Tailteann Cup Semi Final – Laois v Antrim
In Croke Park at 2pm
Team news?
Laois senior football manager Justin McNulty has named his starting 15 and substitutes for Sunday’s Tailteann Cup semi final.
From the 26 who were named for the win over Kildare, there is just one change for the clash with Antrim.
The Heath’s Dylan Kavanagh, who was named to start that game but was replaced by Portlaoise’s Ben Dempsey, misses out altogether.
His place in the squad goes to Ballyroan-Abbey’s Aaron McEvoy.
Eoin Lowry and Ben Dempsey are named among the substitutes but it is expected that they will start ahead of Kieran Lillis and Rioghan Murphy as they did last Sunday.
The good news is that Courtwood’s Niall Dunne, who limped off with an ankle injury right at the end of the Kildare game, is named to start so presumably, has recovered.
LAOIS: Killian Roche (Killeshin); James Kelly (St Joseph’s), Kieran Lillis (Portlaoise), Mark Timmons (Graiguecullen); Seamus Lacey (Ballylinan), Brian Byrne (Graiguecullen), Simon Fingleton (Park-Ratheniska); Damon Larkin (Portlaoise), Conor Heffernan (Killeshin); Mark Barry (O’Dempsey’s), Evan O’Carroll (Crettyard), Kevin Swayne (Portlaoise); Rioghan Murphy (Portarlington), Niall Dunne (Courtwood), Paul Kingston (Arles-Killeen)
SUBS: Conor Brown (Portlaoise), Eoin Buggie (Stradbally), Ciaran Burke (Crettyard), Niall Corbet (Clonaslee-St Manman’s), Brian Daly (St Joseph’s), Mikie Dempsey (St Joseph’s), Ben Dempsey (Portlaoise), Shaun Fitzpatrick (Ballyroan-Abbey), Jack Lacey (St Joseph’s), Eoin Lowry (Killeshin), Aaron McEvoy (Ballyroan-Abbey)
Antrim manager Tony McEntee has named his starting 15 and it shows one change to the side that defeated Fermanagh.
Niall Burns is named at wing back with James McDonnell taking his place on the bench.
ANTRIM: Michael Byrne; Declan Lynch, Eunan Walsh, Kavan Keenan; Niall Burns, Joseph Finnegan, Dermot McAleese; Patrick McAleer, Cathal Hynds; Colm McLarnon, Patrick McBride, Ruairí McCann; Ryan McQuillan, Ruairi McCann, Marc Jordan
Subs: Luke Mulholland, Calum Higgins, Conhuir Johnston, Conor Hand, Daniel McNicholl, Dominic McEnhill, Eoin Hynds, James McDonnell, Liam McLarnon, Pat Shivers, Peter Healy
What’s Laois’s record like against Antrim?
While we actually haven’t played the Saffrons that often, Laois’s record against them is not good.
Laois lost the the 2017 meeting between the sides in Corrigan Park in Belfast. That loss was crucial in Laois’s drop to Division 4.
Laois also lost when the sides met in the 2015 All Ireland Qualifiers in Portlaoise.
The most recent meeting was in Division 3 in 2022 when Antrim drew the game with the last kick – a result which again helped to relegate Laois to Division 4.
How different are the teams since 2022?
In Laois’s case, extremely. Laois used 18 players in that 1-8 apiece draw and 12 of those are not even on the panel this year.
Just James Kelly, Kieran Lillis, Eoin Lowry, Mark Barry, Evan O’Carroll and Brian Byrne will play in Croke Park today.
Antrim used 20 players that night and just six of them are in contention to feature.
These are: Peter Healy, Marc Jordan, Paddy McAleer, Ruairi McCann, Dermot McAleese and Patrick McBride.
What Antrim players should we watch out for?
We had Neil Loughran of the Irish News on the Podcast with us this week and he picked out some Antrim players for us.
Keeper Michael Byrne will attempt to emulate Killian Roche by all accounts while Ruairi McCann at full forward is likely to be a real handful.
How have Antrim got on this year?
Andy McEntee’s men were in Division 3 of the National Football league but were never really in contention for promotion.
They enjoyed wins over Limerick, Offaly and Wicklow to finish fifth in the table – three points above Wicklow and Limerick who were relegated.
Down defeated them in the Ulster quarter final and that sent them off to the Tailteann Cup.
Here, they defeated Tipperary and Wexford before drawing with Sligo to finish second on points difference.
That gave them a home preliminary quarter final against London which they won 3-11 to 1-10 before defeating Fermanagh 1-11 to 0-11 in last week’s quarter final.
What will happen after today?
If Laois win, they will play either Down or Sligo, who meet in the second semi final at 4pm, in the final.
The final is scheduled for July 13. If Laois lose, their season is over for 2024.
What are the odds?
Antrim are just favourites at 5/6 while Laois are 11/8. The draw is 13/2.
Who is reffing it?
Mayo’s Liam Devenney will be the man in the middle in Croke Park today.
He has refereed Laois on a handful of occasions in recent years, most recently in last year’s group stage draw with Offaly in the Tailteann Cup.
He was also the referee when Laois lost to Westmeath in O’Moore Park in the 2022 NFL Division 3 game and when Laois beat Clare in Ennis in the 2020 NFL Division 2 tie.
Tickets? TV? Double header?
The game is available to watch on RTE 2 and we will keep you updated on our Live Blog.
Tickets can be purchased both online and in person using the following: Online by clicking here.
SEE ALSO – Lalors, Lawlors and Lawlers are invited to a clan reunion in Laois in July
