Photo credit: Paul Dargan Written by Laois PR Team
The Laois Senior Footballers are set to begin their 2024 Tailteann cup campaign when they take on Carlow at home tomorrow, Sunday May 12th at 3pm in Laois Hire O’Moore Park.
Next Fixtures: Group Stages
Round 2: Sunday May 19th: Wicklow vs Laois in Echelon Park, Aughrim at 3pm.
Round 3: Weekend of June 1st/2nd: Laois vs Fermanagh in a neutral venue. Details TBC.
Tickets for the Carlow Round 1 game can be purchased both online and in person using the following options below:
Tickets can be purchased online here: https://am.ticketmaster.com/gaa/24OM1205
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
Radio: The match will be broadcast live on Midlands Radio 103.
Manager Justin McNulty has named the following side to face Carlow:
Changes from the Offaly game: Dylan Kavanagh, Brian Byrne, Simon Fingleton (Championship debut), Mikie Dempsey (Championship debut), Conor Heffernan, Rioghan Murphy (starting Championship debut) and Niall Dunne (starting Championship debut) all come into the starting 15 vs Carlow.
Shaun Fitzpatrick, Paul Kingston, Jack Lacey, Damon Larkin and Kieran Lillis are on the bench.
The Laois team lines out as follows:
Tailteann Cup Explained:
Tier 2 Of The All Ireland SFC.
16 teams were drawn into groups of 4. Laois were drawn into Group 3 alongside Carlow, Wicklow and Fermanagh. All 4 teams play eachother in the group stage.
Knockout stages: The 1st place finisher in each group at the end of the group stages, qualifies automatically for a home quarter final. The 2nd placed team has a home preliminary quarter final and plays against one of the 3 best placed 3rd placed finishers, plus New York. New York replace in the preliminary quarter finals, the lowest placed 3rd placed finishers from the group stages and who will be eliminated after the group stages (who have the lowest points and lowest score difference).
The winners of the preliminary quarter finals will play away in the quarter finals to the 1st placed group finishers.
The semi finals (Saturday June 23rd) and final (Saturday July 13th) will take place in Croke Park.
The winner of the final gains promotion to the 2025 All Ireland SFC whilst the defeated finalist remains in the 2025 Tailteann Cup.
Laois in the 2023 Tailteann Cup:
Laois progressed from the group as the best 3rd placed finisher after 2 draw results versus both London and Offaly and a defeat to Cavan (by 9 pts). They beat Fermanagh away in the preliminary quarter final by 2 pts and they beat Limerick away in the quarter final by 3 pts. Laois were then defeated by Down in the semi final in Croke Park by 22 pts.
Carlow in the 2023 Tailteann Cup:
Carlow progressed from the group as 2nd place finishers (awarded a home preliminary quarter final) after defeating both Wicklow (by 1pt) and Longford (by 2 pts). They were defeated by Limerick (by 8pts) to get 2 wins out of 3 in the group stage. Carlow at home, defeated New York (by 5pts) in the preliminary quarter final and were then defeated by Antrim away (by 4pts) in the quarter final.
Laois Tailteann Cup Group Stage Fixtures Stats:
Laois record at home to Carlow: P30, W23, D0, L7.
Laois record away to Wicklow: P16, W12, D0, L4.
Laois record in a neutral venue vs Fermanagh: P2, W2, D0, L0.
Laois have now scored at least 1 goal in 9 SFC games in a row. It is the 1st time in 7 years Laois have done this. (Since 10 games in a row in 2017). If Laois score a goal in the next 2 games, it will be the 1st time since 1964 (14) that Laois have scored goals in 11+ games a row.
Previous meeting of Laois vs Carlow:
NFL Div.4 Round 3 in Laois Hire O’Moore Park on February 18th 2024
Final score:
Laois: 2-14
Carlow: 0-9
Standout players for Laois: Both wing backs of Eoin Buggie and Brian Byrne were both very strong defensively and key to reducing the Carlow attacking threat when Carlow were on top and had taken a 5-0 point lead in the 1st half. This defensive shift from Buggie and Byrne proved vital for Laois when Laois were then able to go on and produce an excellent 2nd half comeback to get the win, courtesy of Shaun Fitzpatrick (0-2) who was brilliant at wing forward and Damon Larkin (1-1) who was very influential in midfield.
Standout players for Carlow: Despite defeat, Carlow had a variety of talent on display. The very experienced and Captain Darragh Foley had a good game scoring a total of 4 points. Ross Dunphy created a goal opportunity. Wing back Colm Hulton’s (also scored a point from play) but his positive defensive performance was crucial to Carlow’s dominating 1st half spell and also wing forward Conor Crowley scored an excellent 2 points from play.
By Laois PRO Sat 11th May
