Sanctioned in 2019, delayed by Covid in 2020 and 2021, the new Tailteann Cup will finally go ahead this summer, but how will it work and who’s in it?
The draw for this year’s competition is being made on Monday morning, including preliminary round and first round fixtures. Times and venues will be decided separately.
For the draw, teams have been separated into Northern and Southern sections.
Tailteann Cup Northern Section
- Antrim
- Fermanagh
- Down
- Sligo
- London
- Longford
- Leitrim
- Cavan
Tailteann Cup Southern Section
- Waterford
- Laois
- Offaly
- Wicklow
- Carlow
- Wexford
- Tipperary
- Westmeath
- New York (at quarter-finals)
New York are in the Southern Section, that much decided by a CCCC meeting last week, and they’re already assured of a place in the quarter-finals. With only three teams from this section going to the quarter-finals, two preliminary round games are required.
Tailteann Cup Draw Format
The draws will take the following format.
Northern Section
All eight teams will be in one bowl, the first two out will meet each other and so on until the four pairings are made.
The first county drawn in each fixture will have home advantage.
Southern Section
A preliminary Round is required in the Southern Section with two fixtures and will involve the teams in the Southern section who did not qualify for a provincial semi-final (Laois, Offaly, Wicklow, Carlow, Wexford, Waterford)
A draw will be made for two pairings, with the first county drawn in each fixture having home advantage.
Tipperary, Westmeath, Preliminary Round Winner 1, and Preliminary Round Winner 2 will be added to the bowl.
There will now be six teams in the bowl, the first two out will meet each other and so on until the three pairings are made.
The first county drawn in each fixture will have home advantage
How does the competition work?
It’s a straight knock-out competition, winner stays on and the overall winner is guaranteed a place in the 2023 Sam Maguire competition. The semi-finals will be an open draw between the four quarter-final winners. A draw will be made for each round of games.
Tailteann Cup Fixtures
- Preliminary Round (If required) | 21-22.05.2022 (Sat/Sun)
- Round 1 | 28-29.05.2022 (Sat/Sun)
- Quarter-Finals | 04-05.06.2022 (Sat/Sun)
- Semi-Finals | 19.06.2022 (Sun)
- Final | 09.07.2022 (Sat)
Home venues will be used up to the semi-finals when they move to Croke Park along with the final, those games set to be televised.
