those games 😉

 

 

 

GAA Rounders Championship Preview – 9 August 2026

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We’ve made it to the last Sunday of our league! Over 260 games played in 16 short weeks – take a bow all of you who have organised, played in, refereed or travelled to watch one of those matches. You are the lifeblood of GAA Rounders and what keeps our organisation such an amazing community and our sport so exciting and compelling to watch and play.

Sunday will see Senior and Intermediate league games and Junior semi-finals all take place, all in Leinster when Dublin, Offaly and Wexford play host to 12 promising games. Let’s have a look at who’ll be taking to the pitches.

Senior Games – Dublin & Wexford

Wexford’s Glynn Barntown will host Monaghan’s Carrickmacross Emmets who will have an early start to travel the 235km between both clubs. First up at 12.30pm will be the Women from both clubs, followed, at 2pm, by the Mixed teams and the day will close out with the Men at 3.30pm.

In the Women’s competition, Breaffy and Limekiln have already qualified for semi-finals. A win or draw for Carrickmacross will mean they will also go through, leaving Erne Eagles taking the final spot. If the Wexford side win, it will leave a three-way tie between Erne Eagles, Carrickmacross and Glynn Barntown, meaning that Run Rate will decide the final two spots in the semi-finals. We love these “couldn’t be closer” final matches of the league!!

In Mixed, Breaffy, Cúchulainn and Glynn Barntown are all through and a win, or loss, for Carrickmacross will see them join that list of qualifiers.

Men isn’t straightforward either! Erne Eagles, Breaffy and Galway City Rapparees have already booked their semi-final slots, but the final place will go to the winner of Sunday’s game so there’s absolutely everything to play for in all three games.

Referee: Cúchulainn’s AnnMarie Brennan

Predictions: Women & Men – Carrickmacross Emmets; Mixed – Glynn Barntown

In Dublin, Limekiln will host Raheen in their final league games and, while the Dublin Women have already qualified for semi-finals, both sides’ Men’s teams are out of contention for this year. Don’t expect that to make it any less exciting to watch though!

Referee: GAA Rounders Vice-President Michael Dowling

Predictions: Limekiln to win both

Tymon Park will host one final game on Sunday when Intermediate Men from Dublin Metropolitans play Cavan’s St. Clare’s in the very last Intermediate league game of the year. St. Clare’s need to win to join Emo, Kilmore and St. Senan’s in the semi-finals next Saturday in Galway. A win for Dublin Mets will leave a three-way tie between St. Clare’s, Kilmeena and Dublin Mets for fourth place and so the qualifier will come down to Run Rate. This make-or-break game starts at 3.30pm.

Referee: GAA Vice President Michael Dowling

Prediction: St. Clare’s

Junior Semi-Finals

Rapparees Junior mixed team

Rapparees Junior mixed team

Cracking Junior games will take place all day in Edenderry GAA when our top twelve teams take to the two pitches for our Junior Men’s, Women’s and Mixed semi-finals.

We are very grateful to Edenderry GAA’s Committee for inviting GAA Rounders to their fantastic facility and for allowing us to host our Junior Semi-finals in Offaly.

At 11am Junior Women – Kilmore and St. Kieran’s – and Junior Men – Galway City Rapparees and Gusserane – will commence our day’s Rounders.

The Women’s match will see the unbeaten Roscommon side take on Limerick’s St. Kieran’s, runners-up in their league group. While Kilmore were favourites to win their quarter-final against Wexford’s Gusserane, St. Kieran’s were expected to have a harder time getting past Carrickmacross Emmets. Kilmore have demonstrated all year that they are excellent fielders – spectacular catches from Ruth McElhone, Clodagh Sheerin, Nicola Croughwell and Ana Carr in the quarter-final pay testament to that – and super base runners but they are also excellent batters, able to place balls outfield in the gaps between fielders. St. Kieran’s are also skilled batters and their pitcher, Deirdre Ambrose, is accurate and fast. With back catcher Siobhán Halligan, the two make a formidable team for getting outs. On the day, Kilmore’s experience, cool heads, calm fielding and strong batting should see them take the win.

