Lilies welcome The Dubs to town this weekend as Kildare get first major test of 2026

Kildare will face Dublin in the 2026 Dioralyte O'Byrne Cup Semi-Final at a Kildare venue which is yet to be confirmed on Saturday, January 10 at 5pm.

The Lilies are coming off of a 2-12 to 0-9 away win over Wexford last weekend as they made their return to semi-competitive action after a very fruitful 2025.

Brian Flanagan's side have lost a lot of experience in the off-season with the retirement of several key players like David Hyland, Mick O'Grady and Daniel Flynn, to name just a few.

Kildare will likely be an even younger squad than last year as they tackle AFL Division 2 football and the All-Ireland SFC after their 2025 Tailteann Cup glory. This weekend's O'Byrne Cup game will be one of the final chances for Brian Flanagan to get a look at player's before things get serious for 2026.

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