Gaelic Games

Odhran Crumley
BBC Sport NI Journalist

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Madden are back in the Armagh SFC final for the first time in 27 years after beating holders Clann Eireann 0-14 to 0-11 at the Athletic Grounds.

Aron McKenna, Niall Grimley and Conor Grimley were among the first-half scorers as Madden led 0-10 to 0-4 at half-time against the reigning champions.

The holders, who were missing the influential Barry McCambridge due to injury, mounted a second half comeback to cut the gap down to two points, thanks to Armagh star Conor Turbitt hitting a pair of two point efforts going into the final 15 minutes of the match.

But from that point they went scoreless in the final ten minutes with Madden goalkeeper Jamie Sheridan making a miraculous stop to deny a Turbitt a goal in the closing stages of the game.

Conor Grimley tapped over his seventh point of the night with the final kick to seal a huge victory for the men in red to leave Madden a step closer to their first ever senior title in the Orchard County and first appearance in the final since 1998.

They will face the winners of Saturday's second semi-final between Crossmaglen and Cullyhanna in the showpiece decider on Sunday 26 August.

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Jim McGuinness will manage Donegal's senior footballers in 2026 for a third season after being ratified by the county board on Monday.

The 52-year-old is in his second spell as Tir Chonaill boss and led them to Ulster titles in the last two years as well as the All-Ireland final in July where they were beaten by Kerry.

Former Donegal All-Star and Football of the Year Karl Lacey has rejoined the county to manage their minor footballers.

The 2012 All-Ireland winner was part of the backroom staff under Declan Bonner and served as the county's head of academy before managing Down club side Kilcoo for two seasons, leading them to the Ulster club title in 2024.

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Armagh All-Ireland winning forward Stefan Campbell has retired from inter-county football.

The versatile Clann na Gael clubman joined the Orchard County's panel in 2011 and made his championship debut in 2013.

After stepping away from the panel for a year, Campbell returned in 2019 and was most effectively used by Kieran McGeeney as an impact substitute.

He played a crucial role in the 2024 All-Ireland final after coming off the bench, setting up Aaron McKay's goal as Armagh beat Galway 1-11 to 0-13.

Campbell's last appearance for his county came in Armagh's All-Ireland round robin defeat against Galway.

He came off the bench and registered a point as McGeeney's side lost 2-22 to 0-27 in a thriller at Breffni Park.

Following the conclusion of the 2025 inter-county season, Campbell signed up for a fourth spell with Mid-Ulster Football League side Lurgan Celtic.

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The Football Review Committee's proposals were all passed by huge majorities at the GAA's Special Congress on Saturday.

The changes, which were trialled in both intercounty and club competitions this year, will now be included in the GAA's official guide from 1 January 2026.

Some of the 62 reforms did require additional amendments.

Previously, if a successful two-point attempt from beyond the arc was touched by the opposition inside the arc, it would be reduced to a one-point score.

While still the case if the ball is touched by a member of the scorer's own team, a deflection from the opposition no longer impacts whether one or two points are awarded.

The most contentious issue related to the hooter which was passed by a majority of 67%.

During the trial, once a hooter sounded to signal the end of a half or game, play continued until the ball went dead.

In their final report, the FRC has recommended the rule would revert back to the original proposal where the hooter marks the end of a half or game unless the ball is in flight or a free, 45 or sideline is about to be taken.

The opening motion of the day was the only one not brought forward off the back of an FRC recommendation and related to playing gear.

It amended the existing rule where kit had to be manufactured by an Irish manufacturer to one that is officially licensed by the GAA and ensures the organisation is in line with EU law.

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Donegal have received the most nominations for 2025 All-Star awards despite losing to Kerry in this year's All-Ireland Football final in July.

The Ulster champions have 10 players listed, with the Sam Maguire winners boasting nine nominations.

Michael Murphy, who came out of retirement to help Donegal progress to the Croke Park decider, has been nominated for an All-Star and shortlisted for the Footballer of the Year prize.

He is joined on the All-Star list by fellow forwards Conor O'Donnell, Shane O'Donnell and Ciaran Thompson.

Midfielder Michael Langan and defenders Peadar Mogan, Finnbar Roarty, Ciaran Moore, Brendan McCole and Ryan McHugh are also among those whose names have been put forward.

