Looking ahead to Friday’s Laois club football action with senior and intermediate games down

It’s another big night of Laois club football action with championship games for decision in both the senior and intermediate grades.

Laois Shopping Centre SFC – Graiguecullen v The Heath
In the LOETB Centre of Excellence at 7.30pm

Graiguecullen and The Heath meet this evening in the winners section of Round 2 with the victors here going straight through to the quarter-finals.

Having survived a couple of relegation scares in recent years, The Heath will be relieved not to have to endure that this year as their comfortable win over Arles-Kilcruise has meant they can’t go down.

Graiguecullen were never threatened in their opening round win over Arles-Killeen but didn’t look hectic either and would need to improve to get down to the latter stages.

The Heath have a solid spine to their defence in Ciaran and Denis Booth while Daithi Carroll and newcomer Shane Booth were impressive up front. Young midfielder Liam Kinsella is a fine athlete and fared well against former Laois player Kevin Meaney the last day out.

But Graiguecullen have a well-enough balanced side. Danny Bolger is an excellent goalkeeper, Mark Timmons is rock solid at full-back, Trevor Collins and Danny O’Reilly are a very mobile midfield pairing and Brian Byrne, Lee Timmons and Ross Hennessy were on top form against Arles-Killeen.

The Heath defence won’t give Graigue as much space as Arles-Killeen did but The Heath haven’t always put up as big scores as they did the last day and if they revert to type, Graigue just might have that bit more.

Prediction: Graiguecullen

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Laois Shopping Centre IFC – Annanough v Mountmellick
In Stradbally at 7.30pm

These two sides meet in the intermediate championship for the first time since Mountmellick’s breakthrough intermediate county final win in 2006 – with the loser here out of the championship and into a relegation final.

Annanough were slight favourites against The Rock in the opening round but conceded three goals in the second half and ended up losing by nine points.

That game was four weeks ago while Mountmellick were in action more recently when they were beaten after extra time by Clonaslee, a game in which they were five points up at one stage of the second half of normal time.

Mountmellick haven’t set the world alight in this grade since coming down from senior three years ago but their losses have mostly been against the championship contenders – Courtwood twice in 2018 and Clonaslee in last year’s semi-final and again this year.

Niall Mullen is their go-to forward while Colm Coss, Eoghan Keogh and Gearoid Hanrahan bring intercounty quality.

Annanough will again look to the likes of Rory Stapleton, Donal Miller and John Scully while youngsters Damien McCaul, Killian Horgan, Conor Donlon and Elliott Scully have plenty to offer too.

Annanough will be keen to atone for the nature of that Rock defeat but Mountmellick look to have more strength across the field and they can get their championship hopes back on track here.

Prediction: Mountmellick

SEE ALSO – Owens holds his nerve as Emo come from behind to beat O’Dempsey’s

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source https://www.laoistoday.ie/2020/09/04/looking-ahead-to-fridays-laois-club-football-action-with-senior-and-intermediate-games-down/