1998 O'Byrne Cup
{{Short description|Gaelic football competition, Leinster, Ireland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox GAA championship
| name = 1998 O'Byrne Cup
|image=
| province = Leinster
| year = 1998
|matches = 12
|date = 4 January — 22 March
|num_teams = 12
| trophy = O'Byrne Cup
| winners =Offaly
| manager =Tommy Lyons
| captain = Peter Brady
| runnersup = Louth
| runnerupcaptain = Gareth O'Neill
| runnerupmanager = Paddy Clarke
| ordinal = 6
| previous = 1997
| next = 1999
}}
The 1998 O'Byrne Cup was a Gaelic football competition played by the county teams of Leinster GAA.
The tournament was a straight knockout, with 12 teams. New rules were tested:
- players were cautioned for any pushing, pulling or holding of an opponent
- two referees (in some games)
- five substitutes
- picking the ball off the ground permitted, so long as the player's feet are on the ground
- "mark" or free kick for an overhead catch from a kick-out
- solo run limited to one hop or one "solo"{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rule-changes-to-be-tested-in-cup-games-1.138700|title = Rule changes to be tested in cup games| work=Irish Times }}
Offaly were the winners, scoring two late goals to defeat Louth in the final at Gaelic Grounds in Drogheda.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/offaly-strike-late-to-retain-obyrne-cup-26194157.html|title=Offaly strike late to retain O'Byrne Cup|work=Irish Independent|date=23 March 1998 }}
Results
{{16TeamBracket-Compact-NoSeeds-Byes
| RD1=First round
4/10/11 January 1998{{cite web|url=https://www.sportsfile.com/id/004707/|title=Sportsfile - Longford v Dublin - O'Byrne Cup - 004707|website=www.sportsfile.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/carr-gets-over-first-hurdle-26197892.html|title=Carr gets over first hurdle|work=Irish Independent|date=5 January 1998 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/oreilly-goal-sparks-off-landslide-26198414.html|title=O'Reilly goal sparks off landslide|work=Irish Independent|date=12 January 1998 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/meath-storm-back-26197896.html|title=Meath storm back|work=Irish Independent|date=5 January 1998 }}
| RD2=Quarter-finals
18/25 January 1998{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/westmeath-attack-lets-offaly-off-hook-26199622.html|title=Westmeath attack lets Offaly off hook|work=Irish Independent|date=26 January 1998 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/louth-book-date-with-dubs-26199000.html|title=Louth book date with Dubs|work=Irish Independent|date=19 January 1998 }}
| RD3=Semi-finals
31 Jan / 8 Feb 1998{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaa-digest-26195079.html|title=GAA Digest|work=Irish Independent|date=2 February 1998 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/obrien-overshadows-end-of-carlow-strike-26198997.html|title=O'Brien overshadows end of Carlow 'strike'|work=Irish Independent|date=19 January 1998 }}
| RD4=Final
22 March 1998
| team-width=100px
| score-width=40px
| RD1-seed01=
| RD1-team01= Wicklow (replayed)
| RD1-score01=0-9
3-4
| RD1-seed02=
| RD1-team02= Meath
| RD1-score02= 0-9
0-12
| RD1-seed05=
| RD1-team05= Westmeath
| RD1-score05= 1-21
| RD1-seed06=
| RD1-team06= Kilkenny
| RD1-score06= 0-4
| RD1-seed09=
| RD1-team09= Kildare
| RD1-score09= 1-8
