Con O’Callaghan sets up shoot-out with Ciarán Kilkenny as Cuala beat Ballyboden
Two of the most decorated forwards in the history of Dublin football have set up a county final shoot-out after Cuala and Castleknock progressed to the capital’s 2026 showpiece event. It will be Con O’Callaghan against Ciarán Kilkenny after 2025 champions Ballyboden St Enda’s relinquished their grip on the Dublin title at Parnell Park on Sunday. O’Callaghan scored 0-3 as Cuala dethroned Ballyboden with a 0-21 to 0-17 victory in the second of the weekend’s Dublin SFC semi-finals. Kilkenny, who announced his intercounty retirement in July, helped Castleknock beat Thomas Davis 0-26 to 3-12 on Saturday night at the Donnycarney venue to progress to only their second ever senior football county decider after losing to St Vincent’s in 2016. O’Callaghan has been the Dublin captain for the last two years. Kilkenny was his vice-captain in 2025. In any debate on the greatest Dublin players of all time, both are certain to feature. They were pillars in a Dublin team during a history-making era of unprecedented dominance. A Dublin SFC is the one standout medal missing from Kilkenny’s collection, whereas O’Callaghan has garnered county titles in both football and hurling. Still, the final in a fortnight will only be Cuala’s third appearance in the senior football decider – even though the Dalkey outfit not only won the title in 2024 but also progressed to be crowned All-Ireland club champions in January 2025. Their first final appearance came in 1988 when Parnells proved too strong. Peter Dunne was the Cuala manager that year and fittingly the man taking the club to this year’s county final is his son, Derek. “My father was involved in 1988, it’s a long time ago but it’s a nice connection to it,” said the Cuala manager after watching his side beat Ballyboden. It is a Cuala team stuffed with intercounty experience – including O’Callaghan, Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne, Eoin Kennedy and Charlie McMorrow. And nine-time Sam Maguire winner Michael Fitzsimons continues to shore up the defence at full back. ‘I wrestled with it a lot’: Galway manager Éamonn Fitzmaurice on potentially facing Kerry Fitzsimons was as tigerish as ever at the heart of the Cuala defence on Sunday as they largely frustrated a talented Ballyboden attack. “In the Dublin championship anyway, the referees are just great for allowing the ball into contact, it’s your responsibility to get it out so long as there are no jersey pulls,” said Fitzsimons. “So it allows for more turnovers and end-to-end contests. That was even great in the All-Ireland final this year, Mayo have been pressing up on teams for years and are very good at it. “It is important in the new rules for there to be a possibility for defenders to get turnovers because that’s what makes it exciting. If you get turnovers you get quick transitions, you get better offensive play and you avoid the basketball style a bit more, which is great.” For Ballyboden, Sunday’s defeat marks the end of a long campaign. After winning the Dublin championship last October, the Firhouse outfit went on to win the Leinster club title in December before ultimately losing the All-Ireland decider to Dingle in January. They were guilty of trying to force matters too much in the first half on Sunday, kicking seven first-half wides – with half a dozen of those coming from ambitious two-point efforts. Cuala led 0-9 to 0-6 at the interval but Ballyboden turned the screw on the resumption – destroying the Dalkey side’s kickout in the second half. Ballyboden won Cuala’s first eight kickouts after the break to hit the front in the 50th minute. But Cuala had spent 12 months stewing over last year’s semi-final loss, when Ballyboden staged a late surge to end their reign as Dublin champions. Some payback was