Two of the most decorated forwards in the history of Dublin football have set up a county final shoot-out after Cuala and Castleknock progressed to the capital’s 2026 showpiece event.
It will be Con O’Callaghan against Ciarán Kilkenny after 2025 champions Ballyboden St Enda’s relinquished their grip on the Dublin title at Parnell Park on Sunday.
O’Callaghan scored 0-3 as Cuala dethroned Ballyboden with a 0-21 to 0-17 victory in the second of the weekend’s Dublin SFC semi-finals.
Kilkenny, who announced his intercounty retirement in July, helped Castleknock beat Thomas Davis 0-26 to 3-12 on Saturday night at the Donnycarney venue to progress to only their second ever senior football county decider after losing to St Vincent’s in 2016.
O’Callaghan has been the Dublin captain for the last two years. Kilkenny was his vice-captain in 2025. In any debate on the greatest Dublin players of all time, both are certain to feature. They were pillars in a Dublin team during a history-making era of unprecedented dominance.
A Dublin SFC is the one standout medal missing from Kilkenny’s collection, whereas O’Callaghan has garnered county titles in both football and hurling.
Still, the final in a fortnight will only be Cuala’s third appearance in the senior football decider – even though the Dalkey outfit not only won the title in 2024 but also progressed to be crowned All-Ireland club champions in January 2025.
Cuala’s Cal Doran is challenged by Céin D’Arcy and Peter Healy of Ballyboden St Enda’s (Cuala 0-21 Ballyboden St Enda’s 0-17). Photograph: Tom Maher/Inpho
Their first final appearance came in 1988 when Parnells proved too strong. Peter Dunne was the Cuala manager that year and fittingly the man taking the club to this year’s county final is his son, Derek.
“My father was involved in 1988, it’s a long time ago but it’s a nice connection to it,” said the Cuala manager after watching his side beat Ballyboden.
It is a Cuala team stuffed with intercounty experience – including O’Callaghan, Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne, Eoin Kennedy and Charlie McMorrow. And nine-time Sam Maguire winner Michael Fitzsimons continues to shore up the defence at full back.
Fitzsimons was as tigerish as ever at the heart of the Cuala defence on Sunday as they largely frustrated a talented Ballyboden attack.
“In the Dublin championship anyway, the referees are just great for allowing the ball into contact, it’s your responsibility to get it out so long as there are no jersey pulls,” said Fitzsimons.
“So it allows for more turnovers and end-to-end contests. That was even great in the All-Ireland final this year, Mayo have been pressing up on teams for years and are very good at it.
“It is important in the new rules for there to be a possibility for defenders to get turnovers because that’s what makes it exciting. If you get turnovers you get quick transitions, you get better offensive play and you avoid the basketball style a bit more, which is great.”
For Ballyboden, Sunday’s defeat marks the end of a long campaign. After winning the Dublin championship last October, the Firhouse outfit went on to win the Leinster club title in December before ultimately losing the All-Ireland decider to Dingle in January.
Inniskeen’s Shane Hanratty with Micheal McCarville of Scotstown (Scotstown 1-18 Inniskeen 3-9). Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho
They were guilty of trying to force matters too much in the first half on Sunday, kicking seven first-half wides – with half a dozen of those coming from ambitious two-point efforts. Cuala led 0-9 to 0-6 at the interval but Ballyboden turned the screw on the resumption – destroying the Dalkey side’s kickout in the second half.
Ballyboden won Cuala’s first eight kickouts after the break to hit the front in the 50th minute. But Cuala had spent 12 months stewing over last year’s semi-final loss, when Ballyboden staged a late surge to end their reign as Dublin champions. Some payback was due.
With the sides tied on 0-17 apiece as the game entered the final minute of normal time, Cillian Dunne – Derek’s son – nudged Cuala ahead.
The push was on. Cuala added three further points in injury-time from David O’Dowd, Conor O’Brien and McMorrow to win by four.
“There was an awful lot of hurt there building up over the year,” said Derek Dunne. “Maybe it did help us get over the line in the end in the last three or four minutes.”
Ballyboden weren’t the only champions dethroned over the weekend. Indeed, All-Ireland club kingpins Dingle exited the Kerry SFC on Saturday, losing 1-17 to 1-11 against Spa. It means neither of this year’s All-Ireland club finalists will even contest their county final over the coming weeks.
Kalum McKenna blocks a shot from Henry Kelly of Clontibret O’Neills (Truagh 4-16 Clontibret 2-19). Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho
And in Meath, 2025 winners Summerhill exited at the semi-final stages following a 1-17 to 0-14 defeat to Wolfe Tones in Dunganny on Sunday.
