A look ahead to the 2026 DKIT Sport JFC

The 2026 Louth DKIT Sport Junior Football Championship kicks into gear this weekend with six games on the schedule.

Oliver Plunketts was crowned the 2025 Christy Bellew Cup champions after a replay win over Glyde Rangers. Who will take it this year? Catch our JFC preview over on YouTube ‘The Dressing Room’. Presented by Colm Corrigan, this week’s special guests were Paul Crewe, Derek Walsh and Anthony Nulty. Sponsored by Ferdia Homevalue and Ferdia Interiors.

Group 1

Group 1 brings together Naomh Malachi, Annaghminnon Rovers and Cuchulainn Gaels — three sides who will be more than happy with the draw, avoiding the more established ‘big guns’ and giving all three a genuine opportunity to reach the quarter-finals.

Naomh Malachi, Annaghminnon Rovers & Cuchulainn Gaels will compete in Group 1.

This weekend’s opening fixture takes on added importance. On the form guide, Annaghminnon Rovers will enter as favourites, but Naomh Malachi came within touching distance of upsetting St Nicholas’ last year when a knockout place was on the line and will have designs on producing another surprise this time around.

Naomh Malachi’ 2026 league campaign was disappointing, but they have enough individual quality to put that form firmly behind them. Darrin Kearney provides a serious two-point threat from placed balls while also being a more than capable goalkeeper. Jason and Darren Clarke offer plenty of pace and attacking threat and are likely to carry much of the scoring responsibility, while Andrew Begley will once again be central to their efforts in the middle third.

Annaghminnon Rovers are a free-flowing side who possess plenty of attacking quality. Captain Dwayne Markey and Rory Phelan are both dangerous in front of goal, while Conor Russell provides solidity and composure in the middle third and will be an important figure in anchoring their play.

Cuchulainn Gaels are an energetic, well-coached outfit, as Paul Crewe outlined on this week’s preview show. Adam Sharkey impressed during last year’s championship and will be looking to build on that this time around, while Martin Hynes leads a tough and uncompromising defence.

Group 2

Group 2 contains one of the championship heavyweights in last year’s runners-up Glyde Rangers, alongside Westerns and St Nicholas. At first glance, many may expect the group to come down to a battle between Westerns and St Nicholas’ for second place, but we believe it is far more open than that. Both sides will fancy their chances of knocking Glyde Rangers off their perch, setting up what should be a fascinating group.

A competitive group in-store. Westerns, Glyde Rangers & St Nicholas.

Westerns endured a difficult 2025 campaign but could be a very different proposition this year. Their biggest boost comes in the form of Tommy Durnin, who has returned from Ardee St Mary’s and brings significant experience and quality to the Westerns side. The availability of 2025 Louth minor stars Jack Martin and Tom Maguire is another major positive, although it remains to be seen whether Maguire will feature. Their league form may not tell the full story, particularly with Durnin absent for much of that campaign.

Glyde Rangers will still feel the pain of last year’s final defeat. They led Oliver Plunketts deep into the first day before being denied late on, and ultimately suffered defeat in the replay. Wayne Callan’s side remain a strong and well-balanced outfit, although their 2026 form has been somewhat mixed. They will, however, have to cope with the loss of Niall Sharkey, who has moved to Cavan champions Kingscourt Stars.

There is plenty of excitement surrounding Tadhg Devaney, who enters his first year of eligibility at this level. A member of Gavin Devlin’s Louth training panel this year, Devaney has the potential to make a significant impact. Ciarán Sheridan remains a major scoring threat, while Jack McKeever and Adam Sweeney provide serious quality and physicality in the middle third.

St Nicholas’ are another side who should not be overlooked. They competed well throughout 2025 and came particularly close to Glyde Rangers, narrowly losing when the sides met. They have enough quality to cause problems again this year, with Hayden Quinn and Fionn Meagher emerging as important leaders for the Drogheda club.

