Preview: Laois v Kildare (Allianz Football League Division 3)
Written by Laois PR Team
The Laois senior footballers will play their Round 4 game in Division 3 when they travel to Newbridge to take on Kildare away on Saturday February 22nd at 7pm in Cedral St.Conleths GAA Park.
Tickets can be purchased both online and in person using the following options below.
Tickets can be purchased online here:
https://am.ticketmaster.com/gaa/buy/25OM1602
Tickets can be purchased in person via selected participating SuperValu stores:
SuperValu Stradbally
Breslin’s SuperValu Rathdowney
McConville’s SuperValu Mountmellick
McLoughlin’s SuperValu Portarlington
Mulhall’s SuperValu Portlaoise
SuperValu Abbeyleix
SuperValu Parkside Portlaoise.
Follow live match scores and updates on our official CLG Laois Twitter account: @CLGLaois.
Manager Justin McNulty has named the following side to face Kildare:
Latest Laois Stats:
Ryan Brady (Ballylinan) made his Laois senior county football debut when he came on as a late substitute.
Mark Barry scored 0-11. It’s the 27th time that a Laois footballer has scored 10+ points in the NFL and only that it has been managed without a goal. The first to achieve the latter was Jack Kenna in 1961.
Laois’ biggest HT lead over Sligo since 1991 (12) and the fourth time in a row that we have led at HT against them.
Laois have only ever managed 21+ points in the NFL on four previous occasions.
Round 3 Recap:
Laois: 0-23
Sligo: 0-16
Laois: Mark Barry 0-11 (five frees), Killian Roche (one free), James Kelly (two-pointer) and Ben Dempsey 0-2 each, Brian Byrne, Padraig Kirwan, Kevin Swayne, Danny O’Reilly, Damon Larkin and Josh Hogan 0-1 each.
Sligo: Alan McLoughlin 0-7 (three two-pointers, one free), Niall Murphy 0-6 (two frees, one two-point free), Cian Lally, Eoghan Smith, Ross Doherty 0-1
Standout Players (Laois):
Kevin Swayne was brilliant throughout at right half forward whilst also being effective all over the pitch. He was strong in possession and fast on the ball: won 2 kickouts with excellent high catches. Swayne ran back and made a great tackle to put defensive pressure on Niall Murphy to prevent a Sligo attack and create a turnover in possession by winning a Laois sideline ball. Swayne’s lovely long kick pass into Daniel O’Reilly, set up a point from play. Swayne scored an excellent point from play himself, on the edge of the d, inside the 40 m arc.
Mark Barry was deservedly applauded by the Laois fans in the stand as he was subbed off in the 68th minute, as a result of his man of the match and high scoring performance. Scoring a total 0-11 (6 from play, 5 from frees). Operating with high efficiency at full forward, Barry’s league total so far in 2025 is now 0-27.
The following players made GAA.ie’s Football Team Of The Week: Mark Barry and Ben Dempsey.
Ben Dempsey was the perfect link between Laois’ defence and attack: displaying great pace and movement on the ball after winning possession, to run up the field to get scores from defence, as he got past many markers. Plus he was very strong in defensive duty as he man marked very well and intercepted ball to limit Sligo attacking opportunities. (0-2 from play).
The Division 3 table stands as follows:
Kildare:
Results so far:
Round 1:
Kildare: 2-24
Fermanagh: 1-12
Round 2:
Sligo: 0-13
Kildare: 1-16
Round 3:
Leitrim: 0-7
Kildare: 1-27
Standout Players (Kildare):
Goalkeeper Didier Cordonnier has been in excellent shot stopping and goal saving form, plus has scored 2 points from two 45’s. Kildare have been strong in attack, courtesy of: right corner forward Ryan Sinkey has scored a total (1-8) and centre forward Darragh Kirwan has a total 2-11 (one 2 pointer).
Previous 3 meetings of Kildare vs Laois:
Tailteann Cup 2024
Kildare: 0-12
Laois: 2-11
Allianz Football League: Division 2 in 2021:
Laois: 1-8
Kildare: 2-18
Allianz Football League Division 2 in 2020:
Laois: 0-10
Kildare: 0-15
By Laois PRO Fri 21st Feb
