Draws made for 2026 Laois GAA Football Championships

The draws for the 2026 Laois Shopping Centre Football Championships were made on Thursday evening at the Laois GAA Centre of Excellence.

Laois GAA Chairman PJ Kelly conducted the draws alongside Football Chairman Tony Bambrick and Kevin Doyle of Laois Shopping Centre.

The Senior Football Championship draw featured 16 teams split into two pools, with Pool 1 consisting of the eight teams that reached last year’s quarter-finals.

2025 county champions Portarlington will face the same side they met in the opening round en route to last year’s title, The Heath. County finalists Courtwood take on local rivals O’Dempsey’s in what could be the tie of the first round. Intermediate champions Park-Ratheniska face Arles-Killeen in their first game back at the top tier of Laois football.

This will be the final year that the Laois SFC is played as a 16-team competition, with three teams set to be relegated at the end of the championship. The IFC champions will be promoted, meaning next year’s championship will begin with 14 teams. By 2028, both the Laois SFC and IFC will operate as 12-team competitions.

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SEE THE FULL DRAWS FROM EACH OF THE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS BELOW:

Senior

Ballyroan-Abbey v Rosenallis
Portarlington v The Heath
St Joseph’s v Crettyard
Portlaoise v Clonaslee St Manman’s
Graiguecullen v Emo
Killeshin v Stradbally
Courtwood v O’Dempsey’s
Arles-Killeen v Park-Ratheniska

Intermediate 

Ballyfin v Portlaoise
Arles-Kilcruise v Ballylinan
Annanough v Mountmellick
Kilcavan v Ballyroan-Abbey

Junior 'A' Group A

Barrowhouse
Erril
Spink
The Rock
Timahoe

Junior 'A' Group B

Killeshin
O’Dempsey’s
St Joseph’s
Stradbally
The Heath

Junior ‘B’ Group A

St Joseph’s
Graiguecullen
Clonaslee St Manman’s
Stradbally

Junior ‘B’ Group B

Rosenallis
Ballyfin
Emo
Portlaoise

Junior ‘B’ Group C
Portarlington
Mountmellick
Park-Ratheniska
Ballylinan

Junior ‘B’ Group D

Castletown
Camross
Rathdowney