Kerry are represented on the list by brothers David and Paudie Clifford, Sean O'Shea, Joe O'Connor, Gavin White, Jason Foley, Brian O Beaglaioch and Mike Breen, plus goalkeeper Shane Ryan.

David Clifford and O'Connor join Murphy as nominees for the Footballer of the Year.

All-Ireland quarter-finalists Armagh and Meath, who reached the semi-finals, both boast five All-Star nominations.

The Orchard county are represented by Rory Grugan, Oisin Conaty, Ross McQullian, Jarly Og Burns and Ethan Rafferty.

Among the other Ulster counties Tyrone have Kieran McGeary and Niall Devlin named, while Monaghan, Derry and Down have one players apiece nominated, namely Rory Beggan, Conor Glass and Odhran Murdock respectively.

Conaty will contest the Young Player of the Year accolade alongside Donegal corner back Roarty and Galway forward Matthew Thompson, with the Armagh player hoping to collect the prize for the second year in succession.

The All-Star nominations were chosen by a group of Gaelic games correspondents from across print, radio, television and digital media and was chaired by GAA President Jarlath Burns.

The awards will be presented at a gala event at Dublin's RDS on Friday 7 November.

Goalkeepers

Shane Ryan (Kerry), Rory Beggan (Monaghan), Ethan Rafferty (Armagh)

Defenders

Brian O BeaglaIoch (Kerry), Jason Foley (Kerry), Gavin White (Kerry), Michael Breen (Kerry), Brendan McCole (Donegal), Finnbarr Roarty (Donegal), Peadar Mogan (Donegal), Ciaran Moore (Donegal), Ciaran Caulfield (Meath), Sean Rafferty (Meath), Craig Lennon (Louth), Jarly Og Burns (Armagh), Ross McQuillan (Armagh), Niall Devlin (Tyrone), Kieran McGeary (Tyrone), Dessie Ward (Monaghan), Jack Coyne (Mayo), Ryan McHugh (Donegal)

Midfielders

Michael Langan (Donegal), Joe O'Connor (Kerry), Odhran Murdock (Down), Conor Glass (Derry), John Maher (Galway), Peadar O Cofaigh Byrne (Dublin)

Forwards

Michael Murphy (Donegal), Conor O'Donnell (Donegal), Shane O'Donnell (Donegal), Ciaran Thompson (Donegal), David Clifford (Kerry), Paudie Clifford (Kerry), Sean O'Shea (Kerry), Matthew Costello (Meath), Jordan Morris (Meath), Ruairi Kinsella (Meath), Rob Finnerty (Galway), Matthew Thompson (Galway), Sam Mulroy (Louth), Ryan Burns (Louth), Oisin Conaty (Armagh), Rory Grugan (Armagh), Michael Bannigan (Monaghan), Ciaran Kilkenny (Dublin)

Footballer of the Year

David Clifford (Kerry), Joe O'Connor (Kerry), Michael Murphy (Donegal)

Young Footballer of the Year

Oisin Conaty (Armagh), Finbarr Roarty (Donegal), Matthew Thompson (Galway)

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Ulster GAA has confirmed the Dr McKenna Cup will return in 2026 following a one-year hiatus.

At a meeting of the Ulster Competition Controls Committee on Tuesday, county delegates voted unanimously unanimous vote to restore the pre-season competition, with its hurling equivalent, the Conor McGurk Cup also backed to return.

Pre-season tournaments were dropped in 2025 across all provinces, with player welfare cited as a factor due to the condensed inter-county season.

It resulted in provinces taking a financial hit due to lack of gate receipts and sponsorship, with Ulster GAA estimating a loss of up to £300,000.

However, a recent review by the GAA's Central Council opened the door for pre-season competitions to return with Ulster first to confirm the popular Dr McKenna Cup will be played in 2026 in what will be the 100th anniversary since its inception.

Derry are the current holders, winning the 2024 competition with a 0-12 to 0-16 victory against Donegal in the final, while Donegal won the last edition of the Conor McGurk Cup with a 2-25 to 0-22 win over Down in in 2024 to make it back-to-back successes.

The return of similar competitions in the remaining provinces are not yet confirmed. Antrim and Down have been regular participants in Leinster hurling's pre-season tournaments, while the province's O'Byrne Cup in football, Connacht's FBD League and Munster's competitions have also been crucial for teams fine-tuning their league preparations.

