Dummies guide to the Laois V Down Tailteann Cup at GAA HQ

It’s also Tailteann Cup final weekend, with Down and Laois bidding to take the title, which carries automatic qualification for the Sam Maguire round robin tier next year.

Here's the Laois v Down bullet point guide to Croke Park Final from the team GAA HQ. 

Down are in the final for a second successive year, having lost to Meath (2-13 to 0-14) last year. Laois are appearing in the final for the first time.

Now in its third year, the first two Tailteann Cup finals were won by Westmeath (2022) and Meath (2023).

HOW THEY REACHED THE FINAL
DOWN

• Down 1-20 Limerick 1-6 (round robin)
• Down 1-24 London 0-10 (round robin)
• Down 2-22 Offaly 3-13 (round robin)
• Down 1-18 Wicklow 0-12 (quarter-final)
• Down 1-20 Sligo 2-15 aet (semi-final)
  Won 5, Drew 0, Lost 0

LAOIS

• Laois 2-17 Carlow 2-17 (round robin)
• Laois 0-11 Wicklow 0-10 ((round robin)
• Fermanagh 3-11 Laois 2-13 (round robin)
• Laois 1-13 New York 1-9 (preliminary quarter-final)
• Laois 2-11 Kildare 0-12 (quarter--final)
• Laois 3-12 Antrim 1-13 (semi-final)
  Won 4, Drew 1, Lost 1

Down beat Laois 8-16 to 2-12 in last year’s Tailteann Cup semi-final. Liam Kerr (3-2), Danny Magill (2-0) and Pat Havern (1-3) scored 6-5 between them for the rampant winners.

Down beat Antrim (0-13 to 0-9) and lost to Armagh 0-13 to 2-6 in this year’s Ulster championship.

Laois lost to Offaly (2-13 to 1-8) in this year’s Leinster championship.

Down were promoted from Division 3 this year; Laois were promoted from Division 4.

The Tailteann Cup Final throw-in time is 3pm in Croke Park. Kerry native Brendan Griffin will referee the game.

Tickets cost €55 for stands and €40 for Hill 16.