Dublin are expected to again field a largely experimental side during their upcoming O’Byrne Cup campaign.
The Dubs will begin their 2024 season on January 6th with a trip to either Portlaoise or Tullamore at the quarter-final stages of the competition. Laois and Offaly are due to meet in Round One on January 3rd.
In recent times, stretching back to Jim Gavin’s spell at the helm, Dublin have used the O’Byrne Cup as an opportunity to give squad players an opportunity to impress, and several have done so over the years, including Niall Scully, Evan Comerford and Colm Basquel.
Indeed, Basquel used the 2023 iteration of the competition as a springboard for his strongest season with Dublin. The Ballyboden forward scored a goal in Dublin’s O’Byrne Cup opening game against Wicklow on January 4th this year and was an ever-present for the remainder of the season.
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Having previously struggled to hold down a regular place, Basquel was the only player to feature in all of Dublin’s games during the 2023 season – O’Byrne Cup, National League and Championship.
His year started out in Baltinglass and ended with an All Star after helping Dublin beat Kerry in the All-Ireland final at Croke Park.
Scully was also on the periphery of Dublin’s plans before his impressive showing in the 2017 O’Byrne Cup, playing in all five matches as they captured Leinster’s pre-league trophy.
Manager Dessie Farrell has tended to field largely experimental sides in the competition but also kept a couple of regulars involved too.
Dublin have their team holiday behind them after celebrating the 2023 All-Ireland success in the Dominican Republic recently, which also included a three-night stopover in Miami.
It is understood Stephen Cluxton was on the team holiday while his fellow nine-time All-Ireland winner James McCarthy this week indicated he would be staying on for 2024. Speaking to Striker Online after playing in a charity soccer match for Shelbourne FC Legends, McCarthy was asked if 10 medals sounded like a nice round number.
“You have to give it a crack, don’t you I suppose? So yeah, we’ll give it a belt and see what happens,” replied McCarthy.
There will be no group stages in this year’s O’Byrne Cup, teams who lose their opening matches will enter a Shield competition – guaranteeing every county at least two matches.
Paddy Christie’s Longford are the reigning O’Byrne Cup champions. Dublin last won it in 2022.
The first game of the 2024 competition will take place on Tuesday, January 2nd, when Wexford host Wicklow at Wexford Park.
On Wednesday, January 3rd, Carlow will be at home to Kildare in Netwatch Cullen Park while Laois will have home advantage in O’Moore Park for the arrival of Offaly that same evening.
However, the first game of the 2024 intercounty season will be taking place indoors at the Dome in Connacht’s Centre of Excellence on January 1st when the hurlers of Roscommon play Sligo at 5pm in the Connacht Hurling League.
Munster’s McGrath Cup will throw in on the first week of the new year as well with Kerry hosting Tipperary in Tralee at 6pm on January 3rd, and on the same evening at 7pm in Cooraclare, Clare will begin life without Colm Collins, who has stepped away as manager after 10 years at the helm, when they face Cork.
Kerry’s Mark Fitzgerald is the new Banner boss, and he will not be calling upon Podge Collins during the upcoming season after the former dual player announced his intercounty retirement at the start of the month.
Speaking to Clare FM on Thursday, Podge explained niggling injury problems were behind his decision.
“For the last couple of years I was picking up small injuries, they weren’t three- or four-month injuries, they were kind of one- and two-month injuries but it was just affecting consistency and getting on the field, and that’s very important,” said Collins.
“Especially with the condensed season, the way it’s gone to a six month season, you’re playing so many games in a short space of time so you need to be fit and the last four years I was picking up little knocks, muscle injuries, not bangs or anything like that, just muscle injuries and lower back injuries.
“So kind of for the last two years I’ve been considering it and I just felt like the time was right this year to step aside and let the next fella up.
“Any time you get an injury it’s frustrating in sport, but it’s part and parcel of it I suppose when you come to my age and have a lot of miles on the clock. You just deal with it.
“It’s still enjoyable, I still enjoy going training and I still enjoy being around the team and everything that goes with it. But yeah, I just felt that last year I was considering it and stayed on this year, but it felt now like the time was right to step away.”
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