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Cork hurling great Patrick Horgan has announced his inter-county retirement.

The 37-year-old forward is hurling's all-time leading scorer in both championship 32-683 (779) and league 26-674 (758) games and is widely regarded as one of the finest players of his generation.

Horgan made his debut in 2008 and won four Munster titles, an Allianz Hurling League title and four All-Stars.

Horgan never tasted success on hurling's biggest day, however, losing four All-Ireland finals with Cork in 2013, 2021, 2024 and most recently in 2025 against Tipperary.

"After careful consideration having focused on playing for my club Glen Rovers in recent weeks, I have made the decision to step back from intercounty hurling," Horgan said in a statement on social media.

"I would like to thank my family for their love, support and encouragement over the years - my wife Ashley and son Jack, my father Pat, my mother Ann, sisters Ann Marie and Audrey, my brother Johnny, my nephews, niece and my in-laws. Without you all I wouldn't be where I am today.

"A huge thank you to my friends and teammates past and present who have always had my back, and to my club Glen Rovers who have backed and supported me throughout the years.

"I have worn the red jersey for eighteen years and it has been the privilege of my life to represent the people of Cork during that time. I will always be grateful for the support the Cork people have given our team in good times and bad. They are truly the greatest supporters in Ireland.

"Up the Rebels."

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Monaghan's Karl O'Connell has joined fellow Farney county veteran Darren Hughes in retiring from inter-county football.

The 37-year-old All Star collected two Ulster Senior Championship medals in 2013 and 2015 during his career and was part of the Ireland squad to face Australia in the International Rules series in 2017.

O'Connell took up the sport as a 17-year-old and made his senior Monaghan debut in 2012, going on to be part of the panel for 14 seasons.

Current Farney county manager Gabriel Bannigan described O'Connell as "one of Monaghan's greatest ever footballers".

"What is truly unique about Karl's achievements is that the man only started playing gaelic football at 17 years of age, to have gone on to play inter-county football from such a late start is a brilliant achievement, but to reach the very highest level and deliver in a Monaghan jersey for 14 seasons and be recognised at All Star level is simply staggering," said Bannigan on the Monaghan GAA website.

"I doubt anyone will ever repeat this unique record from such a late start in our game."

O'Connell, one of only 10 Monaghan players to win an All Star, said: "Although the decision was easy to make, I still found it incredibly hard to mutter the words to Gabriel. It has been an absolute privilege to wear the jersey and play for Monaghan.

"I would like to thank the managers and backroom teams over the years for their persistence and belief in me that allowed me to become the player I became known as."

Hughes called time on his Monaghan career in August, while another former star of the squad, Conor McManus quit before the start of the 2024 season in January.

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Antrim hurling manager Davy Fitzgerald has recruited Seoirse Bulfin as team coach for 2026.

The Limerick man's arrival comes with Pat Bennett, Neil McManus and Paudie Shivers from the 2025 management set-up stepping back, although Arron Graffin is expected to stay on

Bulfin and Fitzgerald have worked together in a number of counties with the Bruff native first linking up with fellow former goalkeeper in Waterford, before moving on to Clare where they managed to guide the Banner County to the 2013 All-Ireland title.

They also brought success to Wexford, winning the 2019 Leinster title and also working together with Sixmikebridge in Clare.

In 2021, Bulfin initially took up a coaching role with Meath before being appointed manager the following year, while he spent 2025 at the helm with Westmeath.

The pair will reunite with Antrim next year as they seek to plot a route back into the Leinster championship following the Saffrons' relegation to the Joe McDonagh Cup competition.

However, they did preserve their Division 1B status in the league with Fitzgerald set to face some of his former counties in Clare and Wexford.

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Former Donegal manager Declan Bonner has been appointed the new Fermanagh senior football boss.

Bonner succeeds Kieran Donnelly, who stepped down in August after four years at the helm.

The 60-year-old won an All-Ireland title as a player with Donegal in 1992 and then had two spells in charge of his native county.

He managed Tir Chonaill from 1997-2000 and then again between 2017-2022, winning back-to-back Ulster titles during his second spell in 2018 and 2019.

Bonner has left club side Erne Gaels to take over as Fermanagh boss having led the team to the 2024 Fermanagh title in his maiden season in charge.

