Excitement is building ahead of the Laois Intermediate Football Championship final on Saturday evening.
O’Moore Park will be the venue with a 6pm throw in between two neighbouring clubs.
Ballylinan and Crettyard met in Round 1 with the former coming out the right side of a high scoring encounter.
We headed out to Ballylinan National School this afternoon where all of the 220 students were in great form.
Recently appointed principal Aileen Hurley welcomed a selection of the Ballylinan players, management and club officials to the school hall where they were given a rapturous reception.
Club chairman Walter Hovendon thanked the students for their support and told them that many of the players were students in the school only a few short years ago.
He did remind them that team selector Ned Kelly was on the last Ballylinan team to win an intermediate championship way back in 1973, where among his team-mates were Declan Mulhare and Jimmy Farrell (RIP).
Declan’s daughter Eva (Julian) and Jimmy’s daughter Tara are both teachers in the school with Tara’s three brothers – Ciaran, Jamie and Alan – all current players.
And there was multiple other family connections too – with 3rd class student Mark Loughman particularly proud of his older brother Darragh, who is a star Ballylinan player in his first year at adult level.
Newtown NS in Crettyard was not found wanting either as all of the children got ready.
The colours were on show and posters were made as they got ready for the big game.
Check out some great pictures below:
BALLYLINAN NS
Newtown NS
