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GAA Rounders InterProvincial Tournament – 27 September 2026

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Barely two weeks after completing our third consecutive weekend of All-Ireland Finals, we’re all back on the road this Sunday and converging on the middle of the country and Athlone GAA for our InterProvincial Tournament. It’s been three and a half years since our last InterProvincial Tournament in Abbotstown – that was a Mixed event and the shield was won by Leinster. This time around we’ve mixed things up and are having two competitions – one for Men and the other for Women so both winners will be inaugural InterProvincial Champions – and that’s not something you get to be every day!

A quick explanation of the rules before we start previewing! What the InterPros Committee set out to achieve was to have squads as balanced as they could be. We wanted players from as many clubs as possible, playing at all three grades, to be given the opportunity to represent their province.

  • Each squad can be made up of 15 players, three each from Senior, Intermediate and Junior
  • No club was to have more than five representatives over the 15-player panel
  • Each starting team must be made up of three players from each grade and substitutions are to be like grade for like e.g. a Junior player can only be substituted for another Junior player
  • Player grades are based on the highest grade they played in 2025

As we go through the panels, you’ll see that we did bend these rules in a few cases where the required number of players weren’t available because, ultimately, we all want these games played and the rules were mainly to ensure that one panel wasn’t made up of 15 senior players and another of 15 junior players!

The semi-finals line-ups for both are Connacht vs Munster and Leinster vs Ulster and we’re staggering times so that each province’s teams are playing at opposite times. Let’s take a look at the panels, the players and what we can expect from the day.

Where? Athlone GAA, N37 PW42

When? 12pm Connacht vs Munster Women

              12.15pm Leinster vs Ulster Men

              2pm Leinster vs Ulster Women

              2.30pm Men’s Final

              4pm Women’s Final

Cost?   Free

Women’s Competition

Connacht vs Munster – 12pm

Connacht, the squad with the biggest Management Panel, also has a whole lot of All-Ireland finalists from Senior, Intermediate and Junior and, at first glance, is a very well-rounded, talented bunch of women (and Craig!).

Managed by three Galway City Rapparees players – Craig Davis, Jenna O’Brien and Gwen Redmond – and Kilmeena’s Caitríona Cox, this squad pulls from six Connacht clubs with a number of very experienced players set to line out.

Senior players are Breaffy’s Helen Gallagher and Kilmeena’s Noleen Coghlan and Irene Kaye. Intermediate Representatives are Elphin’s Gretta Davis (who played in 2025 with Intermediate side Michael Glavey’s), Athenry’s Assumpta Feeney, Lisa Guilfoyle and Tara Reapy and Galway City Rapparees Hazel Kilduff, Clodagh Naughton, Jessie Pereira (two extra Intermediate players allowed as there are only three Seniors). Connacht Women’s Junior representatives are Elphin’s Ciara Butler and Avril Coyne and Kilmore’s Nicola Craughwell and Clodagh Sheerin.

Connacht Women’s Squad

While a number of players on the eight original squads in March weren’t available for the rescheduled game in September, a special mention to Kilmore’s Ana Carr who misses out on her place following her injury incurred in the Junior Women’s Semi-final in August. We have no doubt that Ana will be on the next Connacht InterPros team!

Co-captains are Clodagh Sheerin and Hazel Kilduff.

Munster Rounders has no Senior teams and the only Intermediate players are the ladies who line out for St. Senan’s Mixed team, so special allowances had to be made for their squad. The revised date meant a lot of the original players were now unavailable so the new squad is made up of Knockainey player Jacki Hehir; St. Senan’s Back Catcher Dorothy Cullagh; Na Piarsaigh Back Catcher Sarah Stanley and nine of the St. Kieran’s ladies who played in last month’s Junior Women’s All-Ireland. They are Linda Clifford, Stephanie Downes, Gráinne Enright, Siobhán Halligan, Caitríona Hough, Majella O’Connor, Ashling O’Sullivan, Ashley Redmond and Sandra Walsh.

Munster is managed by St. Kieran’s Michael Sheahan and their Captain is Linda Clifford with Dorothy Cullagh as Vice Captain.

So, do we predict a winner?!! Connacht has a lot of talent all over the field. With multiple great batters, their fielding ability is pretty impressive too. Gretta Davis is an excellent pitcher, the Managers are spoiled for choice for a Short Stop with Avril Coyne, Clodagh Naughton and Irene Kaye all exceptional in the position. Helen Gallagher, Noleen Coghlan, Nicola Craughwell and Clodagh Sheerin are all super base minders and both Hazel Kilduff and Jessie Pereira are safe hands outfield. Both Lisa Guilfoyle and Ciara Butler are great Back Catchers and with a panel of 14 there will be plenty of fresh legs for substitutions.

On the other hand, ten of Munster’s panel of twelve have played in an All-Ireland final less than a month ago, nine of them on the winning side, so it’s hard to imagine they’ll be suffering from a lack of confidence in their abilities. With a full selection of infielders and outfielders and multiple Back Catchers from which to choose, Michael Sheahan’s only dilemma will be who to start as Pitcher with the unavailability of Deirdre Ambrose or Louise Kelly. But no doubt one of the panel has a hidden pitching talent we’re unaware of just yet.