Referee: National Secretary Shirley Lennon

Prediction: Kilmore

The Men’s match will also see unbeaten Galway City Rapparees take on Wexford’s Gusserane, runners-up in their league group. Topping their group and bypassing the quarter-finals, Rapparees will be rested and ready for this challenge while Gusserane had a tough fight on their hands in Tymon Park two weeks ago to get past Monaghan side Inniskeen Grattans. With pitcher Séamus Keegan and back catcher Colin O’Halloran working in sync to get outs on home and straight to first, Rapparees are a well-oiled fielding machine that also have the batting skills to get runs on the board. Gusserane, who played Intermediate Mixed this year, are also a tight outfit with a strong pitcher in Karel van der Merwe and excellent fielders in Conor Murphy and Morgan Nash Colfer. Expect neither side to give an inch in this potentially tight and super close game.

Referee: The Heath’s Danielle Keane

Prediction: Galway City Rapparees

After a short break, or not depending on how long the first games take, we’ll be back to action with two 1pm games – again one Women’s and one Men’s match.

In Men, Carlow’s Myshall will take on Dublin’s Na Gaeil Nua. Group toppers Myshall also skipped Quarter-finals, while Na Gaeil Nua beat Limerick side Na Piarsaigh to earn their place on Sunday. With an excellent pitching/catching combo in PJ Lalor and Matthew Roberts, Myshall have the potential to punish third good balls not hit or clips that go backwards. Newcomers to Rounders, Na Gaeil Nua have proved that experience isn’t everything and have shown all season that they can bat and catch like seasoned professionals. Shortstop Ryota Yamagochi and 2nd Base Javier Isern can both bat far and run fast and it will be containing them and their teammates that will cause Myshall problems.

Not the first time these sides have met, having played each other last month in the league, the victors that time were Myshall. Have Na Gaeil Nua learned from their mistakes that day or will Myshall be ready to win again?

Referee: The Heath’s Danielle Keane

Prediction: Myshall

Our lunchtime Women’s game is between unbeaten Carlow side Leighlinbridge and unbeaten Limerick team St. Senan’s so this really will be unchartered territory for the team on the wrong side of Sunday’s scoresheet.

Leighlinbridge Junior Women

St. Senan’s pitcher, Louise Kelly, has been their secret weapon all season and her ability to pitch fast and accurately has caused problems for all the sides they have met so far. Many of St. Senan’s women also play Intermediate Mixed and the skills honed at the higher grade have worked to their advantage in ensuring smart batting, fast fielding and quick outs. However, they have yet to come up against an opponent like Leighlinbridge who can also field and bat and have won several league games by more than double scores and with multiple bats in hand. Their quarter-final defeat of Skryne was clinical in its tactical efficiency with three up three out and no mercy given for any errors made. This will be both teams’ toughest battle to date – who will be strong enough to make it through?

Referee: The Heath’s Philip Keane

Prediction: St. Senan’s

And finally, at 3pm it will be time for our two Mixed semi-finals with repeat appearances from Kilmore and Galway City Rapparees, this time taking on Limerick’s Na Piarsaigh and Monaghan’s Inniskeen Grattans respectively.

The Galway side comprehensively beat strong Laois team Emo in their quarter-final with excellent performances from Ajay Kumar – scoring a Home Run, pitcher Séamus Keegan, back catcher Sorcha Dowd, Mel Mannion on 1st Base and 3rd Baseminder Cat Carty. Shortstop Greg Mannion missed nothing outfield and, at bat, had some great hits. While Inniskeen also had an excellent performance against Leighlinbridge to make their way into the semi-finals – shortstop Trevor Hilliard was a one-man wall past which few balls made it, it wasn’t quite as impressive or comprehensive. Their fielding was just a bit less tight and their batting not quite as sharp, but the intervening two weeks may have given them time to hone those skills and be ready for the Rapparees.

