Round 1 pairings in All-Ireland Senior Singles 4-wall
The opening round of the oneills.com All-Ireland Senior Singles 4-wall is down for decision on Friday next, 13 February, with matches across the country.
One of the stand-out ties on paper sees Kilkenny's Shane Dunne take on Meath’s Gary McConnell in Ballymore Eustace. McConnell is best known as a doubles specialist but made a major breakthrough last year when he captured the senior softball singles title for the first time, a result that underlined his growing confidence as a solo operator.
Dunne has won a senior singles title in the traditional hardball code and will be hopeful of making a breakthrough in 4-wall this season.
In the same venue, Peter Funchion meets Brian Carroll in another compelling contest. Funchion enjoyed a remarkable year in 2025, winning the All-Ireland senior doubles with his brother Paddy in the 4-wall code, Kilkenny’s first success in that competition in 27 years, before following it up with the biggest singles title of his career, the Irish Nationals last November.
Carroll brings vast experience and will relish the chance to derail one of the form players in the country.
St Brigid’s in Dublin hosts a clash between Cork’s Michael Hedigan and Antrim’s Jordan O’Neill. Hedigan, a former senior doubles champion with a wealth of pedigree will be favourite against the returning O’Neill, from Belfast, who is back on the scene after time out with injury.
Elsewhere, Tipperary’s Rory Grace faces Waterford’s Anthony Fitzgerald. Lahorna clubman Grace is a former All-Ireland U21 champion and comes into the championship off the back of a narrow defeat to Kyle Jordan in the final of the Irish Collegiate Championships.
An all-Cork affair in Boherbue pitches Daniel Relihan against Conor Walsh. Relihan reached the final of the first ranking tournament of the season, the Golden Gloves in St Paul’s, Belfast in November and is widely admired as a silky-skilled shotmaker. Walsh, meanwhile, returns refreshed after time out travelling and will be eager to get a run at senior level.
Crinkle in Offaly stages an interesting double-header. Wicklow veteran Michael Gregan, who won the Kingscourt Shoot-Out in brilliant style last month, takes on Mayo’s Paddy Murphy, one half of the reigning senior hardball doubles champions alongside Niall Joyce. Joyce himself is also in action, facing Cork’s Shane Hedigan in what should be a fiercely contested encounter.
Collooney, Co Sligo hosts two matches, with Tyrone’s Caolán Daly, a former Tyrone U21 footballer, meeting Mayo’s Ian McLoughlin, while Eoghan McGinnity, a former two-time minor singles winner from Monaghan Harps, takes on Lorcan Conlon of Mayo.
An Ulster derby in St Mellan’s brings together two outstanding athletes, Gavin Coyle of Bawn Handball Club in Monaghan and Tyrone man Sean Kerr of Breacach, in a tie that could hinge on intensity as much as skill.
Meanwhile, at the storied St Coman’s venue in Roscommon, Monaghan’s Oran Kiernan, a former Farney hurler, lines out against Clare’s Colin Crehan, an all-out shooter who also starred as an underage hurler with Clare and has a number of major titles to his name.
The round concludes in Cullohill, where Kildare’s Niall O’Connor meets Clare’s Colin Corbett. O’Connor is a hugely talented left-hander who competed on the US pro tour while living in Canada and will be keen to translate that experience into a deep championship run.
Lying in wait in the round of 16 are big guns Diarmaid Nash, Robbie McCarthy and David Walsh.
The ladies championship also gets underway with the grading round before that competition divides into the various grades proper.
oneills.com All-Ireland 4-Wall Senior Singles - Round of 32
Ballymore Eustace, Kildare, 7pmKilkenny (Shane Dunne) v Meath (Gary McConnell)Kilkenny (Peter Funchion) v Meath (Brian Carroll)
St Brigid's Dublin, 7.30pmCork (Michael Hedigan) v Antrim (Jordan O’Neill)
Kells, Kilkenny, 7pmTipperary (Rory Grace) v Waterford (Anthony Fitzgearld)
Boherbue, Cork, 7.30pmCork (Daniel Relihan) v Cork (Conor Walsh)
Crinkle, Offaly, 7pmWicklow (Michael Gregan) v Mayo (Paddy Murphy)Mayo (Niall Joyce) v Cork (Shane Hedigan)
Collooney, Sligo, 7pmTyrone (Caolan Daly) v Mayo (Ian McLoughlin)Monaghan (Eoghan McGinnity) v Mayo (Lorcan Conlon)
St Mellan’s, Monaghan, 7pmMonaghan (Gavin Coyle) v Tyrone (Sean Kerr)
St Coman’s, Roscommon, 7pmMonaghan (Oran Kiernan) v Clare (Colin Crehan)
Cullohill, Laois, 8pmKildare (Niall O’Connor) v Clare (Colin Corbett)
