The Christmas break will be a short one for inter-county players this year.
Pre-season training has been underway for a few weeks already with screening, fitness tests, drills and more high on the agenda of most managers as extended county panels begin to get whittled down ahead of a return to action in January.
For Carlow’s senior hurlers and footballers, that return comes in the first week of January with the Keogh Cup and O’Byrne Cup starting early in 2023.
On the hurling front, Carlow’s Keogh Cup campaign begins on Thursday 5 January away to Kildare, wrapping up on 22 January at home to Meath. They will have a bye week for the last round of games on 29 January.
In football, Carlow find themselves in Group B of this year’s competition with the group winner heading straight to the final to take on the winners of either Group A or Group B on 20 January.
2023 Keogh Cup Fixtures
- Round 1: Kildare v Carlow, Thursday 5 January
- Round 2: Carlow v Wicklow, Sunday 8 January
- Round 3: Down v Carlow, Sunday 15 January in Abbottstown
- Round 4: Carlow v Meath, Sunday 22 January
- Round 5: Bye week, Sunday 29 January
Whoever finishes top of the table after their four games are played will be deemed Keogh Cup winners.
2023 O’Byrne Cup Fixtures
- Round 1: Carlow v Meath, Wednesday 4 January
- Round 2: Longford v Carlow Saturday 7 January
- Round 3: Laois v Carlow Wednesday 11 January
This year’s final takes place on Friday 20 January.