Laois Senior Football Championship Round three previews and predictions

This weekend we will see four more sides exit the Laois Senior Football Championship with all four losers from the Round three games dropping into the newly formed Senior 'B' Championship. 

Portarlington, O'Dempsey's, St Joseph's and Killeshin are all waiting in the quarter-finals with those sides having a five-week break from their Round two Winners game. They'll be joined by the four winners from this weekend's games to make up the eight teams.

The losers from this weekend will join The Heath, Rosenallis, Park-Ratheniska and Ballyfin in the Senior 'B' Championship. The change in format from previous years means that for a side to stay at the Senior grade they must win two matches over the course of the championship, as opposed to winning one game in previous years.

Saturday evening sees a double header of games take place in Laois Hire O'Moore Park. The evening will begin with Emo facing Clonaslee St Manman's with Stradbally taking on Graiguecullen afterwards. Sunday afternoon sees Arles-Killeen take on Portlaoise while Courtwood and Ballyroan-Abbey will clash in the final game of Round three.

Emo have ended up in this position due to them losing last time out against last year's beaten finalists O'Dempsey's. They had performed superbly in their opening game against Rosenallis but couldn't get over the line against Eoin Kearns' side in the Winners' Section.

For Clonaslee St Manman's, they lost their opening contest against Arles-Killeen where they only mustered up six scores throughout the course of the game. They did turn it around against Ballyfin however as they raced into an early 0-7 to no score lead and looked to be on course for an easy win. Ballyfin rallied and reduced the gap at half-time but ultimately, Clonaslee St Manman's early scores proved crucial as they won out by four-points in the end.

The Stradbally and Graiguecullen game should have a right good feel about it as neither side will want to see their dreams of lifting the Jack Delaney Cup go up in smoke. Stradbally come into Round three from the Winners' Section while Graiguecullen defeated The Heath comfortably in the Losers' Section. The 2016 County champions were faced with the toughest draw in Round two as they had to play Portarlington, who are going for a fourth successive title.

IN PICTURES: Action shots from the weekend's championship games

Portlaoise's hopes of reclaiming the Senior Championship lie in the balance as they play Arles-Killeen on Sunday. Kevin Fitzpatrick's men were beaten by St Joseph's in the opening game before getting the better of Rosenallis to secure their third round spot. Paul Kingston has continued his fine form that he showed in the blue and white of Laois earlier in the year and has carried that into the championship. He was unlucky to have been on the losing side against Killeshin as he kicked 10 points out of his side's 1-12. If Kingston is firing on the same cylinder again, Portlaoise will be under pressure to get the victory.

Courtwood and Ballyroan-Abbey will be a rip-roaring contest with Courtwood having reached the semi-finals in 2022. Ballyroan-Abbey are a side who's waiting for their big break having won back-to-back U-20 titles in 2021 and 2022. They were unlucky not to have secured a quarter-final spot as a late flurry of scores from St Joseph's saw Mikey Dempsey's side over the line. This is a game which will be played at a ferocious speed and could be a contender for the game of the championship.

See full fixture details and predictions below:

Saturday August 26

Emo v Clonaslee St Manman's at 5.30pm in Laois Hire O'Moore Park. Prediction: Emo

Stradbally v Graiguecullen at 7.15pm in Laois Hire O'Moore Park. Prediction: Stradbally

Sunday August 27

Arles-Killeen v Portlaoise at 2pm in Laois Hire O'Moore Park. Prediction: Portlaoise

Ballyroan-Abbey v Courtwood at 3.3pm in Laois Hire O'Moore Park. Prediction: Ballyroan-Abbey