So no, we don’t predict any winners, for any of these games. Mostly because it’s practically impossible but also because, like the All-Ireland finals, these games are so special and it’s such an honour and a source of pride to be chosen to represent your province that all we want for these men and women is to go out there, give it their all, enjoy the match(es) and take away very special memories of their achievement. Win or lose, there aren’t many of us can say we played Rounders for our province!

Leinster vs Ulster – 2pm

Our second Women’s semi-final will be between Leinster and Ulster. Leinster’s panel brings together 15 players from six clubs spread over four counties and is made up of Senior and Intermediate players from Glynn Barntown – Pamela Brennan, Liz Fitzgerald, Stephanie Kelly, Sheena King (Captain) and Alisha Reddy; Senior Cúchulainn ladies Amy Kelly, Leah Mullins and Amy Moloney, fellow Carlow Junior players Jen Kelly, Tracey McNally (Vice Captain) and Louise Riddell from Leighlinbridge and Wexford Junior women Deborah Roche and Christine Stone from St. Martin’s. Representing north Leinster are Dublin Metropolitans’ Laura Cuddihy and Skryne’s Karen Lynch.

Managed by The Heath’s Grace Salmon and Serena Lewis, Leinster’s Senior and Intermediate players are a seriously accomplished bunch and with baseminders and infielders from Glynn Barntown and Catchers and Outfielders from Cúchulainn they will form a strong core team. The three Leighlinbridge women all played their part in their team’s path to the Junior Women’s semi-finals this summer while Karen Lynch can pitch and play outfield and Laura Cuddihy is a strong batter and fielder. Again, this is a powerful batting team so opposing outfielders will need to be ready!

But this Ulster team is more than a match for anything the Leinster squad can fire at them. Outfielders like Lisa Flood, Lindsey O’Reilly, Louise McAndrew and Marie Whelan are excellent at catching and getting the ball back infield quickly and strong baseminders like Sharon Ivers, Carol McKeown and Arleen Ramsey will do damage with any ball thrown to them. Manager Shane Dolan will have multiple Pitcher and Catcher options with Louise Byrne, Áine Cahill, Catherine Deery and Lisa Lynch all capable and confident while Laura Hughes at Short Stop would have to be one of Ulster’s strongest assets.

Captained by Erne Eagles’ Lisa Flood, with Carrickmacross Emmets’ Louise Byrne as Vice-Captain, the Ulster squad is also made up of Carrickmacross Emmets Senior, Intermediate and Junior players Aoife Byrne, Laura Hughes, Aisling McDermott and Marie Whelan; fellow Monaghan side Inniskeen Grattans’ players Catherine Deery and Carol McKeown; Cavan ladies Áine Cahill, Sharon Ivers, Lisa Lynch and Louise McAndrew from St. Clare’s and Lindsey O’Reilly of Erne Eagles while Arleen Ramsey of Belfast side Wolfe Tones takes the final Junior slot on the team.

Both sides are very evenly balanced mixes of experienced senior players, capable Intermediate fielders and strong Juniors but will the depth of the Ulster squad, and the expertise of the skilled tactician that is their manager (I promise he didn’t pay me to say that 😉) give them the edge over the multi All-Ireland and All-Star winning, one extra player strong Leinster side? Sunday afternoon will reveal all!

Men’s Competition

And so we move on to the Men’s Competition. Where, unfortunately, we only have one semi-final, as Munster are unable to field a team and have given a walkover to Connacht who go straight into the final. So let’s have a look at the semi-final at 12.15pm where Leinster will take on Ulster.

Leinster vs Ulster – 12.15pm

Ulster come into this game with 10 of their 14 players the proud owners of shiny new gold All-Ireland medals this month. And even though the rumour is that they’ve spent most of the three weeks since 6 September celebrating, they’re still a fairly solid crew of talented and skilled players. Captained by Erne Eagles’ Justin Perrin, with Inniskeen Grattans’ Seán O’Connor filling the Vice Captain role, they are joined by Eagles Gerard Clerkin, Karl Dolan, Paul Mollaghan and Owen Roe O’Reilly, St. Clare’s men Wayne Gerber, Ciarán Gray, PJ Kelly, Chaz Solomons and Barry Walsh and Junior players from Inniskeen Grattans, Trevor Hilliard, and Wolfe Tones, David Mallon and Matthew Mallon.

Managing this team are two legends of the game – Erne Eagles’ Darryl Dolan and Shane Sheridan – so the experience and knowledge is both on the pitch and the sideline. With multiple talented players for every position, it won’t be an easy decision to pick a starting nine, but we have every confidence that these two will work it out!

Their Leinster opponents are managed by Cúchulainn ladies Carmel Moloney and Caroline Waters and their full squad of 15 has players from seven different teams across the province. Junior players are Myshall’s Shane Coburn, PJ Lalor, James Nolan and Eoin Rea as well as Gusserane’s Conor Murphy. Their Intermediate representatives are Dublin Metropolitan’s Carley brothers, Asa and Beau, Raheen’s Eunan Furlong and Emo stars Austin O’Meara and JP Tynan (Vice Captain). The Senior big guns are from both Glynn Barntown – Paul Cooper (Captain), Garry Jordan and Ian White – and Cúchulainn – Pierce Ryan and Peadar Waters. Some talent in that squad and quite a few lads not long off an All-Ireland final pitch either.

