2026 Provincial Cups and Friendlies

[legendz]

The draw for Last 16 of Munster Senior Cup will take place on Friday. 11 Round 2 winners and 5 LoI clubs enter the draw.

https://x.com/MunsterFA/status/1993055971707662349?t=QnDCvZXFj9qEnTNYJ9Ii0A&s=19

[Elfman]

Any opinion on who the best non-league side is? I saw Ringmahon got off to a good start in the league but Lakewood put out Mayfield and Carrigaline also went out to lower division opposition in Fermoy.

[legendz]

Confirmed 2025/2026 Grandon’s Toyota Munster Senior Cup Last-16 Draw:

KERRY FC vs Cobh Wanderers FC
Midleton FC vs CORK CITY FC
College Corinthians vs Blarney United
Leeside United vs COBH RAMBLERS FC
Fermoy FC vs Rockmount AFC
Leeds AFC vs Lakewood Athletic
WATERFORD FC vs Riverstown FC
Ringmahon Rangers vs TREATY UNITED FC

[seand]

I'm sure the Leinster Senior Cup group phase has been drawn too. Dundalk with Shels (I think), Athlone Town and another Athlone team.

[2 Year Contract]

I'm sure the Leinster Senior Cup group phase has been drawn too. Dundalk with Shels (I think), Athlone Town and another Athlone team.
It is indeed. The groups are below:

Group A
Dundalk
Shelbourne
Athlone Town
St Peter's

Group B
St Patrick's Athletic
Drogheda United
Longford Town
Montpelier

Group C
Shamrock Rovers
UCD
East Wall Bessborough
Blackrock College

Group D
Bohemians
Bray Wanderers
Wexford
Finglas United

[oriel]

Lest we forget...................

Malone Cup (final) Dundalk (holders) v Drogs (mmm) date, Jan TBC, venue TBC.

[legendz]

MSC Quarter-finals:
Fermoy FC or Rockmount AFC v College Corinthians or Blarney United;

WATERFORD FC or Riverstown FC v Leeside United or COBH RAMBLERS;

Leeds AFC or Lakewood Athletic v KERRY FC or Cobh Wanderers;

Ringmahon Rangers or TREATY UNITED v Midleton FC or CORK CITY.

At least two LoI sides will be knocked out before the semi finals.

[Martinho II]

Montepelier are a new side for Longford Town where in Dublin are they based?

[oriel]

Montepelier are a new side for Longford Town where in Dublin are they based?


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montpelier_F.C.

[2 Year Contract]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montpelier_F.C.

Not the same club, that one was dissolved in 1895. The current one of the same name were founded in 2015 and play in TUD’s Grangegorman campus

[Burnsie]

They've gone through a couple of rebrands but they're essentially a successor to O'Devany Dunard FC

[pineapple stu]

UCD v Blackrock College is one of the weirder-sounding LSC ties (which is saying a lot!)

UCD did once sign a player from Blackrock College, but we signed him from their rugby team in the 30s. He was still top scorer a couple of times. The olden days were a bit more random like that.

[sbgawa]

Souuthside dorrby for the goys

[dundalkfc10]

Lest we forget...................

Malone Cup (final) Dundalk (holders) v Drogs (mmm) date, Jan TBC, venue TBC.

It's on Friday 30th January accordingly to a Drogs mate of mine. Assume it will be in Drogheda as was in Oriel this year

[Nesta99]

It's on Friday 30th January accordingly to a Drogs mate of mine. Assume it will be in Drogheda as was in Oriel this year

Could be Oriel Ive heard as the pitch needs a bunch of games on it to get it bedded in for the league start so non competative stuff right up to league start may be needed. The non-league LSC game would probably have been switched anyway, throw in the Malone Cup often the last game before season KO, considered a tester and if not fully right some early home game will switch away. Depends on a few things, state of underlay and ground works, the new infill behaviour as old rubber crumb is banned (I think or its should be), use and then very heavy persistant spells of rain will be needed to have it right. Short term dispensation from exact testing/licence parameters could be applied but we're used to the moans when it'll plays inconsistently until it hits its prime. 1st world problems in the grand scheme.