Referee: National Secretary Shirley Lennon

Prediction: Galway City Rapparees

Kilmore have impressed all season with their excellent fielding and clever batting and comprehensively won through their group, not losing a game. Their depth of squad is such that even on days when key players are not available, they can make it work and still get the runs in and outs needed to secure the win. Key to their success is pitcher Aidan Carr and his accurate, fast and smart bowling. His ability to catch short pop-ups and throw to base has caught many batters out. Outfield Mark Harrington is a powerhouse and has both an excellent catch and throw. Keeping it in the family Mark’s son, Eli, and Aidan’s wife, Ana, are both important infielders who can be relied upon to catch, throw and bat accurately. Jamie Sharkey at shortstop is dangerous if a ball is batted short and Oisin Boland is not an outfielder you want to direct a ball towards! Na Piarsaigh have their share of excellent fielders and Patrick Fitzgerald has been responsible for many outs. At shortstop Ian Jennings was formidable during their quarter-final defeat of Carrickmacross Emmets, while pitcher/catcher Alan Healy and Sarah Stanley were both responsible for multiple outs. Although Na Piarsaigh’s ability to keep calm during what was the most tense finish to any of the ten quarter-finals that day was seriously impressive and won them the match, they weren’t facing a team as collectively strong as Kilmore and it’s hard to see how they will have the batting power in particular to overcome the Roscommon side.

Referee: The Heath’s Philip Keane

Prediction: Kilmore

And then there’ll be six – our six Junior Finalists. The best of the best who will bring their A game to Abbotstown, Kilcormac and Mallow and aim to be crowned All-Ireland Champions for 2026. All we can say is bring it on! Sunday will be some day of Rounders and we can’t wait to be there to see every bit of it.

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Junior Mixed All-Ireland Quarter-final Previews – 25 July 2026

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Saturday, 25 July 2026 | Tymon Park, Dublin

Much like our Junior Women’s Championship, the Junior Mixed competition featured an action-packed group stage. Across three groups, 18 teams competed in 39 thrilling matches, spanning counties from Galway to Dublin, Derry to Wexford, and Limerick to Roscommon.

These eight teams – Carrickmacross Emmets, Emo, Galway City Rapparees, Inniskeen Grattans, Kilmore, Leighlinbridge, Myshall and Na Piarsaigh  – have all fought hard to earn their quarter-final places in Tymon Park in Dublin on Saturday afternoon, and we look forward to seeing them all showing us just why they’re among the top Junior Mixed teams in Rounders at the moment.

We’ve seen home runs, incredible one-handed catches, masterclass pitching, clinical fielding, and explosive base running. Now, we’re down to the final eight teams fighting for a spot in the semi-finals. Here is how the quarter-final match-ups stack up ahead of Saturday’s action in Tymon Park.

Galway City Rapparees (Galway) vs Emo (Laois)

  • Time: 1pm
  • Referee: Shirley Lennon (Meath)

Galway City Rapparees topped Group A with three wins from three and will now face the third placed team in Group C, Emo. Having beaten their nearest rivals, Na Piarsaigh, with a bat in hand, Rapparees never looked in any danger and cruised comfortably to top spot in their group. Emo had two difficult games against Group winners Leighlinbridge and second-placed Myshall but had comfortable wins over newcomers Dunsany, Naomh Pól and Oulart The Ballagh.

Galway City Rapparees

Emo’s Junior Mixed team is a new addition for 2026 and features some of last year’s All-Ireland winning Minor Men’s team as well as strong players from last year’s Intermediate Mixed team like Michael Slevin, Barry Ryan and Niamh Horgan. Rapparees can call on Senior Men’s team players like Ajay Kumar, Greg Mannion and Dave Gannon as well as 2025 All-Star nominee Cat Carty and you have to feel that the depth and skill of their panel gives them the edge.

However, any squad under Michael Slevin can never be dismissed and Emo teams over the years have consistently shown that their fighting spirit and determination can get them over any difficult patch. Rapparees’ ability to pull together and work as a unit is one of their key strengths and this, as well as their excellent batting and communication on the pitch makes them a formidable opponent.

On the day, expect neither of these sides to give up and we can look forward to a battle to the end!

