The draws for the 2021 Laois club football championships were made last night.
While the 2020 Senior football championship is still outstanding, we can still look ahead to action that will get underway in the next month or so.
We’ve picked out five ties that have caught our eye from the various championships.
We have a derby game, an unusual repeat fixture, the meeting of an amalgamated hurling side in football, the chance to settle an old score and the longest away trip in Laois GAA.
Check them out below:
Laois SFC Round 1
Emo v O’Dempsey’s
For the third time in the last four year’s, neighbours O’Dempsey’s and Emo are going to meet in the Laois Senior football championship.
Before 2018, you had to go all the way back to 1998 for the most recent meeting – but now the fixture is becoming more frequent.
In 2018, O’Dempsey’s won by 1-13 to 0-10 and went all the way to the final where they lost to Portlaoise.
But last year saw Emo reverse that result and triumph 2-13 to 2-11 in a thriller. They’ll hope to emulate O’Dempsey’s and go all the way to the 2020 final before this fixture is even played.
Laois SFC Round 1
Ballyfin v Portarlington
Ballyfin and Portarlington have never played a senior championship match before – but they are set to do so twice in quick succession now.
The sides will meet in the 2020 semi final in a few weeks – and they won’t have long to wait before meeting again following last night’s draw.
Whoever wins the 2020 semi final will have gone on to either win or lose the resulting final too.
Laois IFC Round 1
Timahoe v Park-Ratheniska
The football championship draw threw up a number of local derbies – but it does not get any more local than this.
2020 Junior champions Park-Ratheniska first year back at the Intermediate grade since 2014 has seen them paired against neighbours Timahoe.
The two clubs are amalgamated for hurling – meaning that many of the players will probably play together before squaring up against each other in quick succession.
Laois IFC Round 1
Mountmellick v Arles-Kilcruise
Arles-Kilcruise will play Intermediate football for the first time in 22 years this season – and they will begin against a team they relegated in dramatic circumstances in 2017.
Arles-Kilcruise were dead and buried with the relegation game against Mountmellick in the fourth minute of second half injury time.
They were down to 14 men and trailed by two points when they were awarded a penalty which Ross Munnelly scored. The same player then added a free and Kilcruise were safe.
It was cruel on Mountmellick and a blow they have not been able to recover from as they have remained at this level ever since. So this game will be a chance for them to exact revenge.
Laois JFC Group B
Barrowhouse v Errill
For the second successive year, the fixture with what has to be the furthest possible distance between two clubs is on the cards.
Last year, Barrowhouse made the 54km trek to Errill when the sides were drawn in the same group – and it was a happy journey as they won 0-18 to 0-5.
The fixtures have not been confirmed yet – but Barrowhouse will surely be hoping for home advantage this time.
SEE ALSO – Draws made for 2021 Laois club football championships
