Colly Clerkin

DEAR Santa, I’ve been a good boy this year—well, mostly. I’ve cheered, I’ve groaned, and I’ve written more words about GAA than I care to count. So instead of socks and selection boxes, I’m asking for something different: a few gifts for the game we love. After a rollercoaster 2025, here’s what I’m hoping for in 2026.

WHEN the ball is thrown in at 3.30pm this Sunday in Croke Park, it won’t just be the All-Ireland title on the line—it’ll be a referendum on the future of Gaelic football.

THE road to Croke Park is narrowing and the upcoming All-Ireland Senior Football Championship preliminary quarter-finals are poised to deliver the kind of drama, intensity, and potential upsets that have defined this GAA season.