League final place on the line as Laois welcome Down to Portlaoise

Laois and Down are set to lock horns again as the two sides clash in the Division 2A semi-final on Saturday afternoon.

The sides clashed in the opening game of the league with Laois registering a 2-18 to 0-17 victory. Their clash was nip and tuck throughout with the sides level after 66 minutes before a late Laois burst saw them record a seven-point victory in the end.

Laois ended the league phase with a comfortable victory over Kerry last weekend as Willie Maher made 10 changes which included the return of Ross King with the Rathdowney-Errill star firing in 1-7 on his return from a knee injury. It was also the first we saw of Cathal Dunne between the sticks as he got his first piece of action in place of Enda Rowland. James Keyes also made his return having been in America. 

“Down were superb here the first day. We won by seven in the end which absolutely flattered us and Down were the better team on the day. That’s another focus for us next week, if we’re second best it’s not good enough and we’re working towards that,” Maher said when asked about the game on Saturday.

Laois and Down throws-in at 3.30pm on Saturday, March 23 in Laois Hire O'Moore Park. Tickets for the contest can be bought online as well as in the usual Supervalu stores across the county; SuperValu Stradbally, Breslin's SuperValu Rathdowney, McConville's SuperValu Mountmellick, McLoughlin's SuperValu Portarlington, Mulhall’s SuperValu Portlaoise, SuperValu Abbeyleix and SuperValu Parkside Portlaoise.