The schedule of games has been confirmed for this year’s Laois SHC, which will have a new-look format and an increase in numbers to 10 teams.
The championship will also start a week earlier than usual and the final will be two weeks later than it was in 2024, and will be the week after the senior football decider.
Under the new format, there are two groups of five teams. Teams play against the teams in the opposite group but their points tally is against the teams in their own group.
For example, champions Clough-Ballacolla are in Group ‘A’ but will play all their games against the teams in Group ‘B’.
Whatever number of points they gain from those five games will be compared against the other five teams in Group ‘A’.
The rationale for the new format is to do away with teams having a ‘bye’ round and the issue of some teams not playing in Round 1 which would have a knock-on effect to the lower-grade championships where second teams of senior sides are playing against a club’s first team.
However, an anomaly could easily arise as it is possible for a team to qualify for the knockout stages by winning no games and it is possible for a team not to reach the knockout stages even if they win all their games.
Such scenarios are unlikely – but not beyond the realms of possibility.
This format is only being used in the senior grade. The top team in each group will go straight through to the semi-finals while second and third will play in the quarter-finals.
The fourth and fifth-placed teams will meet in the relegation semi-finals in fixtures that will also double up as semi-finals for the new Senior ‘B’ competition.
Round 1 gets underway on the weekend of July 11-13 where champions Clough-Ballacolla will face Castletown.
The two promoted sides – Borris-Kilcotton and Ballinakill – will meet in a repeat of last year’s Premier Intermediate final while there is also a local derby between Abbeyleix and The Harps.
Clough-Ballacolla and Borris-Kilcotton would appear to be the pick of the Round 2 games while Ballinakill v The Harps is another local derby in Round 3 which along with Clough-Ballacolla v Camross is a standout tie.
Group A
- Clough-Ballacolla
- Abbeyleix
- Portlaoise
- Rosenallis
- Ballinakill
Group B
- Rathdowney-Errill
- Camross
- The Harps
- Castletown
- Borris-Kilcotton
Round 1 – July 11-13
- Abbeyleix v The Harps
- Rosenallis v Rathdowney-Errill
- Ballinakill v Borris-Kilcotton
- Clough-Ballacolla v Castletown
- Portlaoise v Camross
Round 2 – July 17-19
- Ballinakill v Rathdowney-Errill
- Portlaoise v The Harps
- Clough-Ballacolla v Borris-Kilcotton
- Rosenallis v Camross
- Abbeyleix v Castletown
Round 3 – August 1-3
- Abbeyleix v Rathdowney-Errill
- Rosenallis v Castletown
- Ballinakill v The Harps
- Clough-Ballacolla v Camross
- Portlaoise v Borris-Kilcotton
Round 4 – August 15-17
- Portlaoise v Castletown
- Clough-Ballacolla v Rathdowney-Errill
- Abbeyleix v Borris-Kilcotton
- Rosenallis v The Harps
- Ballinakill v Camross
Round 5 – September 5-7
- Clough-Ballacolla v The Harps
- Abbeyleix v Camross
- Portlaoise v Rathdowney-Errill
- Rosenallis v Borris-Kilcotton
- Ballinakill v Castletown
Knockout rounds
- Quarter-finals and Senior ‘B’/Relegation Semi-finals – September 19-21
- Semi-finals, Senior ‘B’ final and Relegation final – October 3-5
- Final – October – 19
SEE ALSO – Laois Football and Hurling Podcast: Reflecting on the club GAA championship draws
