4 to watch out for in the Tailteann Cup

Mike Finnerty | 05 June 2025

Exclusive to GAA+ this Weekend, Tailteann Cup

Keith O’Neill - Offaly

Winning the man of the match award in the Allianz League Division 3 Final and stealing the show in his post-match interview certainly put the 21 year-old attacker on the map ahead of the start of the championship.

Now Mickey Harte and Declan Kelly will be hoping that O’Neill will have fully recovered from a recent injury in time to line out against New York in Tullamore on Saturday.

The Clonbullogue clubman shot 2-25 over the course of the National League, and racked up six points (including a two-pointer) in the course of a disappointing defeat to Meath in the Leinster championship.

Remarkably, he hasn’t managed to get on the scoresheet yet in the Tailteann Cup but on his day he’s hard to handle.

Jack Robinson - New York

You can be sure that many in the Offaly camp will be well aware of Robinson’s reputation.

The former Kildare minor star turned plenty of heads at Gaelic Park in The Bronx on the opening weekend of the championship — despite ending up on the losing team.

Robinson shot five points from play against Galway in the Connacht SFC quarter-final and proved to be a real handful for a few of the Tribesmen’s best man-markers.

All Star Johnny McGrath was switched off the Clogherinkoe clubman before Jack Glynn pitted his wits against the pacy corner-forward.

On Saturday it will be Offaly’s turn to try and pin down a man who won a Leinster minor medal with the Lilywhites back in 2016.

Luke Loughlin - Westmeath

He started the championship like a train in front of the GAA+ cameras against Kildare in the Leinster championship back in April, and Loughlin hasn’t stopped since.

His eleven points against the Lilywhites were a masterclass in score-taking, as he used his pace and directness to devastating effect.

This was followed up by 1-17 (including five two-pointers) during the course of a Tailteann Cup win over Antrim.

Another nine points arrived against London in Ruislip before The Downs forward shot seven points during the course of Westmeath’s defeat to Limerick last weekend.

Now the 30 year-old has got Laois in his sights next Saturday evening in Mullingar.

Damon Larkin - Laois

One of the main reasons for the O’Moore men reaching the knock-out stages of the Tailteann Cup is the form of the free-scoring midfielder.

The Portlaoise clubman shot 2-8 over the course of the group stages against Wicklow, Waterford and Offaly and seems to have hit form at just the right time ahead of Saturday evening’s Leinster derby against Westmeath.

The 23 year-old hit the net twice against Offaly in the first half last weekend after an impressive cameo at full-forward. He then moved back to his more regular station at midfield for the second period.

He is going to take some watching.