2023 Tailteann Cup final

The 2023 Tailteann Cup final was the second final of the Tailteann Cup and the culmination of the 2023 Tailteann Cup, the GAA's second-tier Gaelic football competition for county teams. The match was played at Croke Park in Dublin on 15 July 2023, between Meath and Down.^[1][2] The match was played prior to the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship semi-final between Dublin and Monaghan. It was televised live on RTÉ2 as part of The Sunday Game, presented by Joanne Cantwell from the Croke Park studio.

2023 Tailteann Cup final

Event	2023 Tailteann Cup
Down Meath 0–14 (14) 2–13 (19)
Date	15 July 2023 (2023-07-15)
Venue	Croke Park, Dublin
Man of the Match	Jack Flynn (Meath)
Referee	Noel Mooney (Cavan)
← 2022 2024 →

Meath won the match on a scoreline of 2–13 to 0–14.^[3]

Paths to the final

Meath

Meath v Tipperary

13 May 2023 Group stage	Meath	1–19 – 0–11	Tipperary	Navan
18:30 IST (UTC+1)
	Gls: Aaron Lynch 1 Pts: Aaron Lynch 3 (1f, 1m), Jordan Morris 4, Matthew Costello 3 (2f), Thomas O'Reilly 3, Jack O'Connor 2, Jack Flynn 1 (1f), Conor Gray 1, Donal Keogan 1, Donal Lenihan 1	Report	Pts: Jack Kennedy 3 (2 '45), Michael O'Reilly 2 (1f, 1 '45), Steven O'Brien 2 (1m), Mark Russell 2 (0–1f), Liam McGrath 1, Colman Kennedy 1	Referee: Brendan Griffin

Waterford v Meath

20 May 2023 Group stage	Waterford	1–14 – 3–17	Meath	Dungarvan
18:30 IST (UTC+1)
	Gls: Darragh Corcoran 0–8 (0–7f), Jason Curry 1–0, Conor Murray 0–2, Dermot Ryan 0–2, Tom O'Connell 0–1 (0–1f), Jordan O'Sullivan 0–1	Report	Gls: Matthew Costello 1–5 (0–3f), Aaron Lynch 0–6 (0–2f), Donal Lenihan 1–2 (0–1f, 0–1m), Jordan Morris 1–2 (0–1m), Eoghan Frayne 0–1, James McEntee 0–1	Referee: Sean Lonergan

Meath v Down

3 June 2023 Group stage	Meath	1–11 – 1–9	Down	Dublin
13:00 IST (UTC+1)
	Gls: Jordan Morris 1–3 (1–0 pen, 0–1m), Daithi McGowan 0–2 (0–1f, 0–1 '45), James McEntee 0–2, Jack Flynn 0–1 (0–1f), Donal Lenihan 0–1 (0–1f), Jack O'Connor 0–1, Matthew Costello 0–1	Report	Gls: Pat Havern 0–5 (0–5f), Odhran Murdock 1–0, Liam Kerr 0–2 (0–1f), Niall Kane 0–1 (0–1 '45), Daniel Guinness 0–1	Referee: Fergal Kelly

Meath v Wexford

17 June 2023 Quarter-final	Meath	2–23 – 0–12	Wexford	Navan
16:00 IST (UTC+1)
	Gls: Aaron Lynch 1, Cathal Hickey 1 Pts: Jordan Morris 6 (1m), James McEntee 6, Aaron Lynch 2, Matthew Costello 4 (2f), Daithi McGowan 3, Jack Flynn 1, Eoghan Frayne 1	Report	Pts: Mark Rossiter 2 (2f), Ben Brosnan 2 (2f), Eoghan Nolan 2, Eoin Porter 1, Glen Malone 1, Liam Coleman 1, Paraic Hughes 1, Richard Waters 1, Jonathan Bealin 1	Referee: Brendan Griffin

Meath v Antrim

25 June 2023 Semi-final	Meath	2–16 – 2–14	Antrim	Dublin
14:00 IST (UTC+1)
	Gls: Jordan Morris 1, Aaron Lynch 1 Pts: Sean Brennan; Adam O'Neill, Ronan Ryan, Harry O'Higgins; Donal Keogan, Padraic Harnan, Sean Coffey; Jack Flynn 2, Conor Gray 1; Jack O'Connor 1, James McEntee 1, Cathal Hickey 1; Jordan Morris 4, Mathew Costello 4, 1f, Aaron Lynch 2, 1m	Report	Gls: Patrick McBride 1, Dominic McEnhill 1 pen Pts: Michael Byrne 2 (1f, 1 '45); Ronan Boyle, Peter Healy, Eoghan McCabe; Patrick McCormick, Declan Lynch, Dermot McAleese 2; Cathal Hynds, Joseph Finnegan; Ruairi McCann (Creggan) 1, Adam Loughran 3, Marc Jordan; Patrick McBride 1, Ruairi McCann (Aghagallon) 1, Dominic McEnhill 3 (2f)	Referee: Barry Judge

