Justin McNulty reveals Laois team for Wexford showdown in Leinster Football Championship

The Laois Senior Footballers are set to get their 2025 Leinster Football Championship campaign underway this weekend as Justin McNulty's side travel to Wexford on Saturday evening.

Manager McNulty has named his starting 15 and substitutes for the game in Chadwicks Wexford Park, with there being one change from the team that started in Fermanagh two weeks ago. Danny O'Reilly from Graiguecullen comes back into the team to replace Portlaoise's Josh Hogan. Balllyroan-Abbey's Aaron McEvoy and Portarlington's Ronan Coffey are set to make their Championship debuts for the O'Moore County.

Wexford come into Saturday's game having been promoted from Division 4. They won seven games from seven in the league phase but lost out to Limerick in last weekend's Division 4 final.

Laois and Wexford clashed in the Leinster Championship as recently as 2023, when Billy Sheehan was the manager of Laois. Laois recorded a 2-17 to 2-13 on the day in the Round 1 game with Mark Barry top-scoring with a tally of 2-4. Laois went on to play Dublin in the quarter-finals but were heavily defeated in Portlaoise.

Wexford's last championship win over Laois was in the 2008 Leinster Semi-Final. 

LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS 

2023: Laois 2-17 Wexford 2-13 (Leinster Round 1) 

2018: Laois 2-21 Wexford 1-18 aet (Leinster Round 1) 

2014: Laois 0-18 Wexford 0-17 (Qualifier) 

2013: Laois 0-16 Wexford 2-8 (Qualifier) 

2008: Wexford 0-18 Laois 0-12 (Leinster Semi-Final) 

LAOIS: Killian Roche (Killeshin); Ben Dempsey (Portlaoise), Trevor Collins (Graiguecullen), Paddy O'Sullivan (Portarlington); Pa Kirwan (Emo), Simon Fingleton (Park-Ratheniska), Aaron McEvoy (Ballyroan-Abbey); Conor Heffernan (Killeshin), Seamus Lacey (Ballylinan); Kevin Swayne (Portlaoise), Mark Barry (O'Dempsey's), Daniel O'Reilly (Graiguecullen); Niall Corbet (Clonaslee St Manman's), Brian Byrne (Captain) (Graiguecullen), Ronan Coffey (Portarlington)

Subs: Conor Brown (Portlaoise), Ryan Brady (Ballylinan), Benny Carroll (Portlaoise), Josh Hogan (Portlaoise), Fionn Holland (O'Dempsey's), Jonah Kelly (Crettyard), Liam Knowles (Stradbally), Damon Larkin (Portlaoise), Cathal Lee (Clonaslee St Manman's), Brendan McDonald (Killeshin), Sean O'Neill (The Rock)

Laois and Wexford will face-off in Chadwicks Wexford Park on Saturday, April 5 from 6pm. The Leinster Express/ Laois Live will be providing a live blog from the game while tickets for the game can be bought in the following stores; SuperValu Stradbally, Breslin’s SuperValu Rathdowney, McConville’s SuperValu Mountmellick, McLoughlin’s SuperValu Portarlington, Mulhall’s SuperValu Portlaoise, SuperValu Abbeyleix and SuperValu Parkside Portlaoise, as well as online here.