Loughmacrory’s defence in Tyrone also ended at the semi-final stages with Errigal Ciarán running out 0-19 to 1-13 winners in Omagh.
The fall of the champions continued in Wexford too where St Martin’s beat 2025 winners Castletown 4-12 to 1-16 at Wexford Park.
Football resultsAntrim SFC semi-finals: St Brigid’s 0-17 Dunloy 0-8; O’Donovan Rossa 2-15 Erin’s Own 1-16Armagh SFC semi-finals: Killeavy 2-12 Dromintee 0-8; Crossmaglen 0-23 Clann Éireann 1-19Carlow SFC semi-finals: Rathvilly 4-12 Palatine 2-16; Old Leighlin 1-15 Éire Óg 1-7Cavan SFC semi-finals: Gowna 2-18 Crosserlough 1-6; Kingscourt Stars 3-13 Cuchulainn 0-17Clare SFC semi-finals: Éire Óg 1-20 St Joseph’s Miltown Malbay 0-11; Kilmurry-Ibrickane 4-22 Kildysart 0-9Derry SFC quarter-finals: Glen 1-16 Kilrea 1-6; O’Donovan Rossa 1-15 Lavey 1-13; Slaughtneil 2-17 Ballinderry 0-11; Newbridge 2-12 Bellaghy 0-16Donegal SFC semi-final: St Eunan’s 2-18 Gaoth Dobhair 1-19; Naomh Conaill 0-22 Glenswilly 0-19Dublin SFC semi-finals: Castleknock 0-26 Thomas Davis 3-12; Cuala 0-21 Ballyboden St Enda’s 0-17Fermanagh quarter-finals: Ederney 3-16 Irvinestown 1-18; Derrygonnelly Harps 0-23 Enniskilen Gaels 1-15Kildare SFC quarter-finals: Celbridge 0-13 Raheens 0-10; Maynooth 1-10 Athy 0-11; Naas 2-17 Johnstownbridge 1-15; Sarsfields 1-20 Moorefiled 1-7Limerick SFC quarter-finals: Monaleen 3-6 Rathkeale 0-13; Kildimo Pallaskenry 1-16 Newcastle West 1-11Longford SFC semi-final replay: Clonguish 2-12 Dromard 0-10Louth SFC semi-final: Newtown Blues 1-15 St Mary’s Ardee 2-11; St Mochta’s 1-11 St Joseph’s 0-4Mayo SFC semi-final: Castlebar Mitchels 1-16 Breaffy 0-14; Garrymore 2-16 Belmullet 2-15Meath SFC semi-final: Donaghmore Ashbourne 1-14 Ratoath 0-12; Wolfe Tone 1-17 Summerhill 0-14Monaghan SFC semi-finals: Scotstown 1-18 Inniskeen 3-9; Truagh 4-16 Clontibret 2-19Roscommon SFC semi-finals: Padraig Pearses 5-22 Boyle 2-27; St Brigids 3-22 Strokestown 2-8Tipperary SFC semi-finals: Clonmel Commercials 0-14 Moyle Rovers 0-8; Kilsheelan Kilcash 2-16 Loughmore-Castleiney 1-18Tyrone SFC semi-finals: Edendork 0-20 Donoaghmore 0-12; Errigal Ciarán 0-19 Loughmacrory 1-13Wexford SFC semi-finals: St Martin’s 4-12 Castletown 1-16; Kilanerin 2-12 Shelmaliers 0-17
Glen Rovers’ Dean Brosnan breaks his hurl over the helmet of Sean O’Sullivan of Midleton (Glen Rovers 2-21 Midleton 1-18). Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho Hurling resultsCork SHC semi-finals: St Finbarrs 1-27 Kanturk 1-22; Glen Rovers 2-21 Midleton 1-18Down SHC semi-finals: Portaferry 3-28 Liatroim 1-7; Ballygalget 2-19 Ballycran 2-12Galway SHC quarter-finals: Clarinbridge 4-25 Gort 0-18; Tommy Larkins 4-14 Tuloughmore 1-21; Craughwell 1-24 Sarsfields 1-17; Loughrea 2-19 Athenry 0-14Laois SHC semi-finals: Camross 2-16 Rosenallis 2-11; The Harps 4-16 Clough-Ballacolla 2-19Offaly SHC semi-finals: Kilcormac-Killoughey 1-34 St Rynaghs 2-23; Ballinamere 4-18 Belmont 3-19Westmeath SHC semi-final: Raharney 1-23 Castletown Geoghe… 1-19Wicklow SHC final: Carnew Emmets 0-15 Glenealy 0-12