BREAKING: Former player and club legend appointed manager of Laois GAA hurling champions

Clough/Ballacolla GAA Club have confirmed the appointment of former player Michael McEvoy as manager of their senior hurling team for the 2026 season.

McEvoy takes over from another former club stalwart, Willie Hyland, who enjoyed a hugely successful spell in charge during the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Hyland guided Clough/Ballacolla to back-to-back Laois Senior Hurling Championship titles to make it five championships in six years for Clough/Ballacolla. McEvoy was part of Hyland’s management team during those two seasons, serving as a selector.

The appointment marks a new chapter for McEvoy, who has a long and distinguished association with the club both on and off the field. He captained Clough/Ballacolla to a historic Laois Senior Hurling Championship triumph in 2009, the club’s first senior title in 91 years and their first ever under the Clough/Ballacolla name, having previously won the competition as Ballygeehan. He scored three points in that 2009 final against Portlaoise.

As a player, McEvoy has collected six Laois Senior Hurling Championship medals with the club. The last two years have been quite successful for McEvoy as he won back-to-back Junior B League and Junior B Championship titles in 2024, followed by the Junior A Championship in 2025.

At inter-county level, McEvoy was a key figure for Laois for over a decade. He played senior hurling for the county from 2002 until 2012, making 38 Championship appearances during that time.

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