Across:
8 A horde (a horde) rioting (= anagram indicator) (a horde = OH DEAR)? Yikes! (Yikes = OH DEAR),
9 Fleshy or (fleshy or) hairy (= anagram indicator) (fleshy or = HORSEFLY) bloodsucker (HORSEFLY),
10 Served up (= reverse indicator) sample of desserts specifically (sample of ‘desserTS SPecifically’ = tssp = PSST) used to catch one’s attention (PSST)
11 Cite a visit (cite a visit) planned (= anagram indicator) (cite a visit = ACTIVITIES) with things to do (ACTIVITIES),
12 Penny (CO-IN) takes in party (Fianna Fáil = -FF-) (COFFIN) for one of those lifeless figures (COFFIN),
14 Say it’s okay (LET-) on tap (-H- on hot tap) and key (music key = -A-) for the odd rugby (for the odd letters in ‘RuGbY’ = -RGY) (LETHARGY) period of sluggishness (LETHARGY),
15 Juice (PRESS) from a type of pear (CONFERENCE pear) (PRESS CONFERENCE) attracts media attention (PRESS CONFERENCE),
18 Taken (ACCEPTED) to Bar (bar = except) Hearing (= homophone indicator) (‘except’ = ‘accept’ = ACCEPT-) by journalist (-ED) (ACCEPTED),
20 Poor (= anagram indicator) sister (sister) (sister = RESITS) takes the test again (RESITS),
22 Risky high flyers (TEST PILOTS) providing proof (proof = TEST) by showing off (= anagram indicator) pistol (pistol = PILOTS) (TEST PILOTS)
24 The ship’s captain in charge (BOSS) of armada dropping off ambassador (‘armada’ dropping of ‘ambassador’ = bsso = BOSS),
25 What a night-watchman might do (STARGAZE) for sun (STAR-) on unfinished (a) strip on the Mediterranean (Gaza Strip) (‘Gaza’ without ‘a’ = -GAZ-) going towards Spain (-E) (STARGAZE),
26 Houses (ABODES) a (A-) leading beat (leading ‘Beat’ = -B-) poet’s work (-ODES) (ABODES).
Down:
1 Ship factory has no craft ('ship factory' has no 'craft' = shipoy = PHYSIO) job for a hands-on type of person having to deal with the strain (PHYSIO),
2 Opens 22 across (opens ‘test pilots’ = TEST) in trial (TEST),
3 Unravel (= anagram indicator) anagram (anagram = ARMAGNA-)? With constant (constant = -C) (ARMAGNAC) spirit! (ARMAGNAC),
4 Took cornet out of trench coat (took ‘cornet’ out of ‘trench coat’ = thca = CHAT) or that’s the talk online (CHAT),
5 Park (P-) near The Liffey (river) briefly (r) (‘river’ without ‘r’ = -RIVE-) heading for Tonduff (heading for ‘Tonduff’ = -T) (PRIVET) with one of Olive’s family (PRIVET),
6 Examinations (TEST PAPERS) of probes (tests = TEST -S) going around the sun (The Sun APER-) (TEST PAPERS),
7 Very sniffy (ALLERGIC) with visitor (caller) heading off (c) (‘caller’ without ‘c’ = ALLER-) with soldier (-GI-) to club (-C) (ALLERGIC),
13 Drop a line (FISH) to picky types (EATERS) (FISH EATERS) of pescatarians (FISH EATERS),
14 Ben is out of bed linen (‘ben’ is out of ‘bed linen’ = dline = LINED) that’s striped (LINED),
16 Play (recreate a story/ play = RECREATE) about (RE-) fashion (-CREATE) (RECREATE),
17 Sets up (= reverse indicator) TV station (RTE = ETR-) with top Umbrian (top ‘Umbrian’ = -U-) lawyer (Senior Counsel = -SC-) – an (-AN) (ETRUSCAN) old native of Italian region (ETRUSCAN people from ancient state of Etruria),
19 Retweet (rt) sending up (= reverse indicator) (rt = TR-) graduate (-BA-) in Illinois (IL = -I-L) (TRIBAL) is reflective of group loyalty (TRIBAL),
21 2 down (‘test’ = TEST-) is in hospital (-ER) (TESTER) checking athletes for drugs (TESTER),
23 The range (OVEN) of some Romanov enquiry (some ‘romanOV ENquiry’ = OVEN),
24 Sound of disapproval (BOO-) from Kelvin (-K) (BOOK) in Order (order/reserve = BOOK).