While both teams have undeniably strong Senior players, it may well come down to the depth of Intermediate and Junior talent available. As the bigger province, Leinster has a larger pool from which to draw and with both Junior Men’s All-Ireland finalists coming from the province, all five men had notable involvement in the recent final. Ulster has fewer Junior players and they bowed out of the All-Ireland Championship at an earlier stage. However, Ulster’s Intermediate men are all St. Clare’s players and all five of them played a blinder in their recent All Ireland final making it another very evenly balanced contest.

Men’s Final – 2.30pm

And then we’ll have the Final, which will definitely feature Connacht men, so let’s have a look at them and how they might fare. Managed by Mayo men Martin Hoban of Kilmeena and Aidan Lynskey of Breaffy, with Kilmeena’s Stephen Cox acting as Selector, this panel of 15 has a full complement of players from each grade. With Senior men from Breaffy – Mark Jennings, Jamie Murphy and Victor del Rosal;  Kilmeena – Tommy Hoban (Captain) and Michael Glavey’s – Oliver Conway, the top tier of players is very strong and has key positions both infield and outfield covered. Add to this their Intermediate men of Jay Hall, Tomás Kenny, Ajay Kumar, Rory McGarvey and Cathal Creaven (Vice Captain) – all from Galway City Rapparees and the depth of the panel goes up several notches. All of the Rapparees have been playing Senior Men this season and all except Ajay were part of the Intermediate Mixed team which recently won the All-Ireland final. Then we can include the Junior part of the squad which includes more All-Ireland winners Kilmore – represented by Aidan Carr, Breian Carroll, James Jamieson and Mark Harrington and Garrymore’s Fintan Hession and I think we can safely say that we have a balanced, strong and super impressive side.

Connacht Men’s Managers Aidan Lynskey & Martin Hoban

Kind of glad I’m not predicting any of these games as they’re all fairly hard to call. And isn’t that exactly what we’d hoped for from our InterProvincial Tournament? The best of the best from each province – from all grades – fighting it out to be crowned with one of the highest honours in our sport.

Our Referees on Sunday will be The Heath’s Danielle Keane and Michael Dowling and Limekiln’s Áine McLaughlin. A huge thanks to Joe Higgins of Galway City Rapparees for marking the pitches, to Kilmore’s Ana Carr for all her amazing work in designing our social media videos for the team reveals and to Athlone GAA for hosting our event.

Our InterProvincials Tournament couldn’t happen without the hard work and commitment of a lot of people and, while many of them have already been mentioned above, humour me while I thank them here again.

Ulster – Team Managers Darryl Dolan, Shane Dolan & Shane Sheridan, St. Clare’s Louise McAndrew for sorting pitches for training, Carrickmacross Emmets Ronan Kiernan for organising the Men’s team in March for the original date and Ulster Representative Arleen Ramsey for liaising with Ulster GAA to source kits for all players.

Connacht – Team Managers and Selectors Craig Davis, Jenna O’Brien, Gwen Redmond, Caitríona Cox, Martin Hoban, Aidan Lynskey and Stephen Cox and Galway City Rapparees Joe Naughton for arranging pitches for training and for sorting the team to play Connacht Men in their warm-up game.

Leinster – Grace Salmon, Serena Lewis, Carmel Moloney and Caroline Waters for managing teams but especially to Peadar Waters and PJ Lalor for organising, training, selecting, managing and playing!

Munster – Michael Sheahan who coordinated it all from start to finish and Ian Sheehy who worked tirelessly to get a Munster Men’s team sorted.

Ard Chomhairle for their support but especially to the Committee of Paula Doherty, Mark Jennings and Shirley Lennon

And most importantly, to the players. Without these men and women stepping up, coming to InterProvincial trainings sessions and making themselves available for Sunday, we would have no competition so míle buíochas agus buladh bos mór to you all.

The action starts at 12pm and we look forward to seeing you all there!

One final thing – don’t forget the next date in our calendar – Saturday 7 November is our annual All Stars awards night in the Osprey Hotel in Naas. If last year’s event is anything to go by, this won’t be a night to miss! Tickets on sale now from GAA Rounders All-Stars Night 2026 – Universe

GAA Rounders President Paula Doherty with Breaffy’s Mark Jennings and Jamie Murphy at the 2025 All-Stars Night

 

 

 

 

 

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 😉

 

 

 

Junior Women’s Quarter-finals Previews – 25 July 2026

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Saturday, 25 July 2026 | Tymon Park, Dublin

Our Junior League games for 2026 have now concluded, with the results of 57 Junior Women’s matches collated and analysed. Group tables have been double-checked, and of the 22 teams that set out in May, we are now down to the final eight.

These eight teams – Carrickmacross Emmets, Gusserane, Kilmore, Leighlinbridge, Myshall, St. Kieran’s, St. Senan’s, and Skryne – will take to the pitches at Tymon Park in Dublin on Saturday morning, each giving their all in a bid to secure a place in the Junior Semi-finals on 9 August. We are very grateful to Limekiln Rounders for hosting all ten matches on Sunday and are looking forward to a wonderful day of Rounders!

Let’s take a closer look at how these four quarter-final pairings match up!

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

  • Time: 11am
  • Referee: Áine McLaughlin (Dublin)

St. Senan’s topped Group A (consisting of Limerick and Galway sides) with a maximum 25 points. Myshall finished third in a highly competitive Group C featuring Carlow and Wexford teams. Although Myshall equalled Gusserane on 26 points, the Wexford side took second place owing to their head-to-head victory.