Group 3

Maybe the Group of Death. LannLéire, Dundalk Young Irelands and O’Connells are all capable of going deep in the Christy Bellew Cup, while Dowdalshill face a seriously difficult task.

LannLéire, Dowdalshill, Dundalk Young Irelands and O’Connells make up Group 3.

LannLéire have enjoyed a solid year and now face a tough challenge to progress from this group. A win over Dowdalshill this weekend would put them in a strong position before they turn their attention to Dundalk Young Irelands and O’Connells. Colin Murphy, Ian Mulroy, Brian McGuinness and Bob Murphy provide plenty of experience and know-how.

Dowdalshill would surely have hoped for a kinder draw after a winless 2026 so far. They have been handed a particularly tough assignment, with three of the Championship’s strongest sides in their group. They will simply hope to compete as best they can and cause an upset along the way.

Dundalk Young Irelands enter as Championship favourites, and rightly so. Two of the three Preview Show pundits have backed them to go all the way. Their defeat to Mattock Rangers by a point in last weekend’s Division 1 Promotion/Relegation Playoff should not alter that view. Nobody has faced the level of opposition they have throughout the year.

Jordan O’Donoghue is their leader, while Dean Maguire and Liam McStravick provide a serious scoring threat. Ciaran Murray is arguably one of the best defenders in the grade, James Prendergast gives them real quality in midfield and Derek Maguire could have a major impact. They are a well-drilled outfit who concede very few scores. If they stay focused and avoid complacency, this is arguably theirs to lose.

O’Connells arrive as Division 3 champions and will have their sights firmly set on the Christy Bellew Cup. Jackie Agnew, Robert Quigley and Niall Conlon all have plenty of Championship experience, while their scoring power is not in question. However, this weekend’s meeting with Dundalk Young Irelands will be a major test. They may struggle physically and conditioning-wise against the favourites, but the result should tell us plenty about just where O’Connells stand at this level.

Group 4

A group containing Na Piarsaigh/Blackrock, Sean McDermotts, John Mitchels and St Finbarrs, with Mitchels and the Barrs entering the competition among the favourites to lift the Junior Championship.

Na Piarsaigh/Blackrock, Sean McDermotts, John Mitchels and St Finbarrs will battle it out in Group 4.

Na Piarsaigh/Blackrock showed last year that they are more than capable of causing an upset, knocking out LannLéire in 2025. They will be hoping for more of the same this time around. Ciaran Murphy and Robert Murphy are two quality players at this level and can keep them competitive in games. They have a knack for staying in contests and will know that their opening game against Sean McDermotts is crucial to any hopes of progressing.

Sean McDermotts are a solid Championship outfit who can mix it with most teams on their day. It remains to be seen how they will fare in what is a difficult group, but they will know that their Round 1 meeting with Na Piarsaigh/Blackrock is the one they need to target. Get off to a winning start and suddenly the group looks very different.

John Mitchels are perhaps the team next in line to Dundalk Young Irelands in the betting for the JFC. They have gone unbeaten through Phase 2 of the Division 2 League and now await a Playoff to retain their status. Their change in playing style has brought clear rewards and they look a completely different proposition to the side that disappointed in the 2025 Quarter Final.

There is serious quality throughout the team. John Gallagher is among the finest forwards in the grade and is ably supported by Gareth Kane. Captain Ruairí McCann and John Bingham provide leadership in defence, while Trevor Matthews will once again be relied upon to dictate the tempo. Their form, style and personnel suggest they should go deep into this year’s Championship.

St Finbarrs are another side firmly among the favourites. They have a superb blend of experience and emerging talent, with Chris McGlynn, Jack Butterly and Conor Osborne capable of leading the way for a younger generation. Andrew O’Reilly and Cillian McQuillan arrive off excellent underage careers with both club and county and could make a significant impact.

It may be a year too early for the Togher men, but they certainly have the tools to go all the way. The big question will be whether they can find an answer when they hit adversity in a Championship game. If they can, there is no reason why they cannot be crowned champions.