Preview: Westmeath vs Laois (Allianz Hurling League Division 1B Round 1)

Preview: Westmeath vs Laois (Allianz Hurling League Division 1B Round 1)

Written by Laois PR Team

The Laois senior hurlers are set to begin their 2025 division 1B campaign with their first competitive game under new manager Tommy Fitzgerald. When they travel to Mullingar to take on Westmeath this Saturday (January 25th) at 2pm in TEG Cusack Park.

Tickets can be purchased both online and in person using the following options below.

Tickets can be purchased online here: (Please note: a child ticket for persons under 16 will cost 5 euros for Division 1B games): https://am.ticketmaster.com/gaa/laoishuleague

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 Tommy Fitzgerald has named the following side to face Westmeath:

Full Allianz Hurling League Division 1B 2025 Fixture List

Permutations in Div 1B: the teams who finish in the top 2 on the table, gain promotion to the 2026 Division 1A campaign and will contest the 2025 Div.1B final for a chance for silverware. Teams who finish in places 3, 4, 5 will be safe from relegation and remain in Div 1B for 2026. Teams who finish 6th and 7th will be relegated to Division 2 in 2026.

Previous meetings between Laois and Westmeath:

Joe McDonagh Cup 5 on May 25th 2024.

Westmeath: 2-26 (32)

Laois: 0-16 (16)

Scorers:

Laois: Ross King 0-7. Lee Cleere 0-2. Gearoid Lynch 0-2. James Keyes 0-2. Cody Comerford 0-1. Martin Phelan 0-1. Willie Dunphy 0-1.

Westmeath: David Williams 0-11. Niall Mitchell 2-0. Darragh Clinton 0-2. Robbie Greville 0-2. David O Reilly 0-4. Killian Doyle 0-2. Owen McCabe, Aonghus Clarke, Kevin Reagan, Tommy Doyle and Peter Clarke all 0-1 each.

Despite defeat for Laois that day, it was their only defeat in the 2024 Joe McDonagh campaign (aside from the final loss to Offaly). The defeat was of no consequence for this Laois side as they had already secured their place in the 2024 Joe McDonagh Cup Final, only a week prior to this game vs Westmeath. As a result. There were a total 11 changes to the Laois side that faced Westmeath, compared to the regular side seen throughout the campaign. Total changes were 6 starting and 5 on the bench.

Standout performances from Laois that day:

In attack, Cody Comerford was excellent . He was unlucky to have a great effort on goal stopped only on the line by Westmeath’s Johnny Bermingham and went on to score a brilliant point from play later on.

Up front also, Ross King’s experience was evident as he produced a top form display with a total score of 0-7 (5 from frees and 2 from play) including scoring 4 of these points in a row for Laois, which gave the side a much needed positive spell in the game when they were behind.

Lee Cleere was very solid all over the pitch, primarily at left half back with a brilliant defensive performance, alongside aiding in the attack when he went forward and scored 2 points from play.

Fiachra C.Fennell was both effective and impressive in midfield as he linked play from defence to attack when he won a lot of possession in the middle of the field and worked hard throughout with an overall strong performance.

Other Laois vs Westmeath previous meeting:

Leinster SHC Round 5 in Laois Hire O’Moore Park on May 21st 2022

Laois: 1-18

Westmeath: 5-24

Laois scorers: Ross King 0-6, Paddy Purcell 1-1, Enda Rowland 0-4, James Keyes 0-3, Ben Conroy 0-2, Cha Dwyer 0-1, Padraic Dunne 0-1.

Westmeath scorers: Killian Doyle 0-7, Eoin Keyes 2-1, Niall Mitchell 2-0, Niall O’Brien 1-3, Joey Boyle 0-5, Davy Glennon 0-3, Jack Galvin 0-2, Cormac Boyle 0-1, Aaron Craig 0-1, Jack Gillen 0-1.