In what proved to be Donnelly's final season in charge, Fermanagh suffered a last-gasp loss to Down in the Ulster SFC quarter-final and reached the semi-finals of the Tailteann Cup where they lost to eventual champions Kildare.

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Players from All-Ireland Senior champions Dublin dominate the nominations for this year's Ladies Football All Stars while two players from Armagh are included in the 45-player list.

The Brendan Martin Cup holders have 12 nominees while Meath, runners-up in the Croke Park decider on 3 August, have 10 players nominated.

National League Division One champions Kerry boast seven nominees, with Galway only slightly worse off with six nominations.

The list is completed by Waterford (3), Cork (2) and one apiece for Kildare, Mayo and Tipperary.

Dublin's All-Ireland title success was their seventh in total and their second in three years.

Armagh's Lauren McConville is among nine nominees who picked up All Star awards in 2024.

The other player short-listed from the Orchard county is long-serving midfielder Caroline O'Hanlon.

The 2025 All-Star team will be announced at a gala banquet in Dublin on 15 November.

2025 Ladies Football All-Star nominees

Goalkeepers: Robyn Murray (Meath), Abby Shiels (Dublin), Mary Ellen Bolger (Kerry).

Full back Line: Jess Tobin (Dublin), Eilís Lynch (Kerry), Áine Sheridan (Meath), Mary Kate Lynch (Meath), Leah Caffrey (Dublin), Laoise Lenehan (Kildare), Melissa Duggan (Cork), Kate Geraghty (Galway)*, Niamh Donlon (Dublin).

Half Back Line: Aoibhín Cleary (Meath), Sinéad Goldrick (Dublin), Aishling O'Connell (Kerry)*, Martha Byrne (Dublin), Nicola Ward (Galway)*, Sarah Wall (Meath), Hannah Noone (Galway), Niamh Crowley (Dublin), Aoife Dillane (Kerry).

Midfield: Emma Murray (Waterford), Louise Ward (Galway), Éilish O'Dowd (Dublin), Anna Galvin (Kerry)*, Caroline O'Hanlon (Armagh), Marion Farrelly (Meath)

Half Forward Line: Lauren McConville (Armagh)*, Sinéad Walsh (Mayo), Aishling Moloney (Tipperary), Carla Rowe (Dublin), Niamh Gallogly (Meath), Olivia Divilly (Galway)*, Ciara Smyth (Meath), Ailbhe Davoren (Galway)*, Bríd McMaugh (Waterford).

Full Forward Line: Emma Duggan (Meath), Hannah Tyrrell (Dublin), Katie Quirke (Cork)*, Síofra O'Shea (Kerry), Vikki Wall (Meath), Niamh Hetherton (Dublin), Kate Sullivan (Dublin), Danielle O'Leary (Kerry)*, Lauren McGregor (Waterford).

* denotes 2024 All Star

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Dublin goalkeeper Stephen Cluxton could be set to call time on his inter-county career after it was announced that he has joined Ger Brennan's management team.

Cluxton, along with former Dublin greats Dean Rock and Denis Bastick, will join their former team-mate on Brennan's coaching panel for the 2026 inter-county season.

Niall Moyna also rejoins the coaching staff having previously been part of the management team for Dublin's All-Ireland success in 2011.

Cluxton, 43, has won nine All-Ireland titles with Dublin, including six championships in a row from 2015 to 2020 as well as six All-Stars.

He has also picked up 18 Leinster titles and five National Football League medals and was part of the Dublin side that lost at the quarter-final stage of the championship this year against Tyrone, which proved to be Dessie Farrell's final game in charge.

The Pobal Parnell clubman will now work with Brennan, who was appointed Dublin boss last month on a three-year term after leading Louth to a first Leinster Championship title in 68 years in June with victory over Meath.

"Dublin GAA are very fortunate to have such a high calibre management team leading our senior footballers," said Dublin county board chairman Ken O'Sullivan in a statement

"Ger, himself, has been hugely successful as both a player and coach across his career.

"I'm delighted to see Dean, Denis and Stephen get involved with the management of the Dublin Senior Football team, having previously given so much to Dublin GAA during their playing careers.

"All three are among the most decorated players the game has ever seen and have been part of panels that have brought historic levels of success to Dublin over the last 15 years.

"Niall has also played a key role in the success and growth of Gaelic Games in the county with Dublin, with St Vincents and with DCU at colleges level."