St. Senan’s hold a significant asset in pitcher Louise Kelly, who also plays Intermediate Mixed. Accustomed to the 12m pitching distance, her delivery from the 10m Junior Women’s mark comes in faster and harder than many batters are used to facing. Teammates Josephine Hickey, Kyra Hogan, Gráinne Noonan, and Dorothy Cullagh have also played Intermediate Mixed this season, giving St. Senan’s a battle-tested edge.

Myshall, meanwhile, recently secured the transfers of former Senior players Gillian Nolan and Margaret Simpson, whose expertise will inject huge confidence into the squad. Alongside established stalwarts like Alma Rae, Mya Farrell, Anita Donoghue, and Audrey Roberts, Myshall possess a wealth of big-game experience.

The key test for Myshall will be handling the pace and power coming off Louise Kelly’s pitches. Their fielding is strong and their base-minders remain calm under pressure. On the flip side, St. Senan’s have rarely had their fielding or batting fully tested this year – aside from close encounters with St. Kieran’s and Athenry, their wins were comprehensive. Despite an impressive Run Rate five times higher than Myshall’s, St. Senan’s have batted seven fewer innings overall, meaning their comfortable path to the last eight may leave them with something to prove when tested in a high-stakes knockout.

Prediction: Myshall

Kilmore (Roscommon) vs Gusserane (Wexford)

  • Time: 11am
  • Referee: Shirley Lennon (Meath)

Like St. Senan’s, Kilmore topped Group B with a perfect 30 points, defeating teams from Monaghan, Meath, and Longford. Gusserane edged past Myshall to secure second place in Group C.

Rather than relying on a single standout, Kilmore boast a well-balanced, cohesive squad whose players have built strong chemistry over several seasons. Pitcher Irene Reynolds and Catcher Nicola Craughwell form a dynamic duo, complemented by Ana Carr – an exceptional Short-stop who reads the game brilliantly and covers huge ground. Joann Sharkey is rock-solid on 2nd Base, while their outfielders attack long balls fearlessly and at bat the entire squad is able to place their hits smartly into outfield gaps.

Gusserane launched their 2026 season in style by winning at Junior Day before the Championship even began, followed by an opening win against Myshall. Defeats to group leaders Leighlinbridge and St. Martin’s slowed their momentum, but Gusserane responded strongly with victories over Kilanerin Ballyfad and Castletown Liam Mellows. While injuries have tested their squad depth this term, they will hope to be back at full strength for the weekend.

Several Gusserane players feature in Intermediate Mixed, which will stand to them in tense moments. However, Kilmore’s dugout is guided by Intermediate Men’s pitcher Aidan Carr, whose calm tactical leadership and ability to get the best out of his team cannot be underestimated.

Prediction: Kilmore

 

 

Leighlinbridge (Carlow) vs Skryne (Meath)

  • Time: 11am
  • Referee: Jay Hall (Galway)

Leighlinbridge, the second Carlow side in the last eight, became the third team to reach maximum league points, cruising through Group C with an outstanding Run Rate of 8.8.

Their opponents, Skryne, qualified from a contrasting Group B that featured a mix of seasoned contenders and new teams in their debut Championship season. Having competed in Junior Women since 2021, Skryne possess plenty of experience, though they had to battle hard in an opening match win over newcomers Nobber before reaching the knockout stages for the very first time.

Leighlinbridge reached this exact stage in 2025 before being halted by Dublin Metropolitans. However, their technical development and team cohesion over the past 12 months have been clear to see. They look every bit a side that learned from last year’s setback and is now primed to go further.

To disrupt Leighlinbridge’s momentum, Skryne’s outfielders must react quickly to get the sliotar back to home base rapidly and limit multi-run innings. They will also need clinical, aggressive display at the batting mat to keep pressure on the scoreboard.

Prediction: Leighlinbridge

 

 

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

  • Time: 11am
  • Referee: Mary Roche (Wexford)

The second-placed side from Group A meets the third-placed finisher from Group B in what looks, on paper, to be the most evenly balanced tie of the round.

St. Kieran’s enjoyed a fantastic group campaign, dropping points only to group winners St. Senan’s. Carrickmacross Emmets similarly pushed hard, with their only setbacks coming against Kilmore and Skryne. Both clubs feature seasoned players, astute coaching, and the big-match temperament required when knockouts arrive—making this a strong candidate for game of the morning!

Carrickmacross can call on key game-changers in Rachel Boylan, Sinéad Murphy, Emma Fay, Mary Lambe, and Tracy McMahon. St. Kieran’s rely on a proven core – Deirdre Ambrose, Ellie Bucke, Caitriona Hough, and Steph Downes – who have driven their success all season long. Both management setups will be backing their leaders to produce their best performances when it matters most.

Prediction: Carrickmacross Emmets

By lunchtime on Saturday we’ll know who’s taken one step closer to becoming our 2026 Junior Women’s All-Ireland Champions. Best of luck to all eight teams – beir bua agus go mbuafaidh na foirne is fearr!

Tomorrow we’ll be looking at our Junior Men’s Quarter-finalists and on Thursday it will be the turn of our Junior Mixed qualifiers – you won’t want to miss either of those!

GAA Rounders Weekend Preview – Super Sunday Showdown in Galway with 11 matches

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With playoff races heating up and unbeaten records on the line, Sunday, 6 July promises to be another pivotal day in the 2025 GAA Rounders Championship.