Prediction: Galway City Rapparees

Kilmore (Roscommon) vs Myshall (Carlow)

  • Time: 3pm
  • Referee: Danielle Keane (Laois)

This will be the second match of the day for both these clubs and, depending on how their women’s teams have performed in the morning, this game could start with a determination to avenge the morning’s result or a desire to continue a winning streak.

With six wins from six and a perfect 30 points on the table, Kilmore should be quietly confident. With at least one bat in hand from every league game, they proved their superiority at the group stage. Their opponents, Myshall, only lost to group leaders, Leighlinbridge, but won their other games comfortably, although their fellow Group C teams were, in general, less experienced than Kilmore’s Group B conquests.

Both sides have very skilful pitcher, catcher combinations – Myshall’s PJ Lalor and Matthew Roberts and Kilmore’s Aidan Carr and James Jamieson – who work well together and are able to successfully achieve outs both at home base and first. Kilmore’s Mixed team benefits from having some of the strongest women players form their Junior Women’s team in Ana Carr, Joann Sharkey, Ruth McElhone and Nicola Craughwell and the wealth of experience they bring from that team benefits the Mixed no end.

Myshall, on the other hand, have the Senior experience of Gillian Nolan and Margaret Simpson to boost that of their longtime Junior Women such as Alma Rae, Anita O’Donoghue and Mya Farrell.

There really is very little to separate these teams and our guess is that this could well be the match of the day. Expect neither side to give an inch but mostly expect seriously impressive fielding, strong batting, great catches and a tight scoreline.

Prediction: Kilmore

Leighlinbridge (Carlow) vs Inniskeen Grattans (Monaghan)

  • Time: 3pm
  • Referee: Áine McLaughlin (Dublin)

Leighlinbridge, the second Carlow side to be involved in two quarter-finals on Saturday come into the knockouts in a very strong position having won all six of their group games, most of them extremely impressively. They will face Inniskeen Grattans of Monaghan, a side not unfamiliar with quarter-finals, having reached this stage in 2025 and lost to Galway City Rapparees. Having only seen defeats this year to local rivals Carrickmacross Emmets and group toppers Kilmore, their league campaign has been steady and well fought.

Inniskeen Grattans

Inniskeen’s Mixed team women all play Intermediate Women’s rounders this year and the extra level of skill this has brought to their game has been evident in their Mixed matches. Julianne Smith in outfield misses very little that come her way while Layla McArdle and Carol McKeown are both very reliable players that consistently perform well. Inniskeen’s Mixed team pitcher/catcher combo of Seán O’Connor and Ciarán McArdle bring their Men’s team expertise to Mixed and all in all, this is a team that, on the day, is well able to produce the goods and win this match.

Leighlinbridge are in their first year at Junior Mixed and, while they have recruited former Intermediate player Jason Curran, their core players are all in their inaugural year at this code and are impressing. While their women – Tracy McNally, Louise Riddell, Chiara Trench and Jen Kelly among others – have been honing their skills at Junior Women for the past two years, this year’s combination of playing both Mixed and Women’s Rounders seems to have given them an extra edge and made their play just that bit sharper.

This has the makings of another game that could go all the way to the wire!

Prediction: Leighlinbridge

Na Piarsaigh (Limerick) vs Carrickmacross Emmets (Monaghan)

  • Time: 3pm
  • Referee: Shirley Lennon (Meath)

Two more teams in their second contest of the day make up the pairing for our final Junior Mixed quarter-final. Na Piarsaigh’s men and Carrickmacross’ women won’t have much time to recover from their earlier games before they need to be on their best form again for this game.

Having lost only to group toppers Galway City Rapparees, Na Piarsaigh have won two games. Carrickmacross Emmets, qualifying from the larger Group B, have four wins under their belt.

Once again, Carrickmacross is a team with an excellent pitcher/catcher team in Paul Boylan and Darren Hughes and, when on top form, Paul Boylan is among the best Junior pitchers in the country. Rachel Boylan at Short-stop misses very little and is a fantastic leader on the pitch, constantly aware of where the play is heading.