[Buckett]

From 2031, black rubber crumb will be barred from sale in the EU.

When it breaks down, it can actually turn into a banned performance enhancing chemical called DMBA!

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2025/nov/26/valerenga-anti-doping-changes-artificial-pitch-causes-footballer-to-fail-drug-test#:~:text=The%20Norwegian%20club%20V%C3%A5leren ga%20have,crumb%20in%20an%20artificial%20pitch.

[Nesta99]

Yeah i think its the potential carcinogenic properties thats the concern. The microplastic door is past closing. Rubber crumb for football pitches should be banned for cork crumb, no need to not phase out immediately. For other stuff 5 years not such a big deal.

[outspoken]

Montepelier are a new side for Longford Town where in Dublin are they based?

France

[Longfordian]

France

I'd be a lot more interested in that as an away trip than Grangergorman! I remember them playing Man United in the Cup Winners Cip back in the day when I was a nipper.

[Elfman]

They've gone through a couple of rebrands but they're essentially a successor to O'Devany Dunard FC
I'd be interested in the history behind that if you have any more info. I asked the same question as Martinho in another form and was told they were from Arbour Hill, which makes sense due to the nearby roads of Montpelier Hill/Drive/Court.

Quick Google say Dunard became Dublin Central circa 2016. Did a group split off before this to become Montpelier?

[Elfman]

UCD v Blackrock College is one of the weirder-sounding LSC ties (which is saying a lot!)

UCD did once sign a player from Blackrock College, but we signed him from their rugby team in the 30s. He was still top scorer a couple of times. The olden days were a bit more random like that.
I thought you were taking about Hugo MacNeill for a second until you mentioned the 1930s! He was decent for you in the B division or so I've heard.

[pineapple stu]

There's a legend he scored a rake of goals (46 I think the story was) in the LoI B Division but it's not true. I don't think he scored any. He won a Collingwood and that's about it - he was a Trinity student for the most part.

Paddy Crean was the guy in the 30s.

[Elfman]

None at all?! 46 did sound a bit high alright but in that case that legend certainly grew legs!

[pineapple stu]

Yeah, no idea where it came from! We rarely scored 46 at non-league level as a team, let alone one player

I have most of our non-league scorers in the 70s and he's not one. And also never played LoI (and you'd expect anyone who scored a rake of goals for the Bs to make at least one senior appearance)

Checked that with him for the book - can't remember the exact response now but certainly the goalscoring feats aren't true

[legendz]

An Ulster Senior Cup and a Connacht Senior Cup should be a step closer following the National League announcement. The Munster Senior Cup will need to be tweaked a bit to include three NL clubs. Presumably they might enter before the Last 16. The Munster FA will have to decide do they rank NL clubs as equals or higher than MSL clubs.

[culloty82]

Cork City confirm a friendly with Kerry on Wednesday February 4th in Bishopstown.

[2 Year Contract]

Cork City confirm a friendly with Kerry on Wednesday February 4th in Bishopstown.

There’s about 25 odd friendlies involving LOI teams on the FAI Connect app. If you search ‘League of Ireland Friendlies 2026’ in the competitions search field you’ll see them all

[legendz]

Shamrock Rovers in Mounthawk Park is the pre season friendly I'd like to see. Be interested to see what crowd would attend and if it could be an LoI friendly sell out. Thought there was enough good will off the back of the semi final, despite the red card that should have been given, for a friendly to be agreed.

[culloty82]

Shamrock Rovers in Mounthawk Park is the pre season friendly I'd like to see. Be interested to see what crowd would attend and if it could be an LoI friendly sell out. Thought there was enough good will off the back of the semi final, despite the red card that should have been given, for a friendly to be agreed.

Seems the reason all the friendlies are away (Treaty and Waterford now also confirmed) is that the Mounthawk astro is being relaid between now and the start of the season.

[legendz]

Seems the reason all the friendlies are away (Treaty and Waterford now also confirmed) is that the Mounthawk astro is being relaid between now and the start of the season.Oh right, that puts paid to that. Cobh Wanderers is a home game. Might that be played in the home of the neighbours in Killarney?

