The Bob O’Keeffe Cup Is Up For Grabs
- Fixture: Dublin v Galway
- Date: Saturday, June 6 2026
- Throw-in: 18:00
- Venue: Croke Park
- TV/Streaming: RTE 2/RTE Player
Dublin
A wet afternoon in Salthill on the 16th of May led Dublin to success over Galway, and they will be hoping for a similar result on Saturday. Ronan Hayes (1-02) off the bench was a catalyst for victory for the Boys In Blue. He was joined by John Hetherton from the bench, and long balls rained in on a Galway defence who struggled to cope with them.
Dublin are back in the provincial decider for a second time in three years. The last time they were here, Kilkenny put them to the sword and ultimately came away with a sixteen-point winning margin. Dublin looks much better equipped this year to put in a big showing and put it up to the Tribesmen.
The last time these two faced off in a Leinster Final, Dublin came out on top on a scoreline of 2-25 to 2-12 back in 2013. Dublin started this match off quickly and led by 1-12 to 0-07 at half-time, and that continued in the second half, leading Dublin to their first Leinster title since 1961.
This year has seen victories over Kildare, Wexford, Galway, and ultimately against Kilkenny last time out at Parnell Park, which was Dublin’s first win over the Cats since 2013 and the first on home soil since 1941.
Players like Donal Burke, John Hetherton, and Cian O’Sullivan have been instrumental during the provincial campaign, and if they fire like they can on Saturday evening, then they could be the ones walking up those famous steps of the Hogan stand.
Galway
Galway couldn’t have started the Leinster Championship off any better this year with a resounding 3-25 to 1-16 win over Kilkenny at Pearse Stadium. Two points on the table with minimum of fuss and strong performances from Rory Burke (2-2) and Aaron Niland (0-8) would prove to be crucial.
Home fans were sent home with plenty of hope that it could be a big year ahead.
Galway would ultimately lose just one game in the round robin series in Leinster, and that came against Dublin, which we spoke about above. The victories against Offaly, Kildare, and Wexford were also quite convincing, which led them to have the highest points difference at the end of the round robin, but they would ultimately finish a point behind Dublin.
The victory over Wexford in the final game was one that wasn’t without a nervous moment or two, either. Galway recovered from being thirteen points down at one stage and would eventually win by eight. Galway now chase their first provincial title since 2018 and also seek some revenge against the Dubs. Tom Monaghan and Jason Rabbitte were instrumental this time, and the firepower that Galway have in the front line will look to yield success.
– This weekend’s GAA fixtures & TV/Streaming guide.
2026 Leinster Hurling Final Verdict
This has the possibility of being quite high scoring with both sides in top form. If the forwards get into their stride, then we could see a bit of a shootout. Dublin knows what it takes to see off Galway, and they will be hoping the fans come out in force.
Dublin vs Galway Scoreline Prediction
Dublin 2-25 Galway 1-24
Betting Tips
How to bet on the 2026 Leinster Senior Hurling Championship Final
Looking to get involved in the action? Full markets on Dublin vs Galway can be found on the BAR 1 Betting website & app.
With the provincial championships coming to an end and the All-Ireland series just around the corner, now could be a good time to check the latest Gaelic football & hurling outright markets.
