A busy weekend of Laois GAA club hurling championship action continues today with a number of games across the top four grades.
The most high-profile game sees 2020 senior champions Clough-Ballacolla take on Rosenallis in a repeat of last year’s semi-final while there is also three games down for decision in the Premier IHC, one in the IHC and a full schedule in the Junior ‘A’.
Here we look ahead to the best of the action.
Laois SHC Group A – Clough-Ballacolla v Rosenallis
In O’Moore Park at 3pm
After belatedly getting the defence of their championship off to a winning start last Sunday against The Harps, Clough-Ballacolla can take a major step towards an automatic semi-final appearance against by getting the better of Rosenallis in O’Moore Park this afternoon.
Clough-Ballacolla were 2-21 to 0-18 winners when the sides met in last year’s semi-final and have since recorded impressive wins over Borris-Kilcotton in the 2020 final and The Harps last weekend.
Rosenallis were the surprise package of last year’s championship when they beat both Camross and Borris-Kilcotton but started this campaign with a loss against Castletown in the opening round.
Maintaining a busy schedule as the county’s only senior dual club, Rosenallis could do with a win here but Clough-Ballacolla should have too much scoring power, even allowing for Paddy Keating’s return from injury.
Rosenallis’s search for a first win will more than likely go on until the final group game against The Harps in two weeks time.
Laois Premier IHC Group B – Camross v Clonaslee-St Manman’s
In O’Moore Park at 1.30pm
When these two met in their third group game last year, it was essentially a quarter-final with Camross’s relatively comfortable win seeing them through.
The Camross team has changed considerably since then while Clonaslee have more or less the same group to call on, including a fully-fit DJ O’Callaghan who was forced off injured in this fixture 12 months ago.
Camross were well beaten by Portlaoise in the opening round while Clonaslee were too strong for Colt-Shanahoe.
They should make it two wins from two here.
Laois Premier IHC Group A – Ballinakill v Rathdowney-Errill
In Colt at 12.30pm
Relegated from senior last year, Ballinakill were beaten the first day out by Ballyfin and now take on a Rathdowney-Errill side that were comfortable winners over Slieve Bloom in their opening game.
Ballinakill would deem it unthinkable to lose their first two games in this competition and while there has been a changing of the guard, with neither Seamus Dwyer nor Eamon Jackman featuring the last day for the first time in about 20 years, they should have enough to get past Rathdowney-Errill’s second team.
Laois Premier IHC Group A – Ballyfin v Slieve Bloom
In Mountrath at 12.30pm
Ballyfin have been disappointing at this grade since being relegated from senior in 2018 – but they showed a marked improvement in their thrilling opening round win over Ballinakill.
Under the management of Enda Lyons and with Eanna Lyons and Gareth Dunphy available again they are unrecognisable from the side that went out meekly last year.
Slieve Bloom were poor against Rathdowney-Errill in their first outing and it’s hard to see them improving by enough to win here.
Laois IHC Group A – Borris-Kilcotton v Park-Ratheniska/Timahoe
In Borris-in-Ossory at 12.30pm
Borris-Kilcotton, semi-finalists last year and finalists the year before, got the better of Clonad in their first game and having played in the Junior ‘B’ final during the week, they’re likely to have a bigger panel to pick one for this game.
A win would put them through to the semi-finals and send Park-Ratheniska/Timahoe into a relegation battle in this grade for the third time in four years.
SEE ALSO – Check out all the weekend GAA coverage here
The post Previewing Sunday’s Laois club hurling championship action appeared first on Laois Today.
source https://www.laoistoday.ie/2021/09/12/previewing-sundays-laois-club-hurling-championship-action/
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