Laois SHC Group A – Clough-Ballacolla v Castletown
In O’Moore Park at 5.30pm
A place in the semi finals of the SHC is on the line as Clough-Ballacolla and Castletown meet in O’Moore Park this evening.
This is the first of a double header that will bring the group stage of the championship to an end. Both of these teams are guaranteed a spot in the next stage regardless of the result.
They have both enjoyed wins over The Harps and Rosenallis so far.
Clough-Ballacolla’s wins have been by greater margins and they may welcome back Ronan Broderick and Tom Delaney for this game following long injury lay offs.
They are set to be without Stephen Bergin though as he picked up an injury.
Castletown are on a three game championship winning streak from last year and manager Paddy Mullaney should have a full squad to choose from.
However, Clough-Ballacolla should prevail and that would send Castletown to a quarter final against old rivals Camross.
Laois SHC Group B – Rosenallis v The Harps
In O’Moore Park at 7pm
The second game of the evening is set to be enthralling as Rosenallis face The Harps in a winner-takes-all clash.
This is a repeat of the 2019 Senior ‘A’ final and Rosenallis won narrowly on that occasion – 1-12 to 1-11.
The Harps have been on a roller-coaster of a ride in the last few months.
They won the rescheduled 2020 Premier IHC final in August and then a Covid outbreak saw their first Round game with Clough-Ballacolla delayed by a week.
They lost that and then pushed Castletown all the way in Round 2 only to lose out narrowly in the end.
Rosenallis lost John Lennon to injury in the first round defeat to Castletown and he is unlikely to feature tonight.
The Harps are minus Ciaran Burke, Fionn Whelan and Gavin Dunne from the side who won the Premier IHC last month.
But they have been more competitive in their two matches and look the likely winners.
The winners will play Rathdowney-Errill in the quarter final while the losers face Abbeyleix in the relegation playoff.
Laois Premier IHC Group A – Rathdowney-Errill v Ballyfin
In Borris-In-Ossory at 5pm
Group A of the Premier IHC is wide open with all four teams possibly ending up in semi finals, quarter finals or relegation final by the end of the day.
Both games throw-in simultaneously too so that the full picture will not be known until around 7pm.
Rathdowney-Errill’s second team were victorious over Slieve Bloom in Round 1 but lost to Ballinakill in Round 2. They lost Padraig Rafter to their seniors last night too.
While Ballyfin’s results are the opposite way around with an opening round win over Ballinakill followed by a surprise Slieve Bloom defeat.
A win for Ballyfin will send them to the semi finals if Slieve Bloom fail to defeat Ballinakill.
That seems the most likely result if they can bring David Connolly home from Europe for the game.
Laois Premier IHC Group A – Ballinakill v Slieve Bloom
In Trumera at 5pm
This group looked rather straight forward until Slieve Bloom through a serious spanner in the works by defeating Ballyfin.
All of what is said above applies here in terms of the permutations.
A win for Ballinakill will see them top the table if Ballyfin do not defeat Rathdowney-Errill.
They have injury concerns over Podge Lawlor and Cha Dywer and must find a way to limit Ben Conroy’s influence too.
Slieve Bloom showed they are dangerous the last day and this one should be a cracker.
Laois JHC Group A and B
Avoiding the relegation playoff is the prize when Portlaoise and Colt-Shanahoe meet in Group A at 4pm in Rathleague.
Both teams have been well beaten by Rathdowney-Errill and Camross in the two games to date.
In Group B, Abbeyleix have the chance to claim a semi final place when they host Mountrath at 4pm.
A five point win would guarantee that ahead of tomorrow’s meeting between Castletown and Ballypickas.
Mountrath cannot reach the semi finals and will be doomed to a relegation playoff if they lose – but will leave their opponents in it if they win.
SEE ALSO – Check out all the LaoisToday GAA coverage here
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source https://www.laoistoday.ie/2021/09/25/previewing-all-of-saturdays-laois-hurling-action-with-shc-premier-ihc-and-jhc-round-3-ahead/
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