The busy run of Laois GAA club championship games continues today with three more senior football games, a delayed senior hurling clash and a handful of junior football fixtures.
Laois SHC Round 1 – Clough-Ballacolla v The Harps
In O’Moore Park at 12noon
Nine days after these two neighbouring clubs were due to meet in the opening round of the Laois SHC, they finally do battle in the day’s first game in O’Moore Park.
A Covid outbreak in The Harps meant that they couldn’t field last Friday week and despite a rule stating that the game must be played within five days or the game would be conceded, agreement was reached to play it in this slot.
The Harps did, however, give a walkover in the junior football championship to Castletown during the week though it’s believed a number of their players were overseas on holidays though are back in time for this game.
On paper it has the makings of a fine game. Close rivals meeting in the championship for the first time in a number of years and both coming off the back of recent 2020 county final success – Clough-Ballacolla in the senior and The Harps in the Premier Intermediate.
Castletown have already defeated Rosenallis in this group but despite three teams advancing to the knockout stages, an early win takes some of the pressure off.
Clough-Ballacolla look a stronger side and have had less disruptions and if The Harps are to get a win to keep them out of relegation bother and into a quarter-final, it’s more likely to come in one of their other group games.
Clough-Ballacolla should win this.
Laois SFC Round 1 – Rosenallis v Ballylinan
In O’Moore Park at 2pm
Rosenallis begin their second season at senior and after surviving last year thanks to a relegation semi-final win over Courtwood, they would love a win that would avoid sending them down that route again.
They pushed Ballylinan close in Round 2 last year and with Jamie Farrell and Gary Walsh suspended they should have a decent chance.
But Rosenallis are not without their absentees with Paddy Keating and Cillian Callally missing last week’s hurling they possibly won’t be as strong as they were in 2020.
This has a look of a game that has extra time and penalties about it though the 15/8 odds on Rosenallis to win in normal time are tempting.
A great opportunity for Rosenallis but it wouldn’t be a surprise either way.
At the risk of being accused of sitting on the fence, we’ll go for Rosenallis.
Laois SFC Round 1 – Stradbally v Arles-Killeen
In O’Moore Park at 4pm
There hasn’t been a massive amount of championship fixtures between these two over the years with their last meeting a 2-12 to 1-8 win for Arles-Killeen in 2013 though Stradbally did triumph in the fixture in the 2007 semi-final and on their way to the 2005 final.
Both have fallen somewhat from the level of contesting for championship success with Stradbally in three of the last four relegation finals since famously claiming glory in 2016.
As always Arles-Killeen will look to the Kingstons for scores though the likes of Conor Keightley, Sean O’Shea and Jason Enright are well able of contributing too and in Colin Dunne they have one of Laois’s top underage forwards making his championship debut.
For a club that has relied so heavily on such a great generation of players, now all almost all well into their 30s, it’s incredibly bad luck to lose Oisin Byrne, a county minor of recent years, to injury this year.
Stradbally aren’t without their injury worries either and it’s hard to see much in it, with Killeen on top when the sides met in the league.
Looking back on last year’s championship, the only win either had was against an Arles-Kilcruise side that eventually got relegated. But Stradbally pushed Portarlington closer than anyone did and will feel they left the St Joseph’s game behind them.
Hesitantly, we go for Stradbally.
Laois SFC Round 1 – St Joseph’s v Clonaslee-St Manman’s
In O’Moore Park at 6pm
A long day of games concludes with the meeting of Clonaslee-St Manman’s and St Joseph’s.
Intermediate champions five times in the past 22 years, the latest group of Clonaslee players possibly look better equipped to tackle senior than their predecessors.
They’ve plenty of pace and mobility and in Niall Corbet have a marquee forward.
While Joseph’s have been defensively solid, they’ve struggled to get the big scores needed to properly challenge.
They’ll be in good physical shape, well organised and in their second year under Mick Dempsey.
It’s a chance for Clonaslee but St Joseph’s have far more credit in the bank and it’s hard to go against them.
Laois JFC Round 1
There have six junior championship games fixed for this week but the first three were all cancelled as walkovers were given – Camross conceding to Kilcavan, The Harps to Castletown and Errill to Barrowhouse.
It’s contributed to a farcical start to the third grade and leaves some clubs in a situation where they won’t have a meaningful game until October.
Today’s three games all feature football clubs, albeit with Annanough the only first team in action.
With Killeshin playing a handful of junior eligible players in their senior loss to Ballyroan-Abbey last night, Annanough at home should win that.
Portarlington’s second team should be too strong for Portlaoise’s third string and it’s a toss up between Ballyroan-Abbey and The Heath – but we’ll tentatively give The Heath the nod.
SEE ALSO – Impressive Ballyroan Abbey put Killeshin to the sword to march into Round 2
The post Looking ahead to Sunday’s Laois club championship action with hurling and football games down for decision appeared first on Laois Today.
source https://www.laoistoday.ie/2021/09/05/looking-ahead-to-sundays-laois-club-championship-action-with-hurling-and-football-games-down-for-decision/
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