Down

Down v Waterford

13 May 2023 Group stage	Down	2–14 – 1–6	Waterford	Newry
18:00 IST (UTC+1)
	Gls: Pat Havern 0–5 (0–2f, 0–1m), Andrew Gilmore 0–4 (0–2f), Eamon Brown 1–0, Odhran Murdock 1–0, Donagh McAleenan 0–2, Anthony Morgan 0–1, Shealan Johnston 0–1, Eugene Branagan 0–1	Report	Gls: Conor Murray 1–0, Jason Curry 0–2 (0–2f), Darragh Corcoran 0–2, Jason Gleeson 0–1 (0–1f), Dermot Ryan 0–1	Referee: Barry Cassidy

Tipperary v Down

21 May 2023 Group stage	Tipperary	0–6 – 2–18	Down	Thurles
13:45 IST (UTC+1)
	Gls: Jack Kennedy 0–4 (0–1f), Sean O'Connor 0–2	Report	Gls: Pat Havern 0–6 (0–5f), Shealan Johnston 1–1 (0–1f), Odhran Murdock 1–0, Danny Magill 0–3, Eamon Brown 0–2 (0–2f), Ceilum Doherty 0–2, Andrew Gilmore 0–1 (0–1f), Conor Francis 0–1, Ryan Johnston 0–1, Ross Carr 0–1	Referee: Thomas Murphy

Meath v Down

3 June 2023 Group stage	Meath	1–11 – 1–9	Down	Dublin
13:00 IST (UTC+1)
	Gls: Jordan Morris 1–3 (1–0 pen, 0–1m), Daithi McGowan 0–2 (0–1f, 0–1 '45), James McEntee 0–2, Jack Flynn 0–1 (0–1f), Donal Lenihan 0–1 (0–1f), Jack O'Connor 0–1, Matthew Costello 0–1	Report	Gls: Pat Havern 0–5 (0–5f), Odhran Murdock 1–0, Liam Kerr 0–2 (0–1f), Niall Kane 0–1 (0–1 '45), Daniel Guinness 0–1	Referee: Fergal Kelly

Down v Longford

10 June 2023 Preliminary quarter-final	Down	1–20 – 1–12	Longford	Newry
19:00 IST (UTC+1)
	Gls: Danny Magill 1 Pts: Pat Havern 6 (2f), Rory Mason 3 (0–2f), Andrew Gilmore 3 (1f), Ross Carr 2 (1m), Eugene Branagan 2, Patrick McCarthy 1, Ceilum Doherty 1, Donagh McAleenan 1, Liam Kerr 1	Report	Gls: Joe Hagan 1 Pts: Joe Hagan 3, Dylan Farrell 2 (1f, 1 '45), Darragh Doherty 2 (1m), Keelin McGann 2, Patrick Fox 1, Ryan Moffett 1, Dessie Reynolds 1	Referee: Anthony Nolan

Cavan v Down

17 June 2023 Quarter-final	Cavan	0–15 – 1–17	Down	Cavan
17:15 IST (UTC+1)
	Pts: Oisin Brady 8 (4f, 2m), Padraig Faulkner 2, Gearóid McKiernan 1 (1f), Oisín Kiernan 1, Cian Madden 1, Tiarnan Madden 1, Brandon Boylan 1	Report	Gls: Danny Magill 1 Pts: Pat Havern 5 (2f, 1m), Rory Mason 4 (1f), Liam Kerr 4, Danny Magill 1, Patrick McCarthy 1, Ryan Johnston 1, Shane Annett 1	Referee: Seamus Mulhare

Down v Laois

25 June 2023 Semi-final	Down	8–16 – 2–12	Laois	Dublin
16:00 IST (UTC+1)
	Gls: Danny Magill 2, Pat Havern 1, Liam Kerr 3, Rory Mason 1, Odhrán Murdock 1 Pts: Niall Kane 1 ('45); Míceal Rooney, Ceilum Doherty 2 (1m); Daniel Guinness, Pat Havern 3; Liam Kerr 2, Ryan Johnston 1, Eugene Branagan 3; Rory Mason 1 (1f); Odhrán Murdock 1, Shealan Johnston		Gls: Mark Barry 2 (1 pen) Pts: Killian Roche 1 ('45); Trevor Collins, Robert Pigott, Seán Greene; Pádraig Kirwan, Mark Timmons, Patrick O’Sullivan; Kieran Lillis, Damon Larkin; James Finn, Paul Kingston 1, Mark Barry 6 (4f, 1m); Evan O'Carroll 1; Eoin Lowry 2 (1m), Colm Murphy	Referee: Barry Tiernan