From the jam-packed fixture list in Galway to top-tier battles in Clonguish, and knockout-shaping clashes in Tymon, Skryne and beyond, teams across all grades are bracing for high-stakes showdowns. Whether it’s a title contender trying to stay perfect or a dark horse making a late charge, this Super Sunday has it all — tension, talent, and a full day of Rounders drama.

This weekend, we’re doing our previews a little differently. With nine Junior matches scheduled for Galway alone, we’re breaking things down by venue and group — starting with the massive triple-header in Galway, then moving to Clonguish, before finishing with the rest of the weekend’s fixtures.

⚫ Junior Men’s –

First up is the Junior Men’s competition, and it’s all eyes on Group A. Kilmore, St. Senan’s, and Galway City Rapparees are all potential All-Ireland winners— but only two will qualify from this stacked group. This is make-or-break for Galway, while Kilmore and St. Senan’s put their unbeaten records on the line. One defeat is the maximum either can afford.

🧢 11.00am – St. Senan’s vs Kilmore

📍 Referee: Craig

A battle of the unbeaten. Both sides come in with 3 wins from 3 and strong momentum. Kilmore edged some tight ones, including a 1-run victory over Elphin — though they only batted three innings in that game. Meanwhile, St. Senan’s showcased real class midweek in a 23–14 win over Sporting Limerick.

🔍 Key Factors:

  • Both teams boast clutch batters and reliable pitching.
  • A mental battle awaits — a win here virtually seals a semi-final spot.

📈 Prediction:
Kilmore by 1–2 runs in a high-scoring thriller. But don’t be shocked if it ends in a draw — which would suit both sides. Watch out Craig 😉

🧢 3.00pm – Galway City Rapparees vs Kilmore

📍 Referee: Ann

Galway need to make this one count. With just two games played (1 win, 1 loss), they’re still in control of their destiny. Kilmore may have one foot in the knockouts depending on the earlier result — but could a tired squad be vulnerable?

Expect a very different Galway side to the one that narrowly lost to Sporting Limerick. Both defences should be on top in what promises to be a low-scoring, tactical contest.

🔥 Ones to Watch:

  • Galway’s leadership and aggressive base running.
  • Kilmore’s deep, consistent lineup over five innings.

📈 Prediction:
Galway to edge it, but Kilmore will not go down without a serious fight.

🧢 7.30pm – Galway City Rapparees vs St. Senan’s

📍 Referee: Ann

The nightcap could decide everything. If Galway are still alive, this becomes an All-Ireland quarter-final in disguise. For St. Senan’s, this could be their fourth game of the day, leaving them potentially fatigued — but tactically sharp.

If Senan’s beat Kilmore earlier, they’ll be all but guaranteed a knockout spot in Galway on 9th August. But Rapparees, rested and playing at home, will be throwing everything at this.

🔋 Fatigue vs Fire:

  • Galway will be fresher and fighting for survival.
  • St. Senan’s may only need to manage the scoreline.

📈 Prediction:
Galway City Rapparees to sneak it — and keep their knockout hopes alive into the final round against Na Pairsaigh.

⚫ Junior Mixed – Galway Collision Course

We move on to Junior Mixed where, once again, Kilmore, St. Senan’s, and Galway City Rapparees all carry genuine All-Ireland ambitions — but this time, there’s a clear standout.

St. Senan’s are the team to beat. They’ve been knocking on the door in recent seasons and based on form, scoring difference, and roster depth, they should arguably already have an All-Ireland title in the bag. In 2025, they look like hot favourites to finally make it count and you get a feeling they will be targeting this over the men’s.

⚫ 12.30pm – Galway City Rapparees vs St. Senan’s

📍 Referee: Gretta

Galway City Rapparees have already put up a massive 31-run total against Sporting Limerick and know how to score, but they’ll need their best ever defensive performance to stop a Senan’s side that’s scoring freely and fielding with real sharpness.

This is the first of three crucial games and could shape how the rest of the day unfolds. A win for Senan’s puts one foot in the semi-finals; a Galway win throws the group wide open.

🔍 Key Factors:

  • Can Galway get on base consistently against Senan’s powerful infield?
  • St. Senan’s are ruthless at turning errors into scores — Galway must stay composed.

📈 Prediction:
St. Senan’s by 3-5 runs — unless Galway’s big hitters catch fire early.

⚫ 4.30pm – Galway City Rapparees vs Kilmore

📍 Referee: Ann

Galway and Kilmore have not met in the championship before, the Rapparees won junior in 2024 but have a completely different squad this year and may show more composure in the middle innings. Kilmore have been clinical so far in 2025 and sit on 3 wins from 3. Galway’s record is 2 from 2 — with a huge scoring difference, both teams still very much still in the hunt.

It’s unlikely both can go through unless St. Senan’s falter later. So for Galway, this is must-win territory.

🔥 Ones to Watch:

  • Galway’s composure and knowledge may out do Kilmore’s base running.
  • Kilmore’s tight defence and clever batting have closed out games with little fuss so far.

📈 Prediction:
Galway to win by a couple of runs in a tense, low-scoring battle with Galway likely to secure a knock out position.

⚫ 6.00pm – St. Senan’s vs Kilmore

📍 Referee: Gretta

What a finish. If St. Senan’s are still unbeaten at this point, they’ll want to finish the group stage with a statement win. Kilmore, depending on earlier results, may be fighting to stay alive or simply playing for seeding. Either way, this will be a high-quality, tactical matchup — and could easily be a preview of the All-Ireland final.

