With 2024 drawing to a close, we at LaoisToday have cast a watchful eye back over the last 12 months to pick out our top five sporting moments of the year.
This was no easy task, but we have eventually whittled it down to what we believe were the most iconic, historic occasions in the Laois sporting calendar.
Limiting the list to just five means we had to cut some all-time classics from the countdown, but we think that makes this list all the more elite.
1 – Laois reach Tailteann Cup Final
It may have ended in defeat, but Laois making the final of the Tailteann Cup was a monumental achievement, and arguably the biggest day in Laois football for 20 years.
Justin McNulty’s side came up just short, losing by two points to a strong Down side.
The Ulster side beat Laois by 22 points in the 2023 semi-finals, so the result in the final showed a significant improvement for Laois.
Goals from Mark Barry and Seamus Lacey were the highlights of the day as Laois gave the travelling fans plenty to cheer about.
Reaching the final in Croke Park was the pinnacle of a great year that saw Laois pick up a championship win over neighbours Kildare for the first time in 19 years.
Four Laois players were named on the 2024 Tailteann Cup Team of the Year: Killian Roche, Brian Byrne, Mark Barry and Evan O’Carroll.
Speaking to the media afterwards, McNulty challenged the group to come back next year with renewed hunger and stressed that they were very much still at the start of their journey.
2 – Laois reach Joe McDonagh Cup Final
June 8 was a special day in the calendar when Laois and Offaly squared off in Croke Park as the Midland rivals had a rare Championship Final to look forward to.
There was a serious buzz in both counties leading up to the final, and the match lived up to the hype.
With the sun splitting the stones, Laois and Offaly put on a brilliant exhibition of free-scoring hurling, as both sides wracked up an impressive tally.
After the game, Laois manager Willie Maher heaped praise on his players who he said “died with their boots on” in what was fantastic final.
Both teams were rewarded for their efforts with six players each named on the 2024 Joe McDonagh Cup Teams of the Year, with one each also from Westmeath, Kerry and Down.
The six Laois men to make the team were Enda Rowland, Diarmaid Conway, Podge Delaney, Paddy Purcell, Aidan Corby and Aaron Dunphy.
3 – Laois reach All-Ireland Camogie Final
Managers Pat Collier and Robert Jones led Laois the way to Croke Park in August, with their All-Ireland Final appearance the highlight of a memorable 2024.
In April, Laois made it to the National Camogie League Division 3A Final in Abbotstown, where they were dramatically beaten by Armagh with a score in the 67th minute.
Laois then went on a great run in the Leinster Championship, culminating in a final with Wexford in O’Connor Park, Tullamore.
Once again, Collier and Jones saw their side come agonisingly close, losing once again to a score deep in injury time.
Laois put that double disappointed behind them as they marched on all the way to Croke Park where they faced Tipperary in the All-Ireland Premier Junior Camogie Championship Final.
An incredibly strong first half saw Laois lead by four points at the break thanks to an early goal from Susie Delaney.
Tipperary were excellent in the second half, however, and leveled the game late on, only for Delaney to land a wonderful score that put Laois back in front.
But when the Munster side equalised, a familiar feeling crept into the minds of all the Laois camogie faithful.
For the third time this year, an injury-time score from the opposition broke Laois hearts, as the girls in blue fell to a third consecutive defeat in a final.
That pain, however, cannot take away from a truly remarkable performance from Laois, who did themselves and the county immensely proud.
4 – Alanna Fitzpatrick at the Olympics
Laois is not a hot-bed of Olympians; however, the County was represented at Paris 2024 by rugby star Alanna Fitzpatrick.
The Portarlington native was chosen as part of the Ireland Women’s Sevens Rugby squad for the games, less than a year after she made her international debut.
The PortDara club member was part of history in January when she was on the Ireland team that claimed a first ever rugby sevens series victory on the world stage.
Ireland beat the world’s best team, Australia, in their own back yard as Fitzpatrick and Co won the inaugural Perth Sevens.
Fitzpatrick’s selection in the squad for Paris 2024 meant she was breathing ratified air, joining a very short list of people from Laois who have represented Ireland at the Olympics – fellow Portarlington swimmer Shane Ryan; Portlaoise’s Anne Keenan Buckley; and Frank Moore from Emo.
The Portarlington sporting community came together at the Lea Road rugby club in July to give Fitzpatrick a wonderful show of support and a send-off before the games.
Ireland had a memorable 38-0 win over South Africa, but were beaten by Great Britain, France and Australia as they finished in eighth place overall.
At just 20 years of age, Alanna Fitzpatrick still has her whole career ahead of her; but she has already achieved something most athletes can only dream of.
Bravo Alanna!
5 – Barcelona in O’Moore Park
Kilcavan’s meteoric rise saw them create an almost unparalleled level of success for such a small, rural club.
Liam Lonergan’s men were promoted from ACFL Division 4 to Division 3, from Division 3 to Division 2, and from the Laois JFC up to intermediate.
The highlight of their year was beating St Joseph’s in an entertaining final to claim their crown as County champions.
That led to a journey into the Leinster Club Championship, starting with a narrow victory over Dublin champions, Craobh Chíaráin.
At the same time, European champions Barcelona Gaels got the better of Kilkenny’s Conahy Shamrocks, setting up a monumental clash between Kilcavan and Barcelona.
The clash made national headlines, with Barcelona Chairperson Eoin McCall explaining to LaoisToday how he and the team were staying with family, working remotely, and training individually in preparation for their O’Moore Park showdown.
Kilcavan came into the game as favourites, but Barcelona pushed the Laois champions to the pin of their collar.
In the end, it took a 65th-minute free from Cian Ryle for Kilcavan to eventually get over the line.
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