{"id":208291,"date":"2025-12-24T08:31:10","date_gmt":"2025-12-24T08:31:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/208291\/"},"modified":"2025-12-24T08:31:10","modified_gmt":"2025-12-24T08:31:10","slug":"boost-for-dingle-as-mark-oconnor-set-to-return-for-all-ireland-semi-final-against-ballyboden-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/208291\/","title":{"rendered":"Boost for Dingle as Mark O\u2019Connor set to return for All-Ireland semi-final against Ballyboden \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dingle are set to be boosted by the return of Mark O\u2019Connor for their All-Ireland club senior football championship<\/a> semi-final against Ballyboden St Enda\u2019s next month.<\/p>\n

The former Kerry<\/a> underage star played a central role in Dingle\u2019s county and provincial achievements over recent months.<\/p>\n

Geelong recently confirmed O\u2019Connor\u2019s return to preseason training in Australia ahead of the upcoming AFL campaign, which commences in early March.<\/p>\n

But, as first reported by The Irish Examiner, it is believed O\u2019Connor is returning to Ireland for Christmas and will be available for Dingle\u2019s All-Ireland semi-final in P\u00e1irc U\u00ed Chaoimh on Saturday, January 3rd.<\/p>\n

Dingle had all but ruled O\u2019Connor out of the contest with manager P\u00e1draig O\u2019Connor stating after their Munster final win over St Finbarr\u2019s that they were not expecting him to return for the All-Ireland series.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is extremely difficult on Mark because he is contracted to play with Geelong and they are all back for pre-season, and I am not so sure how that would work out in terms of getting him back to Ireland,\u201d Corcoran said at the time.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf it was a shorter trip and he was able to get home for a day or two, but it\u2019s a longer trip and you are probably missing out on a week\u2019s training over there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Dingle’sDingle\u2019s Mark O’Connor and Michael O’Donnell of Austin Stacks during the Kerry senior football final in October. Photograph: James Crombie\/Inpho <\/p>\n

O\u2019Connor was a key figure as Dingle won the Kerry title and then progressed to claim a maiden Munster crown.<\/p>\n

Dingle were hugely appreciative of Geelong permitting O\u2019Connor to play, initially for the county championship, but then also for their provincial campaign.<\/p>\n

Selector Thomas Barrett commended O\u2019Connor for adding so much to the squad, on and off the field.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was great to have him. He was initially only ever really there to take part in the county championship but then when we won that, in fairness Mark wanted to stick around,\u201d said Barrett.<\/p>\n

\u201cGeelong supported him, enabling him to do that. He was just a really good guy to have around the place. He\u2019s a superstar in Australia but he\u2019s just such a humble guy and kind of has this calm assurance about him that he brought to the group. He was just a really positive influence to have around.\u201d<\/p>\n

The second All-Ireland club senior football semi-final will see Monaghan\u2019s Scotstown tackle St Brigid\u2019s of Roscommon at Breffni Park on Sunday, January 4th at 3pm.<\/p>\n

The junior and intermediate club semi-finals will all take place on Saturday, January 3rd.<\/p>\n

The first of the junior semi-finals will see Kiltimagh of Mayo face Clogher \u00c9ire \u00d3g from Tyrone at 12.30pm in P\u00e1irc Se\u00e1n MacDiarmada in Carrick-on-Shannon.<\/p>\n

At 2pm, Kerry\u2019s Ballymacelligott will then face Grangenolvin of Kildare in the second junior semi-final.<\/p>\n

The first of the intermediate semis will be contested by Roscommon\u2019s Strokestown and Derry\u2019s Glenullin at 12.30pm in Ballyshannon, while the second last-four clash in the grade will act as a curtain raiser to a senior semi-final at P\u00e1irc U\u00ed Chaoimh, when An Ghaeltacht of Kerry face Kildare\u2019s Sallins at 1.15pm.<\/p>\n

The club semi-finals are among a series of fixtures scheduled for the opening weekend of 2026.<\/p>\n

Next weekend, December 27th-28th, is the only weekend of the year without GAA fixtures. However, the following week will see games stretched across Friday, January 2nd to Sunday, January 4th, with all of the provincial pre-league competitions getting under way.<\/p>\n

On the Friday night there will be matches in Ulster\u2019s McKenna Cup and Munster\u2019s McGrath Cup. The pick of the opening night fixtures is a heavyweight meeting of Kieran McGeeney\u2019s Armagh and Malachy O\u2019Rourke\u2019s Tyrone at the Athletic Grounds at 7pm.<\/p>\n