💡 What to Expect:

  • Both sides will know the table permutations by this stage — expect scoreboard management and smart base running.
  • Conpared to the men a draw here is of no use unless both have earlier wins.

📈 Prediction:
St. Senan’s to edge it late and head into the knockouts as clear title favourites.

👱‍♀️ Junior Ladies – Galway Triple Header

Three Group B clashes take place in Galway this weekend, and they’ll play a crucial role in deciding who reaches the Junior Ladies knockout stages. Sporting Limerick currently lead the group having played four games, but Kilmore, Elphin, and even St. Kieran’s are likely to be the knockout contenders.

Here’s what to watch for in each of the three games:

👱‍♀️ 11:00am – St. Kieran’s vs Kilmore

📍 Referee: Gretta

Kilmore come into this one with their backs against the wall. They’ve been on both sides of nail-biters in recent weeks and need to win both games in Galway to stand any chance of progression. St. Kieran’s, meanwhile, have shown glimpses of real promise, including a draw with Sporting Limerick.

🔍 Key Factors:

  • Kilmore need to start fast — and maintain the momentum.
  • St. Kieran’s have to be clinical when batters are on base.

📈 Prediction:
St Kieran’s by 3 runs – expect a dramatic finish.

👱‍♀️ 12:30pm – Knockainey vs Kilmore

📍 Referee: Craig

A quick turnaround for Kilmore sees them take on a Knockainey side desperate for their first win. Knockainey have pushed teams close and can’t be underestimated. This could be the ultimate banana skin.

🔥 Ones to Watch:

  • Knockainey’s base running
  • Will Kilmore be able to hold composure playing back-to-back?

📈 Prediction:
Kilmore by 5 or 6 Kilmore might have enough players and hitters to get the win.

👱‍♀️ 3:00pm – Elphin vs Knockainey

📍 Referee: Gretta

This match could determine whether Elphin make the knockouts. They’ve beaten Kilmore already and showed real firepower when on form. Knockainey will be playing their second game of the day — and their defensive discipline will be tested.

🔋 What to Expect:

  • Elphin’s experience in tight games might be the difference and they have one of the best bowlers in the country at junior level.
  • Knockainey will look to disrupt rhythm with aggressive fielding.

📈 Prediction:
Elphin by 4–6 runs to stay in the hunt.

CLONGUISH PREVIEW | 6 JULY 2025

🧢 SENIOR MEN –

After a packed slate in Galway, we now turn our attention to Clonguish, where seven games will take place on Sunday, 6th July. From crucial Senior Men’s clashes to important fixtures in the Junior grades, this venue could prove pivotal in shaping the final group standings. With several teams still chasing qualification, every run, out, and inning will matter.

🔵 Breaffy vs Carrickmacross Emmets
📍 Cancelled

A rematch with knockout intensity. These two sides know each other well, and Breaffy come into this with strong belief they can go one step further after losing the 2024 final and after easy wins over Linekiln, Raheen and Michael Glaveys it’s deserved. But they face a Carrickmacross outfit that has been almost flawless this year, notching big wins including over Glynn, Glaveys, Limekiln and Raheen. Expect fireworks early as Breaffy look to get on the board quickly and disrupt Emmets’ rhythm.

  • 💪 Carrickmacross have been ruthless with the bat, averaging over 16 runs per game.
  • 🧠 Breaffy’s experience in pressure games can’t be underestimated — they’ve been here before.

📈 Prediction:

⚪️ Glynn Barntown vs Michael Glaveys
📍 Cancelled

This could get lively. Glynn were poor against Carrickmacross but bounced back with a clinical win over Cuchulainn. They’ll be eyeing up a big scoring day here to boost run rate and keep knockout hopes on track. Michael Glaveys, unfortunately, have struggled this season, but will look to spoil the party.

  • 🔥 Watch for Glynn’s middle order — they’ve been excellent when setting or chasing targets.
  • 🚧 Glaveys must limit errors in the field and tighten up their outfield throwing to stay in the game.

📈 Prediction:

🥎 Senior Mixed Previews – Sunday, 6 July – Clonguish

It’s crunch time in the Senior Mixed Championship and Clonguish plays host to two high-stakes battles. Glynn Barntown are aiming to maintain their perfect record, while Carrickmacross Emmets know a second win would launch them back into knockout contention. Breaffy, the reigning All-Ireland champions, have been superb so far — and Kilmeena are still searching for their first win in a tough group.

🕥  Breaffy vs Carrickmacross Emmets

📍 Cancelled

Breaffy come into this fixture unbeaten and full of confidence, having already taken down The Heath, Kilmeena and Limekiln. Their defence has been rock solid, and they look every inch the All-Ireland champions. Carrickmacross, however, showed their class in a 22–16 shootout win over The Heath and will know that another victory here could catapult them into serious semi-final contention.

  • 📌 What to Expect:
  • Breaffy’s powerful hitting and structured fielding game to set the tone.
  • Expect Carrickmacross to come out swinging, especially early innings.

🔮 Prediction:

🕒 3:00pm – Glynn Barntown vs Kilmeena

📍 Referee: Iain

Top versus bottom on paper — but this one could be closer than expected. Glynn Barntown have been flawless so far: four wins from four, including big victories over Cuchulainn, Erne Eagles and Carrick. Kilmeena are winless, but they’ve been involved in high-scoring games and showed real fight in recent clashes, narrowly losing to Erne Eagles (13–10).

