Tailteann Cup Draw and new format explainer

The Round 1 Tailteann Cup draw took place on Monday afternoon.

Fermanagh v Longford; Laois v Wicklow; Clare v Offaly; Carlow v Antrim; Wexford v Limerick; (Cavan/Westmeath/Down) v Leitrim; Sligo v Tipperary; Waterford v London

The majority of the Round 1 fixtures will be played on the weekend of May 9/10. However, any games involving a team knocked out of their provincial championship on the weekend of May 2/3 will take place on the weekend of May 16/17.

In Round 2A on 23-24 May, The eight winners from round 1 will be drawn against each other, with the first team drawn having home venue.

In Round 2B on 23-24 May, The eight losers from round 1 will be drawn against each other, with the first team drawn having home venue.

In Round 3 on June 6-7, the four losing teams from round 2A will be drawn to play the four winning teams from Round 2B, and a draw will determine home venue. The draw is subject to the avoidance of repeat pairings from round where possible

One of the Round 2A winners will be drawn to play New York in a preliminary quarter final. This will be a home venue for the R2A winner (exception: if London is the R2A winner, in which case, the game will be played at a neutral venue in Ireland).

The quarter finals will be played on June 13-14 involving the preliminary quarter final winner and the three remaining winners of Round 2A will be drawn at home against the four winners of Round 3. The draw will be subject to the avoidance of repeat pairings from rounds 1 & 2, where possible.

The four quarter final winners will progress to the semi-finals on June 20-21 based on a draw, subject to avoidance of repeat pairings, where possible with the final scheduled for Saturday, July 11th at Croke Park along with the first All-Ireland Senior Football semi-final with the winner eligible for the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship in 2027, regardless of league position.