Laois Shopping Centre Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Semi Final Camross v Portlaoise
In the MW Hire O’Moore Park at 2.30pm
13 years ago, Camross and Portlaoise clashed in the Laois senior hurling championship decider – one of four finals in five years from 2007 to 2011 that The Town contested.
They lost all of those and have since dropped out of the top tier – playing at the second grade in two of the last three seasons.
And to confirm how the two clubs have gone in different directions since that 2007 final – Camross have won the Bob O’Keeffe Cup three times since then while this Premier Intermediate clash is actually their second string.
Portlaoise were in Group A and they breezed through with wins over Ballyfin, Colt-Shanahoe and Slieve Bloom to secure their semi final place as group winners.
Camross were in the tougher of the groups and after a narrow loss to The Harps in Round 1, they responded well to defeat Mountrath and then Clonaslee to seal a knock-out place.
But they have lost Ori Phelan and Darragh Duggan to their senior team and if Portlaoise can get good ball into the likes of Aaron Bergin and Tommy Fitzgerald – they should win.
Verdict – Portlaoise
Laois Shopping Centre Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Semi Final Slieve Bloom v The Harps
In the MW Hire O’Moore Park at 4.30pm
This is a meeting between the side who have lost the last two Premier Intermediate (formerly Senior A) finals and the side who won the relegation final last year.
The Harps have been knocking on the door for the last couple of years and perhaps this will finally be the year they break it down and reach the top tier.
They enjoyed routine wins over Clonaslee and Mountrath in the group – while they were pushed a little further by Camross but managed to win.
Slieve Bloom lost to Portlaoise in their final group game but they were already guaranteed a spot in the semi finals after wins over Colt-Shanahoe and Ballyfin.
2020 was certainly a huge step forward for them but with Ben Conroy believed to be overseas again, this may be where the journey ends.
Verdict – The Harps
Laois Shopping Centre Intermediate Hurling Championship Semi Final Clough-Ballacolla v Trumera
In Ratheniska at 5pm
There is only one ‘first team’ left in the intermediate championship and they, Trumera, face Clough-Ballacolla in this semi final.
Clough-Ballacolla actually lost their opening match in this competition to Borris-Kilcotton but went on to defeat Park-Ratheniska-Timahoe and then Mountmellick.
The nature of their win over the latter left them top of the group and saw Mountmellick lose out on scoring difference as a result.
Wins over Ballypickas and Clonad, either side of a defeat to Rathdowney-Errill, left Trumera in second place in their group.
Both these sides have impressive young players with Paddy Hosey and Brian Bredin catching the eye for Trumera while Kevin Mulhall and Chris Rafter have been excellent for Ballacolla.
A really tight one, but we’ll go for Trumera.
Verdict – Trumera
Laois Shopping Centre Intermediate Hurling Championship Semi Final Rathdowney-Errill v Borris-Kilcotton
In Abbeyleix at 5pm
The remaining two teams in this competition are both second strings – Rathdowney-Errill and Borris-Kilcotton.
Rathdowney-Errill have been really impressive so far – winning all three group games against Clonad, Ballypickas and Trumera by considerable margins.
Borris-Kilcotton’s only blip was against Mountmellick but they got a favour from Clough-Ballacolla and then defeated Park-Ratheniska-Timahoe by enough to knock Mountmellick out on scoring difference.
Paddy Hassett has been Rathdowney-Errill’s main man so far and how Borris-Kilcotton can limit him will be the winning or losing of the game.
Sean Fitzpatrick has been Borris-Kilcotton’s biggest attacking threat and he will also take minding.
Verdict – Rathdowney-Errill
Laois Shopping Centre Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Relegation Final Colt-Shanahoe v Mountrath
In Mountmellick at 5pm
Two teams who have endured very difficult 2020s meet in the final that nobody wants to contest.
Colt-Shanahoe’s first year as an amalgamation couldn’t have gone much worse. No league campaign due to Covid-19 meant their first competitive action was in the championship.
They lost badly to Slieve Bloom in Round 1 but have steadily improved since in defeats to Portlaoise and Ballyfin respectively.
Mountrath took a resounding beating off Clonaslee in Round 1 and things got even worse in the games that followed afterwards against Camross and The Harps.
Their form is so poor and it is really hard to see how they can turn it around.
Verdict – Colt-Shanahoe
SEE ALSO – Talking Sport Podcast: Ladies football final preview, hurling semi-finals and intermediate football
The post Previewing all of Saturday Laois GAA action appeared first on Laois Today.
source https://www.laoistoday.ie/2020/09/26/previewing-all-of-saturday-laois-gaa-action/
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