| RD1-seed10=
| RD1-team10= Louth
| RD1-score10= 1-11
| RD1-seed13=
| RD1-team13= Dublin
| RD1-score13= 0-11
| RD1-seed14=
| RD1-team14= Longford
| RD1-score14= 0-6
| RD2-seed01=
| RD2-team01=Carlow
| RD2-seed02=
| RD2-team02=Wicklow
| RD2-score01=1-7
| RD2-score02=2-11
| RD2-seed03=
| RD2-team03=Offaly
| RD2-seed04=
| RD2-team04=Westmeath
| RD2-score03=0-9
| RD2-score04=0-6
| RD2-seed05=
| RD2-team05=Wexford
| RD2-seed06=
| RD2-team06=Louth
| RD2-score05=0-11
| RD2-score06=2-6
| RD2-seed07=
| RD2-team07=Laois
| RD2-seed08=
| RD2-team08=Dublin
| RD2-score07=0-6
| RD2-score08=1-17
| RD3-seed01=
| RD3-team01=Wicklow
| RD3-seed02=
| RD3-team02=Offaly
| RD3-score01=1-5
| RD3-score02=0-13
| RD3-seed03=
| RD3-seed04=
| RD3-team04=Dublin
| RD3-score03=0-17
| RD3-score04=0-14
| RD4-seed01=
| RD4-team01=Offaly
| RD4-score01=4-7
| RD4-seed02=
| RD4-team02=Louth
| RD4-score02=2-7
}}
=Final=
{{footballbox collapsible
| date = 22 March 1998
| round =
| team1 = File:Colours_of_Offaly.svg Offaly
| score = 1-16 - 1-10
| team2 = File:Colours_of_Louth.svg Louth
| report =
| goals1 = C. McManus 2-1 (2 pens, 1'45), V. Claffey 0-5 (2f), K. Kellaghan, B. Mooney 1-0 each, P. Brady 0-1
| goals2 = C. O'Hanlon 1-1, G. O'Neill 1-0, A. Doherty 0-3, M. Farrelly 0-2, G. Curran 0-1
| stadium = Gaelic Grounds, Drogheda
| referee = E. Murtagh/P. O'Toole (Longford)
}}
| style="width:100%;" | ||
| style="vertical-align:top; width:50%"|
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" | ||
| width="25"| | width="25"| | |
|---|---|---|
| GK | 1 | Ken Furlong (Tullamore) |
| RCB | 2 | Cathal Daly (Tullamore) |
| FB | 3 | Barry Malone (Rhode) |
| LCB | 4 | David Foley (Ballyfore) |
| RHB | 5 | John Kenny (Daingean) |
| CHB | 6 | Paul Mulvihill (Killeigh/Raheen) |
| LHB | 7 | James Brady (Gracefield) |
| MF | 8 | Ciarán McManus (Tubber) |
| MF | 9 | James Grennan (Ferbane) |
| RHF | 10 | Colm Quinn (Ballycumber) |
| CHF | 11 | Mark Daly (Clara) |
| LHF | 12 | Ronan Mooney (Shamrocks) |
| RCF | 13 | Vinny Claffey (Doon) |
| FF | 14 | Barry Mooney (Shamrocks) |
| LCF | 15 | Peter Brady (Edenderry) (c) |
| colspan=3|Substitutes: | ||
| 16 | Ken Kellaghan (Rhode) for M. Daly | |
| 17 | Roy Malone (Rhode) for B. Mooney |
|style="vertical-align:top; width:50%"|
| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="margin:auto" | ||
| width="25"| | width="25"| | |
|---|---|---|
| GK | 1 | Niall O'Donnell (Clan na Gael) |
| RCB | 2 | Breen Phillips (Newtown Blues) |
| FB | 3 | Gareth O'Neill (Simonstown Gaels, Meath) (c) |
| LCB | 4 | Nicky Malone (Lann Léire) |
| RHB | 5 | Declan O'Sullivan (St Joseph's) |
| CHB | 6 | Ciarán Nash (Roche Emmets) |
| LHB | 7 | Aaron Hoey (St Bride's) |
| MF | 8 | Ken Reilly (Stabannon Parnells) |
| MF | 9 | Gerry Curran (Clan na Gael) |
| RHF | 10 | Christy Grimes (Mattock Rangers) |
| CHF | 11 | Stephen Melia (St Joseph's) |
| LHF | 12 | Martin Farrelly (Lann Léire) |
| RCF | 13 | Alan Doherty (St Mary's) |
| FF | 14 | Ollie McDonnell (St Joseph's) |
| LCF | 15 | Pat Butterly (Stabannon Parnells) |
| colspan=3|Substitutes: | ||
| 16 | Cathal O'Hanlon (Clan na Gael) for McDonnell | |
| 17 | John Moroney (Oliver Plunketts) for Butterly | |
| 18 | Mark Stanfield (O'Connells) for Farrelly | |
| 19 | Jeffrey Finnegan (Oliver Plunketts) for Hoey | |
| 20 | Martin Harvey (Dundalk Gaels) for Curran |
|}