due. With the sides tied on 0-17 apiece as the game entered the final minute of normal time, Cillian Dunne – Derek’s son – nudged Cuala ahead. The push was on. Cuala added three further points in injury-time from David O’Dowd, Conor O’Brien and McMorrow to win by four. “There was an awful lot of hurt there building up over the year,” said Derek Dunne. “Maybe it did help us get over the line in the end in the last three or four minutes.” Gaelic Games All you read is love: The books about Mayo’s All-Ireland win that just had to be written Ballyboden weren’t the only champions dethroned over the weekend. Indeed, All-Ireland club kingpins Dingle exited the Kerry SFC on Saturday, losing 1-17 to 1-11 against Spa. It means neither of this year’s All-Ireland club finalists will even contest their county final over the coming weeks. And in Meath, 2025 winners Summerhill exited at the semi-final stages following a 1-17 to 0-14 defeat to Wolfe Tones in Dunganny on Sunday. Loughmacrory’s defence in Tyrone also ended at the semi-final stages with Errigal Ciarán running out 0-19 to 1-13 winners in Omagh. The fall of the champions continued in Wexford too where St Martin’s beat 2025 winners Castletown 4-12 to 1-16 at Wexford Park. Football results Antrim SFC semi-finals: St Brigid’s 0-17 Dunloy 0-8; O’Donovan Rossa 2-15 Erin’s Own 1-16 Armagh SFC semi-finals: Killeavy 2-12 Dromintee 0-8; Crossmaglen 0-23 Clann Éireann 1-19 Carlow SFC semi-finals: Rathvilly 4-12 Palatine 2-16; Old Leighlin 1-15 Éire Óg 1-7 Cavan SFC semi-finals: Gowna 2-18 Crosserlough 1-6; Kingscourt Stars 3-13 Cuchulainn 0-17 Clare SFC semi-finals: Éire Óg 1-20 St Joseph’s Miltown Malbay 0-11; Kilmurry-Ibrickane 4-22 Kildysart 0-9 Derry SFC quarter-finals: Glen 1-16 Kilrea 1-6; O’Donovan Rossa 1-15 Lavey 1-13; Slaughtneil 2-17 Ballinderry 0-11; Newbridge 2-12 Bellaghy 0-16 Donegal SFC semi-final: St Eunan’s 2-18 Gaoth Dobhair 1-19; Naomh Conaill 0-22 Glenswilly 0-19 Dublin SFC semi-finals: Castleknock 0-26 Thomas Davis 3-12; Cuala 0-21 Ballyboden St Enda’s 0-17 Fermanagh quarter-finals: Ederney 3-16 Irvinestown 1-18; Derrygonnelly Harps 0-23 Enniskilen Gaels 1-15 Kildare SFC quarter-finals: Celbridge 0-13 Raheens 0-10; Maynooth 1-10 Athy 0-11; Naas 2-17 Johnstownbridge 1-15; Sarsfields 1-20 Moorefiled 1-7 Limerick SFC quarter-finals: Monaleen 3-6 Rathkeale 0-13; Kildimo Pallaskenry 1-16 Newcastle West 1-11 Longford SFC semi-final replay: Clonguish 2-12 Dromard 0-10 Louth SFC semi-final: Newtown Blues 1-15 St Mary’s Ardee 2-11; St Mochta’s 1-11 St Joseph’s 0-4 Mayo SFC semi-final: Castlebar Mitchels 1-16 Breaffy 0-14; Garrymore 2-16 Belmullet 2-15 Meath SFC semi-final: Donaghmore Ashbourne 1-14 Ratoath 0-12; Wolfe Tone 1-17 Summerhill 0-14 Monaghan SFC semi-finals: Scotstown 1-18 Inniskeen 3-9; Truagh 4-16 Clontibret 2-19 Roscommon SFC semi-finals: Padraig Pearses 5-22 Boyle 2-27; St Brigids 3-22 Strokestown 2-8 Tipperary SFC semi-finals: Clonmel Commercials 0-14 Moyle Rovers 0-8; Kilsheelan Kilcash 2-16 Loughmore-Castleiney 1-18 Tyrone SFC semi-finals: Edendork 0-20 Donoaghmore 0-12; Errigal Ciarán 0-19 Loughmacrory 1-13 Wexford SFC semi-finals: St Martin’s 4-12 Castletown 1-16; Kilanerin 2-12 Shelmaliers 0-17 Hurling results Cork SHC semi-finals: St Finbarrs 1-27 Kanturk 1-22; Glen Rovers 2-21 Midleton 1-18 Down SHC semi-finals: Portaferry 3-28 Liatroim 1-7; Ballygalget 2-19 Ballycran 2-12 Galway SHC quarter-finals: Clarinbridge 4-25 Gort 0-18; Tommy Larkins 4-14 Tuloughmore 1-21; Craughwell 1-24 Sarsfields 1-17; Loughrea 2-19 Athenry 0-14 Laois SHC semi-finals: Camross 2-16 Rosenallis 2-11; The Harps 4-16 Clough-Ballacolla 2-19 Offaly SHC semi-finals: Kilcormac-Killoughey 1-34 St Rynaghs 2-23; Ballinamere 4-18 Belmont 3-19 Westmeath SHC semi-final: Raharney 1-23 Castletown Geoghe… 1-19 Wicklow SHC final: Carnew Emmets 0-15 Glenealy 0-12