Talbot Hotel Carlow Junior A Football Championship 2026

What to Expect

The Talbot Hotel Carlow Junior A Football Championship is the third rung of adult club football in the county, and unlike the senior grade it is played almost entirely on club pitches rather than at the county ground. That makes it the grade to follow if you want to see gaelic football the way most of Carlow actually watches it: a village pitch, a small stand or a bank of spectators along the wire, and a local rivalry that has usually been running for decades.

Six fixtures are scheduled across the next week. Rathvilly host Kilbride at Fr Ryan Park on Wednesday 19 August at 7.30pm. Thursday 20 August brings a double bill at 7pm, with Naomh Eoin v Palatine in Myshall and Asca v Leighlinbridge at Presentation College. Eire Og meet O’Hanrahans at Pairc Ui Bhriain on Saturday 22 August at 6pm, Palatine host Rathvilly on Monday 24 August at 7.30pm, and O’Hanrahans face Asca at their own ground on Tuesday 25 August at 7pm. Junior A also feeds a promotion route towards the intermediate grade, so late group games often carry more weight than the tier suggests.

Good to Know

• Next fixture: Wednesday 19 August 2026, 7.30pm, Rathvilly v Kilbride at Fr Ryan Park
• Further games through to Tuesday 25 August 2026 at club grounds around the county
• Venues in use include Fr Ryan Park Rathvilly, Myshall, Presentation College, Pairc Ui Bhriain, Palatine and O’Hanrahans
• Admission varies by club and round; check carlowgaa.ie for the current fixture list
• Junior A fixtures are the most likely in the county to be moved at short notice

Getting There

Fr Ryan Park is in Rathvilly, a village on the River Slaney in north-east Carlow, about 15km from Carlow town on the N81 towards Baltinglass. The other grounds in this round are scattered: Myshall sits under Mount Leinster in the south-east, Pairc Ui Bhriain and O’Hanrahans are both in Carlow town, and Palatine is just north-west of the town off the R417. Rural club grounds have limited signage, so check the exact venue on the Carlow GAA fixtures page and travel by car - evening bus services to Carlow villages are very limited.