A youthful Curraha side began their 2026 campaign with a hard-fought one-point victory over Moylagh in the opening round of the Tailteann Cup. The game was played in excellent conditions despite the heavy rain in the days leading up to it. 

Moylagh opened the scoring in the 5th minute after both sides exchanged early wides. Andrew Coyle soon replied for Curraha following strong pressure from Mylo Hussey and Sean O’Hanrahan, who was making his first appearance for the club since October 2021. Moylagh dominated the middle third in the early stages and applied sustained pressure, opening up a four-point lead by the 10th minute, including a well-taken goal. 

Coyle added a second point for Curraha after good work from PJ O’Reilly and Eoghan Burke. Moylagh followed with three further points and looked to be pulling clear, but Curraha began to settle, with Jamie Fewer and Nick Dillon gaining a foothold at midfield. Coyle registered his third point after fine play from Sean Ronan, but two more Moylagh scores left the hosts seven points clear at half time. 

Curraha made a strong start to the second half, with PJ O’Reilly landing a difficult free from a tight angle. Andrew Coyle followed with another close-range free after the ref blew for a breach on the Moylagh kickout. Eight minutes into the half, the gap was reduced to two points when Coyle was fouled while through on goal and Sean Ronan converted the resulting penalty. 

Coyle was again involved soon after, pointing a free he won following good work by Robert O’Farrell and Ivan Keogh. O’Reilly continued to trouble the Moylagh defence and another foul on him allowed Coyle to level the game at the midway point of the half. 

Moylagh responded with two quick frees to edge back in front. Kevin O’Connor then won a free for Curraha which Coyle converted, leaving a single point between the sides with ten minutes remaining. Moylagh added another score, but Coyle again replied after being fouled just inside the two-point arc. 

Curraha pushed hard for an equaliser and, with a minute remaining, O’Reilly won a free outside the two-point arc. Coyle stepped up and sent a superb strike over the bar to give Curraha the lead for the first time and seal the win. His total of 0-10 capped an outstanding performance as he led the line for a young Curraha side. 

There were many positives for Curraha as they claimed victory despite the absence of several first-team regulars. Adult debuts were handed to Lucas Duffy and Ivan Keogh, while Sean O’Hanrahan made a welcome return from Canada. It was a positive start to the season for manager Gavin Coyle, with Gerry Butler and Alan Carroll joining the backroom team alongside himself and Gaz Hickey, with hopefully plenty of good days ahead in 2026. 

Full time: Curraha 1-11 Moylagh 1-10

Curraha: Matthew Brennan, Eoghan Burke, Mark Fox, Robert O'Farrell, Sean O'Hanrahan, Oisin Fay, Sean Ronan, Nick Dillon, Jamie Fewer, Daigh FitzPatrick, Mylo Hussey, Lucas Duffy, Jared Roche, Andrew Coyle, PJ O'Reilly
 
Subs used: Kevin O'Connor, Ivan Keogh, Andrew Gough

Scorers: Andrew Coyle 0-10 (1 2pt f, 4f) Sean Ronan 1-00 (pen) PJ O'Reilly 0-1 (1f)