  • 🔥 Key Battle:
  • Glynn’s control and late-innings poise vs Kilmeena’s unpredictable, attacking style.

🔮 Prediction:
Glynn Barntown to maintain their unbeaten streak — but Kilmeena won’t make it easy.

Junior Triple Header –

It’s a full day of action in Clonguish and our preview from that venue finish off at junior level as Sean Connolly’s face off against Carrickmacross Emmets across all three Junior grades: Men’s, Ladies and Mixed. With referee Amanda on duty throughout, consistency could be key in a day that could shape the future of Group A and B standings.

🧢 Junior Men: Sean Connolly’s vs Carrickmacross

📍 Cancelled

Sean Connolly’s are still looking for their first win and have struggled to contain opposition batters, with a -10 run rate and 25 runs conceded in just two outings. Carrickmacross, by contrast, have looked more organised and come in with a win already under their belt. However, Sean Connolly’s are improving with every game and this might be their best chance yet to grab a statement result.

 

👱‍♀️ Junior Ladies: Sean Connolly’s vs Carrickmacross

📍Cancelled

Two sides with genuine top-four aspirations meet here. Sean Connolly’s boast the stronger run rate and have posted 80 runs across three games. Carrickmacross are right on their heels, with an identical win-loss record and a slightly better defensive stat line. This could be the tightest of the three fixtures — a classic midfield shootout that could go either way and have knockout implications.

⚫ Junior Mixed: Sean Connolly’s vs Carrickmacross

📍Cancelled

Closing out the day is the Junior Mixed clash. Connolly’s will be desperate to get off the mark after a tough start to the season. With a -9.5 run rate and no points on the board, they’ll need to be at their sharpest. Carrickmacross are in the mix for a semi-final and will be aiming to boost their run rate here. Expect pressure, passion, and maybe some drama.

🧢 Senior Men – Tymon Park

12:00pm – Raheen vs Erne Eagles

📍 Referee: Chris

Erne Eagles come into this one unbeaten and with momentum, while Raheen are still searching for a spark in this year’s campaign. With two tough losses already, Raheen have no room left for error. The Eagles have been dominant so far and will want to maintain that form heading into the later stages of the group.

🔍 Prediction: Erne Eagles by 8+ runs – but Raheen’s batting could make it closer than expected.

👱‍♀️ Senior Ladies – Tymon Park

1:30pm – Raheen vs Erne Eagles

📍 Referee: Chris

Raheen and Erne Eagles are both in need of a statement win to keep their semi-final hopes alive. Both sides have shown flashes of quality but struggled for consistency. Erne edged one win already, while Raheen are yet to break through. Expect a tight battle where every inning counts, and both defences will need to be switched on.

🔍 Prediction: Erne Eagles to edge a low-scoring contest by 2–3 runs.

⚫ Senior Mixed – Ballon

1:30pm – Cuchulainn vs The Heath

📍 Referee: Michael D

This one could go a long way to deciding who grabs that all-important remaining semi-finals spot. Cuchulainn have already beaten Limekiln and Kilmeena and shown excellent scoring power. The Heath have been a little inconsistent but dangerous on their day. This should be fast, physical and tactical – a classic clash of styles.

🔍 Prediction: Cuchulainn by 3–5 runs with a key catch or double play likely to make the difference.

👱‍♀️ Junior Ladies – Skryne

11:00am – Skryne vs Inniskeen Grattans

📍 Referee: Áine

Skryne are clinging on in the race for top four and must get a result here. Inniskeen will be fresher, and they’ve been tidy in the field with one win from two. Skryne are scrappy and will fight for every base – but they’ll need to tighten up defensively to take this one.

🔍 Prediction: Inniskeen Grattans by 2 runs – but expect late drama.

⚫ Junior Mixed –

1:00pm – Wolfe Tones vs Inniskeen (Skryne)

📍 Referee: Áine

Two potential knockout teams collide in what could be the tie of the round. Wolfe Tones have shown real quality with 2 wins from 3 and a positive run rate. Inniskeen, meanwhile, are one of the most in-form Junior Mixed teams in Ireland and can’t afford to slip. Expect big innings and a game that could go either way.

🔍 Prediction: Inniskeen Grattans by a single score – but Wolfe Tones could force a draw.

11:00am – Naomh Éanna vs Gusserane (Naomh Éanna)

📍 Referee: PJ

Gusserane sit midtable, and a win here keeps them in the conversation. Naomh Éanna need a big performance to get back on track. With both sides looking to make up ground, this game could be more open than most and might come down to fielding discipline under pressure.

🔍 Prediction: Gusserane by 4 runs in a must-win fixture for both teams.

✅ Teams Qualified for Knockout Stages – GAA Rounders 2025

🏆 Intermediate Men

  • Kilmeena
  • Galway City Rapparees

🏆 Intermediate Ladies

  • Carrickmacross Emmets

🏆 Intermediate Mixed

  • Emo

🏆 Junior Men

  • Myshall

🏆 Junior Ladies

  • St Martins
  • Dublin Mets

GAA Rounders Week 4 Preview – Sunday 25th May

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GAA Rounders Week 4 Preview
Sunday 25th May

Breaffy vs Kilmeena – Senior Mixed (1pm)

Breaffy are the reigning All-Ireland champions and looked every bit the part in their opening rounds. This is the first ever championship meeting of the two Mayo clubs. Kilmeena, newcomers to the senior grade, will be up against it after losing their opener to The Heath, 13–11. With a polished batting order and disciplined fielding, Breaffy should have this wrapped up early.