Carrickmacross Emmets

Na Piarsaigh’s outfield are accurate and punish pop-ups with some great catches. At bat they can place balls into outfield gaps but Carrickmacross’s greater experience and teamwork would indicate that they have what it takes to get this over the line and take the victory.

Prediction: Carrickmacross Emmets

Once the last out is called on our 3pm Mixed games on Saturday we’ll have our full Junior Semi-final line-ups across our Women’s, Men’s and Mixed Championships and we’ll be one step closer to knowing who will contest our Junior Finals in August and September.

We wish the very best of luck to every player, mentor, and supporter across the 13 clubs competing this weekend. Reaching an All-Ireland quarter-final is a fantastic achievement—play hard, leave it all on the pitch, and enjoy the occasion!

Finally, our very special thanks to Limekiln Rounders for hosting our quarter-finals and for ensuring that the day goes smoothly for all our teams. Rounders truly is an amazing community and, on days like this, there’s nowhere any of us would rather be!

 

 

 

Junior Men’s Quarter-final Previews – 25 July 2026

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Saturday, 25 July 2026 | Tymon Park, Dublin

Our Junior Men’s competition began this year with ten teams split across two groups. Group A featured Carrickmacross Emmets, Gusserane, Inniskeen Grattans, Myshall, Na Gaeil Nua, and Castleknock (who unfortunately withdrew in May). Group B comprised Connacht and Munster sides Elphin, Galway City Rapparees, Na Piarsaigh, and Sporting Limerick (who also withdrew prior to the end of the league campaign).

With Group B consisting of only four teams, sides played each other twice in home-and-away fixtures. The group winners—Myshall and Galway City Rapparees—advance directly to the semi-finals on 9 August in Edenderry. Meanwhile, the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th placed teams from Group A, along with the 2nd placed team from Group B, head to Tymon Park this Saturday to battle it out for those final two semi-final spots.

Here is how our two Junior Men’s quarter-finals shape up!

Quarter-final 1: Gusserane (Wexford) vs Inniskeen Grattans (Monaghan)

  • Time: 1pm
  • Referee: Danielle Keane (Laois)

Although Gusserane finished level on points with Myshall at the top of Group A, Myshall claimed top spot via their head-to-head victory. Nevertheless, Gusserane finished all three of their league wins with a bat in hand, boasting an impressive 2.5 Run Rate—by far the highest in their group. Having also captured the Junior Men’s title at Junior Day in May, there is no doubting the Wexford side’s pedigree.

Opposing them are Inniskeen Grattans—Junior Men’s semi-finalists in 2025 and finalists in 2024—who have been a consistent power at this grade for years. With their Women’s squad earning promotion to Intermediate this season, the Men will be eager to stake their own claim for 2027. Following a steady campaign of two wins and two losses, Inniskeen have been reliable, though perhaps not yet peaking. The combination of pitcher Seán O’Connor and catcher Ciarán McArdle works seamlessly to create opportunities for outs on first base and off foul tips, while Trevor Hilliard brings relentless work rate and lightning speed to the Short-stop position.

For Gusserane, pitcher Karel van der Merwe has been in fine form, while Morgan Nash Colfer in the outfield and Conor Murphy at Short-stop form an intimidating defensive barrier.

While this tie could easily go either way on the day, Gusserane’s players gaining extra sharpness through Intermediate Mixed play, alongside their strong group form, gives them a razor-thin edge… though we are fully prepared to be proven wrong!

Prediction: Gusserane

Quarter-final 2: Na Piarsaigh (Limerick) vs Na Gaeil Nua (Dublin)

  • Time: 1pm
  • Referee: Chris Hughes (Dublin)

Group B was always expected to be a tussle between Galway City Rapparees and Na Piarsaigh for top spot. After the Rapparees took a convincing victory in the first leg and the sides drew their second encounter, the Connacht club secured automatic semi-final qualification. Na Piarsaigh defeated Elphin at home and were awarded a walkover in the reverse fixture, meaning they come into the knockouts with one played win under their belts.

