New Dublin manager Ger Brennan has indicated that there’ll be no more retirements from his camp ahead of the new season.
Brennan presided over his first competitive game as Dubs boss this afternoon, a six-point win over Laois to secure a Dioralyte O’Byrne Cup semi-final fixture with Kildare.
He went with a highly experimental group and Man of the Match Niall O’Callaghan was the only player involved that received competitive game time in 2025 under Dessie Farrell.
O’Callaghan, brother of Dublin star Con, was made captain for the day in Ratheniska and clearly enjoyed the responsibility, firing a match-winning 1-6.
The Cuala man’s goal came in the opening minutes and Robert Shaw, Tim Deering and Eoin Kennedy grabbed the other three-pointers in the eventual six-point win.
Dublin lost John Small and Stephen Cluxton from their playing group after the 2025 Championship but, according to Brennan, all of their other established players will be back.
“The guys who have gone are gone and have given great service to Dublin,” said the former Dublin centre-back and Louth manager. “Everyone else is working hard behind the scenes and trying to get the bodies right.”
As for his new look squad, Brennan explained that Dublin are taking the opportunity to reward players who impressed in recent months.
“We’ve looked at over 130 players, from 36 different clubs, from Division 1 in Dublin down to Division 4, from Senior A football down to Junior A football,” said Brennan. “We had guys on the squad today from Division 4 club teams who will get game time again next weekend.”
Laois were closer to full strength and there was a welcome cameo from Evan O’Carroll who fired 0-6 after missing all of 2025 with a knee injury. Mikie Dempsey also came on after his own long-term knee issues.
But the new look Dubs controlled the game after a slow opening quarter and blasted four second-half two pointers.
They’ll face Tailteann Cup holders in the last four of the pre-season competition next Saturday and will stick with the same development squad, according to Brennan.
That should mean another opportunity for players like midfielder Kevin Stephenson, Jack Lundy and the third O’Callaghan brother, Eoghan, to impress again.
Sean Guiden, son of Dublin great Niall, impressed too with 0-3.
Laois will have a second outing in the O’Byrne Cup shield competition next Saturday.
But it looked like they might take the win here after a strong start left them 0-8 to 1-0 clear.
O’Callaghan’s palmed goal early on was all Dublin had to show on the scoreboard until their next score in the 21st minute, a Sean Guiden point.
But they upped the ante after that and goals from Shaw and Deering before the break left them 3-3 to 0-10 up.
Meanwhile, Longford’s bid for a three-in-a-row of O’Byrne Cup titles is over – without even kicking a ball in the competition.
Their Round 1 tie with Westmeath couldn’t go ahead due to an unplayable pitch and a coin toss to see who advanced to the quarter-final went against them.
So Westmeath will play Leinster champions Louth in a quarter-final on Wednesday evening.
Meath will play Offaly in the other quarter-final on the same evening after both sides pulled through their respective Round 1 games.
Diarmuid Moriarty and Killian Smyth struck first-half goals for a second-string Meath side that endured a spirited comeback from Wicklow to win by 2-11 to 1-12.
Offaly came from behind with two goals in the closing minutes to beat Carlow by 3-14 to 3-9.
Kildare made it through to the semi-finals with a 2-12 to 0-9 win over Wexford in Enniscorthy. Darragh Swords and Sam Doran struck the goals for the Tailteann Cup holders.
Dublin scorers: Niall O’Callaghan 1-6 (3 tp), Robert Shaw 1-0, Tim Deering 1-0, Eoin Kennedy 1-0, Clyde Burke 0-3 (1 tp), Sean Guiden 0-3 (0-1f), Kevin Stephenson 0-1, Jack Lundy 0-1.
Laois scorers: Evan O’Carroll 0-6 (0-1f), Killian Byrne 1-0, Killian Roche 0-3 (1 tpf, 0-1 45), Brian Byrne 0-2, Matthew Byron 0-2 (tpf), Cian Doyle 0-1 (0-1f), Ben O’Connor 0-1, Patrick O’Sullivan 0-1, Coin Dunne 0-1.
Dublin: Sam Moloney; Eoghan O’Callaghan, Finn Bruton, Josh Bannon; Paidi White, Tim Deering, Robert Shaw; Jack Feehan, Kevin Stephenson; James McCormack, Jack Lundy, Dylan Knight-Sands; Sean Guiden, Niall O’Callaghan, Conor Chawke.
Subs: Liam Smith for Bruton h/t, Jamie McCarville for Chawke h/t, Eoin Kennedy for Knight-Sands h/t, Rory O’Brien for Moloney 40, Clyde Burke for Feehan 40, Dan Murphy for Lundy 40, Dylan Kettle for Eoghan O’Callaghan 40, Fiachra Potts for Bannon 54, Cillian Dunne for McCormack 54.
Laois: Killian Roche; Conaire Gee, Trevor Collins, Ben O’Connor; Jack Lacey, Kevin Swayne, Aaron McEvoy; Robert Tyrrell, Conor Heffernan; Killian Byrne, Cian Doyle, Josh Hogan; Nial Corbett, Brian Byrne, Evan O’Carroll.
Subs: Mikie Dempsey for Heffernan h/t, Matthew Byron for Roche h/t, Cathal Lee for Lacey 40, Patrick O’Sullivan for Corbet 40, Daniel Boland for Gee 46, Colin Dunne for O’Carroll 46, Joey Shelly for Hogan 56.
Referee: James Foley (Carlow).