Carlow finish in 13th spot at Gaynor Cup

As the sun sets on the 2026 Gaynor Cup, Carlow will look back on the tournament with fondness. They finished with three wins and four defeats, placing 13th overall.

The tournament began in perfect fashion with a 3-0 victory over Limerick Desmond. However, they then fell short in two back-to-back 1-0 defeats against Kildare and South Belfast. Despite those losses, they finished runners-up in their group and secured a place in the last 16.

“It wasn’t bad at all,” said Carlow manager JP Buckley. “We had a really good start on the first day, winning our first game 3-0 and getting everybody in the squad onto the pitch. That gave us great belief and momentum as a group.

“The Tuesday games were tough,” Buckley admitted. “A lot of the girls were away from home for the first time, so that could have been a factor. But we did really well. We had our chances, and on another day those results could have gone our way.” However, a tough draw saw them pitted against Galway, where they struggled and suffered a 5-0 defeat.

“We were all tuned into the draw, and when Galway came out we knew it was going to be a tough challenge,” said Buckley. “They have a massive player pool to choose from. To be fair to our girls, all 20 players got on the pitch and they did themselves justice. Galway were simply the better side on the day.” 

That result sent them into the Bowl quarter-finals, where they suffered a fourth successive defeat, losing 2-0 to Limerick County. However, things began to turn around from there, as they came out on the right side of a penalty shootout against Mayo.

“Our goalkeeper made two fantastic saves and we scored all four of our penalties,” Buckley explained. “That showed great mental strength from the girls. Penalties are a huge part of these tournaments because so many games go straight to shootouts, so it’s great for them to have had that experience with a view to next year.” They finished the tournament on a high with a 2-1 win over NERL.

“We conceded first but responded really well. We got ourselves level through a scramble in the box and a tidy tap-in, and then fresh legs in the second half helped us find the winner. It was a tough game and a great way to finish the week.” 

While the results were encouraging, Buckley believes the experience gained by the squad will be even more valuable in the long term, particularly with around half of the panel eligible to return next year.

“They’ll know the levels required now and will be able to pass that experience on to the new players who come into the squad,” he said. “The experience the girls gained this week has been invaluable.” 

The Gaynor Cup is always about more than football; it’s a week of memories, enjoyment, and an experience they will never forget.

“It’s about the memories as much as anything. For a lot of the girls, it was their first time staying away from home, making new friends and creating memories they’ll have for years.” 

Buckley also praised the support received throughout the week from parents, supporters and former Carlow players, including Ireland underage international Ciara Milton, who spent time with the squad before the tournament and supported them from the sidelines throughout.

“Ciara is a fantastic role model,” he said. “She shared her journey with the girls and showed them what’s possible. Having someone like that around the group is a massive inspiration.” Buckley says planning for next year has already begun.

“The excitement will start again in September with trials,” he said. “We’re already looking at what we can do to improve. Hopefully, next year we can go even further.”