Laois have been crowned double champions at the 2023 All-Ireland Festival of Pool, winning both the Intermediate and Over-60’s titles.
This is a serious achievement for the county, beating off competition from the best talent in the country and leaving with not one, but two championships.
The festival took place in the Gleneagle Hotel Killarney over the course of five days, from May 17 to 21.
Laois Pool, which has its base in the Laois Pool Clubhouse in Ballacolla, were represented by 24 players across five different teams: A Team, B Team, Over-60’s, Over-50’s, and Under-23’s.
The A Team were crowned Intermediate Champions on the Sunday night after a ferocious final against a Limerick side littered with former internationals.
After a tough couple of days in the group stage, Laois solidified their place in the knockouts on Friday night with an impressive win over Cork.
Three wins on the bounce saw them make it through to the quarter-finals, where they dispatched of Wicklow on Saturday night, before beating Kildare in the semis on Sunday.
The team was comprised of Barry McCartney, Keith Kelly, Marc Rowan, Vinny Cooney, Paul Gilnagh,Mick O’Sullivan,Sonny Flanagan, Jim Corcoran, Kevin Burtenshaw and captain, Martin Dunne.
Represented by Sonny Flanagan, Martin Joyce, Jim Cocoran and Dave McDonnell, Laois also won the Over-60’s All-Ireland Championship.
They cruised through their group into a semi-final versus Cork where Jim Corcoran potted the black in the deciding frame to set up a final with Tyrone.
Laois seized the opportunity to seal the first All Ireland title of the week when Martin Joyce won the deciding frame.
Laois B: Dick Carr (Captain), Terry Carroll, Niall Brady, Robert Sourke, Dave McDonnell, Mark Rogers, Ward Cahalan, Shane Fennelly, Dessie O’Sullivan, Martin Joyce.
Laois U-23: John Fitzpatrick, Cian Mezzapelle, Robert Rourke
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