Dublin newcomers Na Gaeil Nua also hold one win, having dramatically defeated Carrickmacross Emmets with a bat in hand. While both sides mirror each other in overall league wins, Na Piarsaigh bring vastly superior competitive experience. The Limerick club fields teams across all three Junior grades, with their Mixed squad also featuring at Tymon Park this Saturday.

Na Gaeil Nua boast plenty of athletic raw talent—hitting, catching, and batting with real power—though they are still navigating the finer tactical nuances of the game. Na Piarsaigh, on the other hand, feature game-smart veterans who know every inch of a Rounders pitch.

This match promises to be a thrilling battle of experience and tactical composure vs raw talent and enthusiasm—definitely one not to be missed!

Prediction: Na Piarsaigh

That wraps up our Junior Men’s preview! Our final piece—analysing the Junior Mixed Quarter-finalists—will be released tomorrow evening.

 

GAA Rounders Fixtures 2026 Confirmed | Full Championship Schedule & Teams

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Fixtures confirmed for 2026 championship season

GAA Rounders is pleased to confirm that the fixtures for the 2026 All-Ireland Championships across Senior, Intermediate and Junior grades have now been finalised and circulated to clubs nationwide.

The 2026 season represents the largest championship programme to date, with clubs from across the country set to compete in Men’s, Women’s and Mixed competitions. The schedule runs from April through to September and provides a clear national pathway from league stages to quarter-finals, semi-finals and All-Ireland Finals.

At Senior level, each championship will be played on a single-league basis, with the top four teams progressing to the semi-finals. In Intermediate, the Men’s competition will follow a full-league structure, while the Women’s and Mixed Championships will be played across two groups. Junior competitions will again feature a broader group structure to reflect strong entry numbers and continued growth throughout the country.

Official season structure: league stages will run through spring and summer, with knockout fixtures scheduled from late July onwards before the All-Ireland Finals in late August and September.

A championship season packed with quality and depth

There are strong storylines at every grade heading into the new season. In Senior Women, Breaffy will bid for an outstanding five-in-a-row, while the Mayo club will also be chasing a Senior Mixed three-in-a-row. The Senior Men’s Championship, meanwhile, looks one of the most competitive in years, with genuine strength spread across the field.

Senior spotlight

Breaffy, Carrickmacross Emmets, Erne Eagles, Glynn Barntown, Limekiln, Cúchulainn, Raheen and Galway City Rapparees ensure real depth in the top grade, particularly in what promises to be a fiercely contested Senior Men’s Championship.

Intermediate contenders

Kilmeena and Emo are expected to have strong seasons at Intermediate level, while St. Senan’s, St. Clare’s, Kilmore, Galway City Rapparees and Dublin Metropolitans all add further quality to the grade.

Junior teams to watch

In Junior Women, St. Senan’s, Kilmore and Myshall will attract attention, while Junior Men should see strong campaigns from Myshall and Galway City Rapparees. In Junior Mixed, Kilmore, Leighlinbridge and Garrymore look well placed, with several counties also welcoming new entrants.

Club depth across the country

Glynn Barntown, Carrickmacross Emmets, Galway City Rapparees, Inniskeen and Kilmeena are all entering four or more teams, reflecting the growing strength of club structures and player development within the code.

Galway Rapparees

Galway Rapparees

Welcoming new clubs to the championship

The 2026 Championships also mark an important step forward for participation, with a number of new clubs entering the All-Ireland structure across different grades.

  • Women: Kilrush Askamore (Wexford) and Nobber (Meath)
  • Men: Na Gaeil Nua (Dublin)
  • Mixed: Clontuskert (Galway), Dunsany (Meath), Naomh Pól (Waterford) and Oulart The Ballagh (Wexford)

Their inclusion is a welcome sign of continued expansion and reinforces the positive momentum currently behind GAA Rounders at club level.

Na Gaeil Nua

Na Gaeil Nua

Season timeline and key dates

  • Senior Championships: commence on Sunday 19 April
  • Junior Championships: commence on Sunday 10 May
  • League stages: run through April, May, June and July
  • Quarter-finals: where applicable, are scheduled for late July
  • Semi-finals: take place in August
  • All-Ireland Finals: are scheduled from late August into September

Among the headline dates are the Senior Women’s and Junior Women’s Finals at the National Games Development Centre in Abbotstown on 30 August, the Men’s Finals at Offaly GAA Centre of Excellence on 6 September, and the Mixed Finals at Mallow GAA on 13 September.

