PREVIEW: Laois GAA SHC semi-final Sunday to decide 2025 County Finalists
Clough-Ballacolla meet Ballinakill while Camross face Rathdowney-Errill in Laois Hire O’Moore Park double-header
The 2025 Laois Senior Hurling Championship reaches a crucial stage this Sunday with two intriguing semi-finals, promising drama and high-stakes action.
Clough-Ballacolla v Ballinakill at 2.15pm
The first clash sees reigning champions Clough-Ballacolla take on the surprise package of this year’s championship, Ballinakill. Clough-Ballacolla topped Group A with three wins from five matches. Their campaign featured opening wins over Castletown and Borris-Kilcotton, setbacks to Camross and Rathdowney-Errill, and a narrow two-point victory over The Harps to finish top of the group. Their last competitive outing was on Friday, September 5, giving them a five-week break ahead of Sunday’s semi-final.
Ballinakill have captured the imagination this season. Elevated to the SHC after Laois GAA increased the number of senior teams from eight to ten, they were runners-up in last year’s PIHC final to Borris-Kilcotton. Despite a slow start, including a one-point loss to Borris-Kilcotton in Round 1 and narrow defeats to Rathdowney-Errill and Camross, they notched victories over The Harps and Castletown to finish third in the group. A thrilling 0-22 to 0-19 quarter-final win over Rosenallis now sets up a mouth-watering showdown against the reigning champions.
Camross v Rathdowney-Errill at 4pm
The second semi-final features 2023 champions Camross against 2019 champions and 2024 runners-up Rathdowney-Errill. Camross finished second in Group B with seven points from five games, drawing with Portlaoise, defeating Abbeyleix, Ballinakill, and Clough-Ballacolla, and losing to Rosenallis. They needed a quarter-final win over Borris-Kilcotton (3-14 to 0-22) to book their semi-final spot.
Rathdowney-Errill topped Group B, winning four of their five group matches with only a Round 3 defeat to Abbeyleix. They progressed straight into the semi-finals, defeating Portlaoise, Clough-Ballacolla, Ballinakill, and Rosenallis along the way. Their squad could receive a boost if Ross King, who returned off the bench against Clough-Ballacolla in Round 4, is available for Sunday’s clash.