Prediction: Breaffy

Breaffy vs Michael Glaveys – Senior Men (2:30pm)

Michael Glaveys have found the Senior Men’s grade a tough transition and will need to find form quickly. A trip to Breaffy is a tough ask. The hosts have shown immense progress over the past 24 months and will look to use home turf to their advantage.

Prediction: Breaffy

Cuchulainn vs Glynn Barntown – Senior Ladies (11am)

Cuchulainn are gritty but lost an epic opening battle against Erne Eagles, 34–30. Glynn Barntown’s infield is clinical, and their batting lineup shows no signs of slowing. They must be favourites for the title—this fixture will show whether that’s justified.

Prediction: Glynn Barntown

Cuchulainn vs Glynn Barntown – Senior Mixed (12:30pm)

Another tough test for the hosts. Glynn Barntown’s mixed side already look like semi-final contenders, showing strong structure and composure in their 12–5 away win over Carrick. Cuchulainn will need to stay error-free and strike early with the bat. Should be a very entertaining contest.

Prediction: Glynn Barntown

Cuchulainn vs Glynn Barntown – Senior Men (2pm)

Glynn Barntown’s third clash of the day—but fatigue shouldn’t be a factor. Their men’s side has great depth and will back themselves to complete a clean sweep. Cuchulainn will be determined, but it may not be enough.

Prediction: Clean sweep for Glynn Barntown

Carrickmacross vs Drumhowan – Junior Ladies (11am)

Carrickmacross have been ruthless in this grade, while Drumhowan smashed 49 runs in just two innings against Sean Connolly’s. This match could decide who qualifies for the quarter-final.

Prediction: Carrickmacross

Carrickmacross vs Limekiln – Senior Mixed (12:30pm)

Both sides lost their opening matches, making this a vital clash—losing two in a row makes competing at senior level extremely difficult. Limekiln bring physicality and presence, but Carrick have more weapons across the diamond. This could be the game of the weekend.

Prediction: Carrickmacross

Carrickmacross vs Limekiln – Senior Men (2pm)

This one’s all about belief. Carrick’s men are developing into a real force and will fancy their chances against a Limekiln side convincingly beaten by Breaffy. Expect a decent crowd and even bigger energy for this clash.

Prediction: Carrickmacross

The Heath vs Kevin’s – Senior Mixed Game OFF

Kevin’s are goneHeath edged past Kilmeena in their opening fixture. Kevin’s haven’t played yet this season, but on their day they could beat anyone. This match will say a lot about how both teams’ seasons are shaping up.

Prediction: OFF

Sean Connolly’s vs Skryne – Junior Ladies (11am)

Sean Connolly’s haven’t impressed so far, conceding heavily to Drumhowan, but if they can shore up their defence, they have the ability to score. Skryne are playing their first game of the season, and if they get the bats going, they could be hard to stop.

Prediction: Skryne

Sean Connolly’s vs Wolfe Tones – Junior Mixed (1pm)

Wolfe Tones opened with a good win, but Sean Connolly’s have enough talent to make this a tight encounter. This could go down to the final inning.

Prediction: Wolfe Tones

Sean Connolly’s vs Gusserane – Junior Men (3pm)

In a strange twist, Sean Connolly’s were one of the few unbeaten teams in 2024 but missed the knockouts due to a walkover. Gusserane will push them hard, but expect the Longford side to end the day on a high.

Prediction: Sean Connolly’s

Myshall vs Dublin Metropolitans – Junior Ladies (11am)

Myshall have been quietly impressive and will see this as a crucial game in their knockout push. Dublin Metropolitans have experience and depth—it could all come down to bowling.

Prediction: Dublin Metropolitans

Myshall vs Dublin Metropolitans – Junior Mixed (1pm)

This could be one of the most exciting games of the round. Both teams are athletic and aggressive. Dublin Metropolitans reached the semi-finals last year and are serious contenders for the title.

Prediction: Dublin Metropolitans

Myshall vs Inniskeen Grattans – Junior Men (3pm)

Inniskeen have far more experience in their squad and, after losing last year’s All-Ireland final, are hungry to go one better. Myshall will try to control the early innings, but it may be a tall order.

Prediction: Inniskeen Grattans

Raheen vs Emo – Intermediate Mixed (11am)

Emo blitzed Na Fianna in Week 1 and cruised past Glynn Barntown last week—easily the form team in the grade. Raheen are entering the competition for the first time this season but were finalists last year and have several senior players. A superb matchup; the winner becomes All-Ireland favourite.

Prediction: Emo

Ballinagore vs Mayo Gaels – Junior Mixed (5pm)

Mayo Gaels are enthusiastic but still developing. Ballinagore are more settled and come in off two solid wins, including a dominant display over Kilmeena. Experience and cohesion should see them through.

Prediction: Ballinagore

Garrymore vs Kilmeena – Junior Mixed (6pm)

A classic Mayo derby. Kilmeena are struggling to find form in Junior Mixed—setting up a second team is always tough—but they’ll know this match could decide who reaches the quarter-finals. Garrymore are gaining momentum, with a solid win over Mayo Gaels behind them.

Prediction: Kilmeena