Pictured is the late TJ Chambers, from Ballyea in Co Clare
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30 Dec 2025
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30 Dec 2025
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Darren Gleeson, centre, during the Allianz Hurling League Division 1 Group A match between Antrim and Laois at Corrigan Park in Belfast in March 2023. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
It was announced on Monday evening, August 26 that Laois GAA had put forward Tipperary's Darren Gleeson for the position of Senior Hurling Manager following a meeting of the Laois GAA Executive Committee.
Gleeson, pending ratification at the next County Committee meeting, will fill the void left by Willie Maher after he stepped down from the job on July 9.
The two-time All-Ireland winning goalkeeper with Tipperary was in charge of Antrim for the past four seasons which included him winning two Joe McDonagh Cups in 2020 and 2022 as manager. During his tenure in Antrim, Gleeson also won Division 2A of the league. Laois were fortunate enough to have won Division 2A under the stewardship of Maher in 2024.
Gleeson will be coming to the O'Moore County hoping to add a third Joe McDonagh Cup to his managerial CV with Laois set to compete in the competition for the third successive year having lost to Offaly in this year's final and failed to reach the final in 2023.
The appointment of Darren Gleeson feels like a significant one for Laois hurling with Laois looking to return to the Leinster Championship. To do so, he'll have to secure the Joe McDonagh Cup which Laois previously won in 2019. Laois will also compete in Division 1B of the National Hurling Leagues alongside Offaly, Waterford, Dublin, Carlow, Westmeath and Gleeson's former side Antrim.
With the Club Hurling Championships in full swing, Gleeson should get a good look at players that he'll be working with in 2025. The quarter-finals of the Senior Hurling Championship will take place on Sunday, September 8 when Abbeyleix take on Portlaoise and Camross face The Harps. The quarter-finals of both the Premier Intermediate and Intermediate Championships will also take place on Saturday, September 8.
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