[nigel-harps1954]

Seems the reason all the friendlies are away (Treaty and Waterford now also confirmed) is that the Mounthawk astro is being relaid between now and the start of the season.

Thank the fcuking lord.

[outspoken]

Longford playing home farm tonight, must be the earliest pre season friendly ever

[culloty82]

The annual "friendly" against Killarney Celtic is on the 6th of January.

[brendy_éire]

The Derry City - Sligo Rovers match in the Brandywell tonight is now "strictly behind closed doors", so plenty of lads on trial, we can assume.

[Bohtastic]

Bohs v Drogheda 1pm
No Todd or Hickey in the Bohs team..

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

The Derry City - Sligo Rovers match in the Brandywell tonight is now "strictly behind closed doors", so plenty of lads on trial, we can assume.

Dungannon at 2pm

[RealJohn91]

Bohs v Drogheda 1pm
No Todd or Hickey in the Bohs team..
Hickey was the player listed as a trialist in the line up apparently, played as a centre half too.

[Shinkicker]

Hickey was the player listed as a trialist in the line up apparently, played as a centre half too.
Bohs had 4 trialists, any of them new faces or are they recently signed and not on the register. Like as you say Hickey is today

[RealJohn91]

Bohs had 4 trialists, any of them new faces or are they recently signed and not on the register. Like as you say Hickey is today
Another one was Hugh Martin, the young lad signed from UCD. Haven't heard anything about the other two so I assume they were actually trialists.

[Shinkicker]

Another one was Hugh Martin, the young lad signed from UCD. Haven't heard anything about the other two so I assume they were actually trialists.
Cheers.

[2 Year Contract]

Bohs had 4 trialists, any of them new faces or are they recently signed and not on the register. Like as you say Hickey is today

I sincerely hope Bohs have learned from the days of signing Akinade and steer well clear of signing lads that are on the register ;)

[culloty82]

Interesting approaches taken by the various clubs towards friendlies, with Bray live updating FAI Connect during their matches, while others choose to only post score details after full time.

[D24Saint]

Interesting approaches taken by the various clubs towards friendlies, with Bray live updating FAI Connect during their matches, while others choose to only post score details after full time.

I reckon most clubs only want fans to know about friendlies a week or two from the start of the season. At this early stage its about trying things out including players on trial.

[outspoken]

Interesting approaches taken by the various clubs towards friendlies, with Bray live updating FAI Connect during their matches, while others choose to only post score details after full time.

Wonder had they lost 11-1 if they'd be so forthcoming lol

[dundalkfc10]

We are playing Shels on Tuesday in the Leinster Senior Cup on an astro turf pitch with only a cage around it in a housing estate in Dundalk Tuesday.
Everybody I've spoken to is going to it, will be madness trying to see anything def will be a few hundred at it easily

Crazy stuff but there's nowhere in town suitable to hold it apart from Oriel

We're playing our first game in LSC today in Athlone kicking off now at 1 but apart from Minogue in goals and Garbett on wing it's all under 19s

[legendz]

Cobh Ramblers are the only Munster side missing from Kerry's pre-season that will see them take on Treaty, Waterford and Cork. Cobh Wanderers however will be travelling to MH Park next Friday January 16 in the Last 16 of the MSC. 3 months on from Kerry's last league game.

[outspoken]

We are playing Shels on Tuesday in the Leinster Senior Cup on an astro turf pitch with only a cage around it in a housing estate in Dundalk Tuesday.
Everybody I've spoken to is going to it, will be madness trying to see anything def will be a few hundred at it easily

Crazy stuff but there's nowhere in town suitable to hold it apart from Oriel

We're playing our first game in LSC today in Athlone kicking off now at 1 but apart from Minogue in goals and Garbett on wing it's all under 19s

Where exactly is this on? Muih..... however ya spell it?

[cobhlad]

Are Wexford gone full-time? Played Pat’s today in pre-season. A Monday afternoon friendly is some ask for part-time players

[ForzaForth]

Cobhlad, Fairly certain that Wexford won't be full-time this season.

[D24Saint]

Pats 4 - 1 Wexford in the FAI training centre yesterday. It was Aidan Keena x2 , Anto Breslin , Trialist (reported to be Glory Nzingo) with the goals.