Both the Walsh Cup and the O’Byrne Cup will be returning for 2026…
Wexford manager, Keith Rossiter, was a big promoter for the return of the Walsh Cup. It allows management teams to test out new players in front of a crowd and in a competitive setting. Rossiter said last year that Wexford missed the Walsh Cup:
“I think those games were a massive loss this year. You were trying to arrange practice games but it’s very hard to beat an official match with an official venue, a referee, linesmen, a bit of pressure from the crowd, all that stuff. It’s very hard to replicate that in practice matches, especially for the new guys coming through,” he told The Irish Sun.
But thankfully for Rossiter and Wexford, Leinster GAA have decided to bring back the Walsh Cup for the 2026 seson. Wexford will enter the Walsh Cup competition as reigning champions, having won the competition in 2024 when they comprehensively defeated Galway in Dr. Cullen Park.
Wexford’s Walsh cup fixtures for 2026 were revealed on Tuesday evening.
First up for the Wexford Senior hurlers will be an away clash against Laois on Sunday, January 4th 2026. Should Wexford defeat Laois, they will advance to the Walsh Cup quarter-final where they will take on the winners of Dublin or Carlow. If they then defeat Dublin/Carlow, they will advance to the semi-final stages of the Walsh Cup, taking on either Westmeath or Kilkenny. Kildare/Gawlay v Offaly/Antrim will play in the semi-final.
Should Wexford lose against Laois in the opening round, they will move on into the Shield competition, taking on the losers of Carlow and Dublin in the Shield quarter-final.
2026 Walsh Cup/Shield
Round 1
Sunday, 4th January 2026
Kildare v Galway
Offaly v Antrim
Westmeath v Kilkenny
Laois v Wexford
Carlow v Dublin
_
Quarter-Final
Thursday, 8th January 2026
Winners LS/WX v Winners CW/DB
_
Semi-Finals
Sunday, 11th January 2026
Winners LS/WX / CW/DB v Winners Westmeath/Kilkenny
Winners Kildare/Galway v Winners Offaly/Antrim
Final
Sunday 18th January 2026
_____
Walsh Shield
Quarter-Final
Thursday, 8th January 2026
Loser LS/WX v Losers CW/DB
_
Semi-Finals
Sunday, 11th January 2026
Winners 10 v Losers Westmeath/Kilkenny
Losers Kildare/Galway v Losers Offaly/Antrim
_
Final
Sunday, 18th January 2026.
Winners 11 v Winners 12
Wexford Weekly
This article was published by a member of the Wexford Weekly team.
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