We look ahead to this weekends upcoming Laois Shopping Centre Senior Football Championship (Quarter Finals) & Intermediate Football Championship (Semi Finals) fixtures.
There are 4 fixtures in the Senior Football Championship Quarter Finals and 4 fixtures in the new Senior ‘B’ Football Championship Quarter Finals.
The 2 Intermediate Football Championship Semi Final fixtures will take place on Sunday.
The winners of all fixtures (SFC & SFC ‘B’ Quarter Finals plus the IFC Semi Finals) are to be decided on the day. If the sides are still level at the end of normal time, there will be two 10 minutes periods of extra time and if still level then penalties.
Tickets: Reminder that these are ticket only games with a ticket charge of €6-€12 which can be purchased online here: https://www.universe.com/users/laois-gaa-82QTP6
OAP and Season Passes are applicable for admission to these games.
Live streaming: The following fixtures below will be available for live streaming on Clubber.ie: Access at: https://www.clubber.ie/
Follow the Senior and Senior ‘B’ matches live on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CLGLaois
For all other Club fixtures & results visit: https://laoisgaa.ie/fixtures-results/
Best of luck to all involved!
Intermediate Football Semi Finals: With just 4 teams remaining, the battle is well and truly on now for promotion to the 2024 Senior Football Championship and the 2023 IFC title trophy.
Portlaoise vs Crettyard (12pm in Annanough Sunday September 17th)
Portlaoise’s top scorer from play is Conor Dunphy with 3 goals and Crettyard’s top scorer is Cormac Murphy with 4-6 (2-5 from play).
Previous meeting: Laois IFC Round 2 September 6th 2020
Crettyard: 6-12
Portlaoise: 1-11
Ballylinan vs Mountmellick (12pm in Stradbally GAA Sunday September 17th)
The battle between the 2023 IFC’s top scoring teams which should produce plenty of scores. Ballylinan are the IFC’s overall top scoring team with a total of 5-44 (59 pts) and Mountmellick are right behind them in 2nd place with 7-34 (55 pts). Ballylinan’s top scorer is Gary Walsh (2-9) and Mountmellick’s top scorer is Niall Mullen (0-15).
Previous meeting: Laois SFC Round 1 July 30th 2017
Ballylinan: 1-13
Mountmellick: 1-7
Senior Permutations: The 4 winners of the SFC Quarter Final fixtures will head to the Semi Finals. The 4 losers of the SFC Quarter Finals will be eliminated from the current 2023 championship and their senior status will be maintained for the 2024 SFC campaign.
Senior ‘B’: The 4 winners of the SFC ‘B’ Quarter Final fixtures will head to the Senior ‘B’ Semi Finals. The 4 losers of the SFC ‘B’ Quarter Final fixtures will head to the Relegation Play Off Semi Finals.
Senior Previews:
Portarlington vs Courtwood (Saturday September 16th at 5pm in Laois Hire O’Moore Park)
Previous meeting: Laois SFC Round 2 September 19th 2021
Portarlington: 2-14
Courtwood: 0-9
Ones to watch: Colm Murphy & Jake Foster (0-4 each) provided the crucial scores that got Portarlington over the line in the end in what was a tough test by a resilient Stradbally side in Round 2. Courtwood’s Sean O Flynn (1-0) Alan Kinsella (0-2) and Paul O Flynn (0-1) were the standout players who contributed to the incredible Round 3 win over Ballyroan.
Portlaoise vs O’Dempseys (Saturday September 16th at 6.30pm in Laois Hire O’Moore Park)
Previous meeting: Laois SFC Q/F October 17th 2021
Final Score (AET)
Portlaoise: 1-15
O’Dempseys: 1-12
Ones to watch: Portlaoise’s Damon Larkin (1-1), Ricky Maher (0-5) and Benny Carroll were outstanding and displayed their best performances yet in their convincing 12 point win over Arles Killeen in Round 3. O’Dempseys Mark Barry (0-7) Barry Kelly & Johnny Kelly (1-0 each) provided the vital scores in their 4 point win over Emo in Round 3.
