Previewing Thursday night’s Laois GAA action

After plenty of Junior ‘C’ and Junior ‘B’ action in recent days, the first senior game of the week is due to take place tonight.

With the floodlights in MW Hire O’Moore Park still out of action, the game will take place in the LOETB Centre of Excellence.

Neighbours Emo and O’Dempsey’s are up first and we look ahead to that and the other games taking place tonight below:

Laois Shopping Centre SFC R2 Winner’s Section Emo v O’Dempsey’s
In the LOETB Centre of Excellence at 7.30pm

This will be just the second meeting of these two neighbours in the senior football championship in the last 22 years.

The pair met in a quarter final in 2018 but before that, you had to go all the way back to 1998.

That is a remarkably long time for two clubs that have been senior ever since, with the exception of a couple of seasons.

Anyway, just like all the teams in this section, they come here off the back of very good wins in Round 1.

O’Dempsey’s put seven goals past neighbours Courtwood in Round 1 two weeks ago with veteran forward Micheal Finlay helping himself to a hat-trick.

While Emo took on 2019 defeated county finalists Killeshin and, with an early goal from debutante Paddy Hosey getting them off to a great start, they won well.

This game should be far closer than those two were but O’Dempsey’s may just have that bit too much up front.

Verdict: O’Dempsey’s

Junior A Games

There are four games in the Junior A championship tonight across three of the groups.

In Group A, Portlaoise and Killeshin, who both won their games meet in Round 1.

Portlaoise may have lost players to their intermediates during this week but we’ll go with them to win this.

While the other game sees Ballylinan and Ballyroan-Abbey meet – with the latter probably the favourites.

In Group B, Errill make the mammoth trip across the county to face St Joseph’s second team. Both sides lost their opening games but St Joseph’s, who were relegated last year from intermediate, should prevail.

Survival is on the line for Kilcavan in Group C as they host last year’s defeated semi finalists The Heath in their final group game.

After losing to Portarlington in round 1, they will have to win this one and that need may be enough for them.

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