Joe McDonagh Cup Final Preview
The Laois senior hurlers face Carlow in the final of the Joe McDonagh Cup Final tomorrow Saturday June 6 in Croke Park at 3.45pm.
The winner tomorow seals their place in the 2027 Leinster Senior Hurling Championship.
Laois were in finals in 2024 and 2025 with losses to Offaly and Kildare. The last time Carlow were here was when they beat Offaly in 2023 after extra time.
Ticket Information:
Photo credits: Captured by Oonagh
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Watch live on TV: RTE 2
Laois team named to face Carlow:
Key Laois Stats overall this Joe Mc Campaign (Courtesy of Eoin Culliton @LeixGaelicStats on Twitter)
From the Carlow game in Round 1
Ben Conroy scored his 8th SHC goal.
Lee Cleere made his 30th championship appearance.
Aidan Corby made his 80th overall appearance.
Mossy Keyes made his 50th overall appearance
From the Antrim game in Round 2
Laois are now the highest-scoring team in the history of the Joe McDonagh Cup (867), passing Kerry (861) against Antrim.
Cillian Dunne made his championship debut and scored a brace of goals.
He’s the first Laois hurler in 36 years to score two goals within his first three SHC appearances (1990, John Fitzpatrick Kilcotton v Wexford).
Picky Maher scored three 65s. It’s only the second recorded SHC game where a Laois hurler scored three 65s in one game:
2018 Picky vs Carlow
Laois’ starting 15 vs Antrim had 366 SHC apps going into the match, making it the most capped Laois SHC ever.
From the Westmeath game in Round 3:
Gearoid Lynch is only the 29th known sub to score a senior championship hurling goal for Laois.
He’s only the second Ballinakill hurler to do this, after Eamon Jackman in 2003 vs Carlow.
Picky Maher has now equalled Paddy Purcell’s Laois record of 25 championship wins.
Laois hurlers have never lost a round3 match in the Joe McDonagh Cup (5) and have never lost in the competition with a Galway ref (4).
Fiachra C Fennell played his 30th SHC game.
Ciaran McEvoy played his 30th L&C match and David Dooley made his 40th overall app.
From the Round 4 game v Down:
Ben Conroy made his 30th NHL app.
Fiachra C Fennell made his 80th overall app.
Picky took over from James Young as top championship scorer for Laois senior hurlers with his total of (0-8 in the win over Down)
Young had held the mantle since June 18th 2005 (v Galway).
Aaron Dunphy became the second Laois senior hurler to score 14+ points in a championship match for a second time.
The first was Picky vs Antrim.
Laois had 12 different clubs represented on the field of play v Down – for a third championship game in a row.
It’s the first time in our history that we have done this.
Dunphy scored his first ever championship hattrick and Laois’ 23rd (hattrick or better).
It’s the first second-half hattrick since PJ Cuddy’s achievement vs Offaly in 1986.
Single-season top scorers cship:
61 Tomas Keyes 2025
59 James Young 2005
56 Picky Maher 2023
54 Zane Keenan 2015
52 Aaron Dunphy 2024
51 Mark Kavanagh 2019
41 Ross King 2017
39 Picky Maher 2014
38 James Young 2007
37 Frank Keenan 1979
36 James Young 2006 & Aaron Dunphy 2026*
Standout Laois Players this championship campaign:
Impressive Championship Debut:
Cillian Dunne
In his debut senior championship campaign, Cillian Dunne emerged as one of Laois’ standout forwards. He finished the Joe McDonagh Cup with 3-7, showcasing his eye for goal, pace, and composure in front of the posts.
Dunne’s movement inside the forward line consistently created scoring opportunities, while his ability to win possession and make intelligent runs made him a constant threat. Strong under the high ball and relentless in his work rate, he quickly established himself as a key attacking outlet and one of Laois’ most impressive performers throughout the campaign. The strongest feature of his game is his ability to pick out a pass to a teammate, that leads to a score nearly every time: from both long and short ball by Dunne. His vision to set up scores is exceptional.
In the Laois defence:
Fiachra C. Fennell
Fiachra C. Fennell was a vital figure in Laois’ defence and played a key role in linking defence to attack throughout the campaign. His distribution was a major strength, regularly delivering accurate long-range passes that created scoring opportunities for the forwards.
Defensively, he showed excellent game awareness, producing important and perfectly timed tackles/ interceptions, clearances and turnovers while consistently reading danger well. Fennell also contributed going forward, finishing the campaign with 0-2 and demonstrating his ability to drive out of defence and support attacks when opportunities arose.
In the Laois attack:
Picky Maher and Martin Phelan
Picky Maher was one of Laois’ most influential players throughout the Joe McDonagh Cup campaign, finishing as the county’s leading championship scorer of all time. His accuracy from frees and ’65s, combined with his ability to score from play, made him a constant source of scores. He scored a total 1.29
Beyond his scoring, Maher’s experience, leadership and creativity were crucial to Laois’ attacking play. He regularly created opportunities for teammates through his passing and distribution, while his composure in key moments helped drive the team forward during crucial stages of the campaign.
Martin Phelan
Martin Phelan produced a series of powerful displays throughout the campaign, finishing with 0-8 from play. His strength, direct running and willingness to take on defenders made him a difficult opponent to contain.
Phelan excellently utilises his physicality, using his strength both on and off the ball to fend off defenders and hold possesion in the forward line to create set up play, space, opportunities and scores.
Phelan consistently won possession, earned important frees and created opportunities for teammates through intelligent link play. His work rate was exceptional both in attack and defence, while his ability to contribute scores from difficult positions highlighted his quality and importance to the Laois forward line.
Martin Phelan can score from extremely tight angles and limited space, he can pop the ball over the bar despite not having a clear cut chance.
Impact Substiution:
James Keyes
James Keyes made a significant impact whenever called upon during the campaign, contributing 0-5 from play while also creating several scoring opportunities for teammates.
His pace, work rate and ability to win possession added energy to the Laois attack, particularly from the bench. Keyes regularly put himself in positions to influence games, whether through direct scoring, winning frees or providing assists, making him one of Laois’ most effective impact substitutes throughout the campaign as he consistently impressed everytime he was brought on.
Should Laois need a spark from the subs bench in Croke Park, James Keyes is a great option to call upon and a man up to the task.
Carlow’s standout player:
Marty Kavanagh has topped the scoring charts for the 2026 Joe McDonagh Cup campaign with 4-38, just edging and overtaking Laois’ Aaron Dunphy in 2nd place with 4-37.
Laois v Carlow: Past 3 Meetings Results in Joe McDonagh Cup
2026 Joe McDonagh Cup Round 1
Carlow: 4.17
Laois: 1.17
Joe McDonagh Cup Round 5 2025
Carlow: 2.17
Laois: 1.20
Joe McDonagh Cup 2018
Laois: 2.15
Carlow: 2.25
