Action-packed Saturday in Laois as County Final, relegation battle and semi-final drama awaits

It’s a big weekend on the Laois GAA club hurling calendar, with county finals, relegation deciders, and crucial semi-finals all taking centre stage. At Laois Hire O’Moore Park, the spotlight will be on the Intermediate Hurling Championship final, where Clonad and St Fintan’s Mountrath go head-to-head, both sides aiming to end a long wait for county final glory.

Meanwhile, elsewhere across the county, the Senior Hurling Championship Relegation Final and the rescheduled Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship semi-final promise plenty of high-stakes action as clubs battle for survival and a place in the final.

Intermediate Hurling Championship Final – Clonad v St Fintan’s Mountrath in Laois Hire O'Moore Park at 5pm

Saturday’s headline clash will see Clonad and St Fintan’s Mountrath go head-to-head in the Intermediate Hurling Championship final, with both sides hoping to end a long wait for county final success.

Clonad, who last reached a County Final in 2015, cruised past Slieve Bloom in their semi-final thanks to a flurry of early goals that set the tone for the win. Mountrath, meanwhile, needed extra-time to overcome local rivals Trumera, showcasing their resilience in the other semi-final.

Both sides topped their respective group stages. Clonad defeated Park-Ratheniska/Timahoe, The Harps, and Slieve Bloom, while Mountrath got the better of Trumera, Borris-Kilcotton, and Ballypickas.

The winner of Saturday’s final will represent Laois in the AIB Leinster Club Junior Hurling Championship, facing Dublin side Kevin’s Hurling Club on Saturday, November 8.

Senior Hurling Championship Relegation Final – Portlaoise v Castletown (Colt, 3pm)

Also on Saturday, the SHC Relegation Final takes place as Portlaoise face Castletown, following defeats in the Senior ‘B’ semi-finals two weeks ago.

Portlaoise were narrowly beaten 0-19 to 0-16, while Castletown suffered a heavy 4-24 to 0-16 loss to The Harps. Portlaoise had a mixed campaign, starting with three points from four games, including a draw against 2023 champions Camross and a Round 2 win over The Harps, before losing their next three fixtures.

Castletown also finished the group stage with three points, their only victory coming against Portlaoise in Round 4 (2-18 to 2-16). Both sides will be looking to end their respective campaigns on a high, while avoiding relegation.

Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Semi-Final – Mountmellick v Rathdowney-Errill (Trumera, 3pm)

Finally, Mountmellick will face Rathdowney-Errill in the PIHC semi-final. The match had originally been scheduled two weeks ago, but complications arose after Colt-Shanahoe disputed their quarter-final loss to Rathdowney-Errill. Rathdowney-Errill had won the original game by ten points, but the full-time whistle was blown two minutes early, prompting Colt-Shanahoe to appeal. Their initial appeal was successful, but Rathdowney-Errill counter-appealed and ultimately won, leading both sides to agree to a replay.

One of the conditions for Rathdowney-Errill accepting the replay was that it be played in Rathdowney, a decision also agreed to by Colt-Shanahoe. They ended up winning by 11 points in the replay last Sunday. The arrangement provided relief for Mountmellick, who had endured a seven-week break between their final group game and the semi-final. Ballyfin now await the winners in the final.

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