Graiguecullen vs Killeshin (Sunday September 17th at 2.30pm in Laois Hire O’Moore Park)
Previous meetings: Laois SFC Q/F September 14th 2018
Graiguecullen: 1-12
Killeshin: 1-12
Replayed Fixture: September 19th 2018
Graiguecullen: 2-15
Killeshin: 2-12
Ones to watch: This fixtures features 2 of the senior championships best goalkeepers. Graiguecullen’s Goalkeeper Danny Maher & forward Lee Walker (1-2) were both flawless in the Round 3 win over Stradbally. Killeshin’s Goalkeeper Killian Roche (0-6) and forward Eoin Lowry (0-7) combined perfectly to get the important derby win over Arles Killeen in Round 3.
St.Josephs vs Emo (Sunday September 17th at 4.15pm in Laois Hire O’Moore Park)
Previous meeting: Laois SFC Q/F September 25th 2015
Emo: 2-10
St.Josephs: 1-8
Ones to watch: Emo’s Padraig Kirwan (current total score of 1-4) was unstoppable with great pace running forward in the Round 3 win over Clonaslee and St.Josephs Eoghan O Flaherty (0-4) was his sides best player in the thrilling 2 point win over Ballyroan in Round 3.
Senior ‘B’ Previews:
Stradbally vs Park Ratheniska (Friday September 15th at 7pm in LOETB COE Portlaoise)
Did you know: Despite this clash being a huge derby fixture between 2 very close neighbor’s, the sides actually haven’t met in the SFC since the early 1950’s.
Ones to watch: Stradbally goalkeeper Darren Maher was the standout player and made some phenomenal saves in the Round 3 loss to Graiguecullen. Park Ratheniska’s Kiaran Delaney (0-3) & Marc Ramsbottom (1-0) excelled in their Round 3 loss to Courtwood.
Clonaslee St Manmans vs The Heath (Friday September 15th at 7pm in McCann Park Portarlington)
Ones to watch: Clonaslee’s Sean Condron (1-0) & Niall Corbett (0-2) were the standout players in the Round 3 loss to Emo. The Heath’s Evin Keane (0-4) was perfectly on form in free taking duties against Graiguecullen in Round 3 which brings Keane’ total championship score to 10 points.
Arles Killeen vs Ballyfin (Friday September 15th at 7pm in Annanough)
Previous meeting: Laois SFC Round 3 August 24th 2019
Ballyfin: 5-17
Arles Killeen: 3-13
Ones to watch: This fixtures features 2 of the senior championships best attackers at the moment. Arles Killeen’s Paul Kingston’s 2 points against Portlaoise in Round 3 brought Kingston’s Championship total to 18 points, making him the SFC overall top scorer thus far and Ballyfin’s Sean Moore, with total score of 1-10 (13 pts) is not far behind him in the top scorer rankings.
Ballyroan Abbey vs Rosenallis (Saturday September 16th at 6pm in Mountmellick GAA)
Previous meeting: Laois SFC Round 1 July 23rd 2022
Ballyroan: 4-12
Rosenallis: 0-13
Ones to watch: Ballyroan were very unlucky to lose to Courtwood in Round 3 through only the last kick of the game and Ballyroan are now hoping to go all the way and win the 1st ever new Senior ‘B’ championship as one of the heavy favourites for the competition. The player to look out for and one for the future for Ballyroan is Killian Byrne (also Laois GAA U/20 Footballer Of The Year 2022), who was brilliant in Ballyroan’s previous 3 games. Rosenallis: Jack Claffey (0-5) and Charlie Friel (0-3) provided fantastic scores in Round 3 last time out. Despite loss to Portlaoise that day, and courtesy of Claffey & Friel, Rosenallis displayed a proud performance against one of the SFC title favourites.
By Laois PRO Fri 15th Sep