Pre-match

As the match was played prior to the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship semi-final between Dublin and Monaghan, the demand for tickets for the final was high. Some Meath fans expressed their frustrations online at their inability to get a ticket through general release.^[4]

On 7 July, Cavan's Noel Mooney was named as referee for the final.^[5]

Match

Summary

Down started much the brighter of the two, their eagerness to get the game going reflected in a four points to one lead, but a fortuitous Meath goal on 17 minutes changed the complexion of the game. Jack Flynn lobbed a shot in from distance with a point in mind, but the ball pounded off the upright and dropped in front of goal where it deflected off Ronan Jones and into the net.

Matthew Costello's second pointed free for Meath left them a point ahead approaching the interval but Liam Kerr levelled it up at 1–3 to 0–6 when he blasted over a great goal chance for Down. Down were reduced to 14 in the 29th minute when Ceilum Doherty was shown a black card for a pull down.

Back to back points from Down goalkeeper Niall Kane amounted to a solid start to the second-half for the favourites, but Cathal Hickey and Jones cancelled those scores out and Jack O'Connor, who was only on as a sub, put Meath into a 1–6 to 0–8 lead.

Flynn was the Man of the Match who nudged Meath to victory with four more terrific scores for the Royals, all coming in a crucial period around the hour mark as they set the seal on victory. O'Connor snatched Meath's second goal in the dying moments after a turnover in the Down defence, summing up the excellent work of the Meath backs.^[6][7][8]

Details

15 July 2023

15:00 IST (UTC+1)

Down	0–14 – 2–13	Meath
Pat Havern 0–4 (0–3f), Niall Kane 0–2 (0–1f, 0–1 '45), Liam Kerr 0–2, Ryan Johnston 0–2, Ceilum Doherty 0–1, Odhran Murdock 0–1, Shealan Johnston 0–1, Andrew Gilmore 0–1	Report	Jack O'Connor 1–2, Jack Flynn 0–4, Ronan Jones 1–1, Matthew Costello 0–3 (0–2f), Cathal Hickey 0–2, Jordan Morris 0–1

Croke Park, Dublin

Referee: Noel Mooney (Cavan)

Down

Meath

1 Niall Kane 2 Patrick McCarthy  60' 3 Pierce Laverty (c) 4 Anthony Doherty  70+4' 5 Miceal Rooney 6 Ceilum Doherty 29' to 39' 7 Danny Magill  59' 8 Daniel Guinness  63' 9 Odhran Murdock 10 Shealan Johnston  56' 11 Liam Kerr 12 Rory Mason  43' 13 Eugene Branagan 14 Pat Havern 15 Ryan Johnston Substitutes: 16 John O'Hare 17 Shane Annett  43' 18 Ryan McEvoy  63' 19 Ross Carr 20 Patrick Branagan  60' 21 Donagh McAleenan  56' 22 Gerard Collins 23 Andrew Gilmore  59' 24 Conor Poland 25 Peter Fegan 26 Ryan Magill Manager: Conor Laverty

1 Seán Brennan 2 Adam O'Neill 3 Ronan Ryan 17 Ciaran Caulfield  57' 5 Donal Keogan (c) 6 Padraic Harnan 7 Sean Coffey 8 Ronan Jones  25' 9 Conor Gray 19 Cathal Hickey  40'  69' 11 James McEntee  53' 20 Jack Flynn 13 Jordan Morris  66' 14 Mathew Costello 15 Aaron Lynch  47' Substitutes: 16 Harry Hogan 4 Harry O'Higgins  57' 10 Daithí McGowan  69' 12 Jack O'Connor  47' 18 Cillian O'Sullivan  53' 21 Eoghan Frayne 22 Michael Flood 23 Donal Lenihan  66' 24 Diarmuid Moriarty 25 Keith Curtis 26 Ben Wyer Manager: Colm O'Rourke

Man of the Match: Jack Flynn (Meath)

Post-match

Meath captain Donal Keogan accepted the Tailteann Cup from GAA president Larry McCarthy in the Hogan Stand.^[9]

Huge crowds turned out for a homecoming event on 17 July in Páirc Tailteann, Navan from 7:30pm to welcome home the Tailteann Cup and the winning team, with supporters being urged to turn out wearing their green and gold.^[10][11]