Opening fixtures to launch the campaign

The championship season gets under way with a number of high-profile ties. The opening Senior programme includes Cúchulainn against Erne Eagles in Men’s, Women’s and Mixed, Galway City Rapparees against Limekiln in Senior Men, Limekiln against The Heath in Senior Women and Limekiln vs Kilmeena in Senior Mixed.

At Intermediate and Junior level, the early rounds will immediately test squads across multiple counties, with a packed programme set to run throughout the spring and summer months.

Clubs entered – 2026 Championships

Senior Championships
Senior Women

Breaffy, Carrickmacross Emmets, Cúchulainn, Erne Eagles, Glynn Barntown, Limekiln, Raheen, The Heath

Senior Men

Breaffy, Carrickmacross Emmets, Cúchulainn, Erne Eagles, Galway City Rapparees, Glynn Barntown, Limekiln, Raheen

Senior Mixed

Breaffy, Carrickmacross Emmets, Cúchulainn, Erne Eagles, Glynn Barntown, Kilmeena, Limekiln

Intermediate Championships
Intermediate Women

Castletown Liam Mellows, Dublin Metropolitans, Elphin, Emo, Galway City Rapparees, Glynn Barntown, Inniskeen Grattans, Kilmeena, Michael Glavey’s, St. Clare’s

Intermediate Men

Dublin Metropolitans, Emo, Kilmeena, Kilmore, St. Clare’s, St. Senan’s

Intermediate Mixed

Dublin Metropolitans, Emo, Erne Eagles, Galway City Rapparees, Glynn Barntown, Gusserane, Michael Glavey’s, Raheen, St. Clare’s, St. Senan’s

Junior Championships
Junior Women

Athenry, Carrickmacross Emmets, Castleknock, Castletown Liam Mellows, Clonguish, Drumhowan, Glynn Barntown, Gusserane, Inniskeen Grattans, Kilanerin Ballyfad, Kildimo Pallaskenry, Kilmore, Kilrush Askamore, Knockainey, Leighlinbridge, Myshall, Na Piarsaigh, Nobber, St. Kieran’s, St. Martin’s, St. Senan’s, Skryne, Sporting Limerick

Junior Men

Castleknock, Carrickmacross Emmets, Elphin, Galway City Rapparees, Gusserane, Inniskeen Grattans, Myshall, Na Gaeil Nua, Na Piarsaigh, Sporting Limerick

Junior Mixed

Athenry, Ballinagore, Castleknock, Carrickmacross Emmets, Clontuskert, Dunsany, Elphin, Emo, Galway City Rapparees, Garrymore, Inniskeen Grattans, Kilmeena, Kilmore, Leighlinbridge, Myshall, Naomh Pól, Naomh Trea, Na Fianna, Na Piarsaigh, Oulart The Ballagh, Slaughtneil, Sporting Limerick, Wolfe Tones

Full fixture details, venues, competition structures and knockout dates should be read in conjunction with the official Senior, Intermediate and Junior fixture booklets circulated to clubs.

Continued growth across the code

With hundreds of fixtures scheduled and participation continuing to rise, the 2026 All-Ireland Championships reflect the ongoing development of GAA Rounders across Ireland. The spread of teams across Senior, Intermediate and Junior grades, combined with the arrival of new clubs and the strength of established contenders, points to a season of real substance from opening day through to finals weekend.

Supporters are encouraged to follow official GAA Rounders channels throughout the season for fixture updates, results, reports and championship news.

Munster Winter League Returns as Rapid Growth Transforms the Province

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Munster Winter League Returns as Rapid Growth Transforms the Province

The Munster Winter League is back for its second year, and even in such a short space of time it has already become a cornerstone of Rounders in the province. What makes this season stand out isn’t just the fixtures — it’s the extraordinary rate of growth happening across Munster. Only a few years ago, the province had three championship clubs competing nationally. Today, that picture has changed completely.

