Laois GAA senior hurlers make seasonal debut against Galway in charity challenge

The Laois GAA senior hurling squad are heading west for their first match of 2025 for a game against what could be a revitalised Galway.

With the GAA suspending the Walsh Cup and other early season competitions for 2025, county teams are resorting to other ways to get ready for the season ahead and Laois are no different.

New Laois boss Tommy Fitzgerald will take charge of the county's senior hurling team for the first time as manager at the Duggan Park in Ballinasloe. The fixture on Sunday, January 5 will see Laois take on Galway in a charity challenge game in aid of the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association.

The Portlaoise man has family roots in Galway through his father Seamus. During his playing days he was on teams that came close to pulling off shock wins over Galway.

In more recent times he has become very familiar with the Galway club scene through being a key member of the St Thomas’s backroom team which has won multiple Galway championships in recent years. He helped coach the team to an All-Ireland Club Championship in 2024. 

Fitzgerald took over Laois toward the end of 2024 when Darren Gleeson stepped away for health reasons. The Portlaoise man has enjoyed success with Laois as part of the Eddie Brennan coaching ticket. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

PICTURED: Former Laois manager Eddie Brennan, and Laois selector Tommy Fitzgerald during a Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Qualifier in 2020. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Galway will also be under new management in 2025. Micheál Donoghue returns after a spell with Dublin. He led Galway to Liam McCarthy in 2017 and is taking over from Henry Shefflin.

Laois contest in the Allianz Hurling League 1B in 2025 and the Joe McDonagh Cup in the Championship.

The game throws in at 2pm. Online tickets €10 with payment at the gate €10. U16s are free of charge. Tickets are available online here.