O’Byrne Cup

The O’Byrne Cup is a Gaelic football competition organised by the Leinster Council and first staged in 1954.

Longford won the O’Byrne Cup four times (1965, 2000, 2020 & 2023) and were runner-up six times (1961, 1963, 1983, 2003, 2008, 2016). As of 2023 the competition participants included eleven Leinster county teams (excluding Kilkenny). Formerly third-level teams competed, but from 2018 onward only county teams play. There was no competition in 1969, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1979, 1984, 1985 or 2021.

These stats focus on Longford in O’Byrne Cup competition from 1980 to 2023.

Longford played 93 games in O’Byrne Cup from 1980 to 2023, Won 44 (47%), Drew 2 (2%) and Lost 47 (51%). For the period from 1980 to 2023, Longford’s most frequent opponent in O’Byrne Cup was Meath (P15/W3/D1/L11). Next most frequent opponent was Westmeath (P12/W3/L9) with Louth (P10/W4/D1/L5) the third most frequent opponent. Longford reached the O’Byrne Cup final seven times since 1980. Longford has played every other Leinster county and six different third level teams since 1980, with most wins over Offaly and most losses to Meath during that period.

1965 O’Byrne Cup Team: Michael Fay, Seámus Flynn, Larry Gillen, Brendan Gilmore, Brendan Barden (Captain), John Donlon, Terry McGovern, Jimmy Hannify (1-0), Jimmy Flynn, Jackie Devine (0-3), Mick Hopkins, Mick Burns, Seán Murray (0-1), Bobby Burns (0-5), Seán Donnelly.

2000 O’Byrne Cup Team: Gavin Tonra, Padraic Jones, Donal Ledwith, Brendan Burke, Martin Mulleady, David Blessington, Cathal Conefrey, Liam Keenan, Enda Barden (Captain, 0-3), Padraic Brady, Paul Barden (0-2), Paul Ross, Trevor Smullen (1-0), Niall Sheridan (1-0), Padraic Davis (0-1). Subs: Aidan Keogh for Ross (47m), Sean Hagan for Brady (63m), Enda Ledwith for Sheridan (71m).

2020 O’Byrne Cup Team: Paddy Collum, Patrick Fox, Andrew Farrell, Barry O’Farrell, Iarla O’Sullivan, Gary Rogers, Colm P Smyth; Darren Gallagher (0-5), Kevin Diffley (1-0), Dessie Reynolds, Daniel Mimnagh, Michael Quinn (Captain), Rian Brady (0-5), Oran Kenny (0-2), Joseph Hagan. Subs: Peter Lynn for O’Sullivan (half-time), Darragh Doherty (0-1) for Diffley (44m), Liam Connerton for Reynolds (67m), Aidan McGuire for Brady (71m).

2023 O’Byrne Cup Team: Paddy Collum, Barry O’Farrell (Captain), Andrew Farrell, Ryan Moffett, Peter Lynn, Gary Rogers, Iarla O’Sullivan, Fergal Sheridan (0-1), Darren Gallagher (0-3), Dylan Farrell, Joe Hagan, Michael Quinn (0-1), Dessie Reynolds (3-3), Daniel Mimnagh (0-1), David McGivney (0-4). Subs: Aaron Farrell for D Farrell (56), Robbie Smyth for Quinn (61), James McGivney for Mimnagh (64), Jack Macken for Reynolds (66), Peter Foy for O’Sullivan (68), Brian Masterson for Lynn (68), Rúairí Harkin for Rogers (68), Tadhg McNevin for Gallagher (70), Conor Keenan for Hagan (70), Jayson Matthews for D McGivney (70).

Note: The O’Byrne Shield competition was introduced in 2006 between the losers of the first round of the O’Byrne Cup competition. Longford won this Shield competition twice, with victory over Wicklow by 0-14 to 1-9 in the 2006 final and victory over Athlone IT by 2-10 to 1-7 in the 2007 decider. The O’Byrne Shield competition was discontinued after 2012.