This weekend marks the opening round of the 2025/26 competition, and the line-up reflects a province expanding faster than anyone could have predicted.

Naomh Pol Enter the Scene

A major talking point is the competitive debut of Naomh Pol, a brand-new club from Waterford who will play their first ever matches this weekend. Their opening test is a tough one: a full set of games against St Senan’s, the reigning All-Ireland Junior champions, on Saturday morning.

It’s a challenging start, but a historic occasion too — the beginning of Waterford’s involvement in Munster Rounders and the first steps for a club determined to establish itself in the sport.

St Senan’s Continue to Grow

St Senan’s themselves arrive into the winter league with renewed strength. Already one of Munster’s leading clubs, they now field a new Ladies team, adding depth and competition to the women’s grade. Their expansion reflects the broader trend — established clubs growing stronger while new ones form around them.

A Surge of New Clubs Across the Province

Perhaps the most exciting sign of Munster’s progress is the number of clubs currently forming across the south. A few seasons ago, Rounders struggled for numbers in the province. Now, interest is spreading county by county.

  • In Cork, both Glenville and Kildorrery are laying strong foundations.
  • In Tipperary, Moneygall have begun attracting players from across the parish.
  • Mungret St Paul’s in Limerick are assembling coaching teams and structures for their launch.
  • A new club is forming in South Kerry, marking the county’s first serious involvement in the sport.
  • And in Clare, three separate groups are taking steps towards full club status.

If even the majority of these developing teams reach competitive level, Munster could soon boast over 12 clubs and more than 20 teams — a remarkable rise from the days of just three championship clubs.

Leadership Driving Expansion

Behind much of this rapid development is the tireless work of Michael Sheahan of St Kieran’s, the Munster provincial representative. His support for new clubs, combined with strong backing from the national administration, has accelerated the sport’s growth.

“Loads of Rounders in Limerick city and county this weekend! We start on Saturday with a most historic day for one of our new clubs, Waterford’s Naomh Pol, who make their Rounders debut in men’s, women’s and mixed in Shanagolden as guests of All-Ireland junior champions St Senan’s on Saturday morning. In the late afternoon they travel back to the city as guests of Na Piarsaigh’s men’s, women’s and mixed teams. We wish them a most enjoyable day of Rounders in Limerick.”

Michael also praised the cooperation behind the scenes:

“On Sunday morning, Kildimo-Pallaskenry and St Kieran’s women’s teams start their respective winter league campaigns with a 12.30 first pitch-in in Kildimo, and the second game between both clubs starting no later than 3pm — a record weekend of Rounders activity in Limerick!”

He added sincere appreciation for national support:

“We’ve had brilliant support locally in every county, and the enthusiasm from new clubs has been unreal. I have to thank our national secretary, Shirley Lennon. Anytime we needed help getting new clubs affiliated or needed guidance on the process, she was there straight away. That kind of support has made a massive difference to Munster Rounders and to clubs like my own, St Kieran’s.”


A Province on the Rise

As the 2024/25 Munster Winter League begins, the province finds itself in a new era — one defined by energy, expansion, and unprecedented momentum. Between Naomh Pol’s debut, St Senan’s continued growth, and the emergence of clubs across six counties, Munster is becoming one of the most vibrant regions in Irish Rounders.

This weekend is more than the start of a competition. It’s the next chapter in one of the fastest-growing stories in Irish GAA.

Weekend Fixtures

Saturday – 22 November

Naomh Pol vs St Senan’s

  • Men – 3 innings
  • Mixed – 3 innings
  • Ladies – 3 innings

Naomh Pol vs Sporting Limerick

  • Men – 3 innings
  • Mixed – 3 innings
  • Ladies – 3 innings

Sunday – 23 November

  • Na Piarsaigh vs Sporting Limerick – Mixed – 3 innings
  • Kildimo Pallaskenry 1 vs St Kieran’s – Ladies – 3 innings
  • Kildimo Pallaskenry 2 vs St Kieran’s – Ladies – 3 innings