The McGrath Cup fixtures that night will see Waterford host Clare in Fraher Field at 7pm, while Limerick are at home to Tipperary in Rathkeale at the same time. <\/p>\n

There will be much interest in Ger Brennan\u2019s maiden game as Dublin senior football manager on the Saturday afternoon when he takes his side to Ratheniska to play Laois in the first round of the O\u2019Byrne Cup at 1.30pm.<\/p>\n

Brennan, who managed Louth to Leinster glory this year, is expected to use the O\u2019Byrne Cup to give game time to untested Dublin players.<\/p>\n

In Connacht, the footballers of London and Sligo are in for a busy opening weekend with both teams pencilled in for two matches in as many days.<\/p>\n

Sligo will play Mayo in Charlestown at 1pm on Saturday, January 3rd. On the same day, London will play Galway at Connacht GAA\u2019s Centre of Excellence at 6pm. To take full advantage of their trip across the Irish Sea, the Exiles will then play Sligo at the same venue at 1pm on the Sunday.<\/p>\n

2026 opening weekend:<\/p>\n

Friday, January 2nd (all 7pm)<\/p>\n

McKenna Cup: Armagh v Tyrone, Athletic Grounds, Armagh.<\/p>\n

McGrath Cup: Waterford v Clare, Fraher Field; Limerick v Tipperary, Mick Neville Park, Rathkeale.<\/p>\n

Saturday, January 3rd<\/p>\n

All-Ireland Club JFC semi-finals: Kiltimagh (Mayo) v Clogher \u00c9ire \u00d3g (Tyrone), P\u00e1irc Se\u00e1n MacDiarmada Carrick-on-Shannon, 12.30pm; Ballymacelligott (Kerry) v Grangenolvin (Kildare), Mick Neville Park, Rathkeale, 2pm.<\/p>\n

All-Ireland Club IFC semi-finals: Strokestown (Roscommon) v Glenullin (Derry), Ballyshannon, 12.30pm; An Ghaeltacht (Kerry) v Sallins (Kildare), P\u00e1irc U\u00ed Chaoimh, 1.15pm.<\/p>\n

All-Ireland Club SFC semi-final: Ballyboden St Enda\u2019s (Dublin) v Dingle (Kerry), P\u00e1irc U\u00ed Chaoimh, 3.15pm.<\/p>\n

All-Ireland Club Senior Camogie Final: St Finbarr\u2019s (Cork) v Athenry (Galway), Semple Stadium, 5.15pm.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Byrne Cup (1.30pm): Laois v Dublin, Ratheniska; Wexford v Kildare, St Patrick\u2019s Park, Enniscorthy; Carlow v Offaly, \u00c9ire \u00d3g, Carlow; Wicklow v Meath, Aughrim; Longford v Westmeath, Pearse Park.<\/p>\n

Munster Senior Hurling League (2pm): Tipperary v Waterford, Clonmel Sportsfield; Clare v Limerick, Tulla.<\/p>\n

FBD League: Sligo v Mayo, Charlestown, 1pm; Galway v London, Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence, 6pm.<\/p>\n

McKenna Cup: Cavan v Monaghan, Breffni Park, 6pm.<\/p>\n

Sunday, January 4th<\/p>\n

All-Ireland Club SFC semi-final: St Brigid\u2019s (Roscommon) v Scotstown (Monaghan), Breffni Park, Cavan, 3pm.<\/p>\n

FBD League (1pm): Roscommon v Leitrim, Elphin; London v Sligo, Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence.<\/p>\n

McKenna Cup: Donegal v Derry, O\u2019Donnell Park, Letterkenny, 1.30pm.<\/p>\n

Walsh Cup (1.30pm, unless stated): Kildare v Galway, St Conleth\u2019s Park; Westmeath v Kilkenny, Kevin Molloy Park, The Downs; Laois v Wexford, Rathdowney; Carlow v Dublin, SETU Carlow Campus; Offaly v Antrim, O\u2019Connor Park, 2pm.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Dingle are set to be boosted by the return of Mark O\u2019Connor for their All-Ireland club senior football…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":208292,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[11182,1128,61,60,43],"class_list":["post-208291","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-ireland","tag-action","tag-football","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/208291","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=208291"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/208291\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/208292"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=208291"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=208291"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=208291"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}