Justin McNulty makes three changes as Laois team named for Westmeath clash

The Laois senior football team for Saturday evening's Midlands derby against Westmeath has been named by manager Justin McNulty. The side features three changes from the team that started against Clare in Ennis last weekend.

Portarlington's Ronan Coffey comes in at centre-forward, replacing Laois captain Brian Byrne, who received a straight red card in last Sunday’s defeat to Clare. Jake Darcy (Annanough) and Darren Brennan (Portlaoise) complete the three changes to the starting 15. Both players came on at half-time against Clare and were instrumental in the second period, with Brennan scoring a point and Darcy assisting Laois’ first goal while also making a crucial block from a Clare shot.

Darcy will wear the number 2 jersey, taking the place of Portlaoise’s Ben Dempsey, who likely drops out due to injury. Brennan replaces fellow Portlaoise player Josh Hogan.

Speaking after the Clare game, McNulty praised the pair: “They made a big impact. They obviously have pace abound, and it was probably what we needed. The lads weren't doing anything wrong; the boys we took off. We just wanted more pace on the pitch, and they demonstrated that they have that. They gave us a big lift,” he said.

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There are also a few changes to the substitutes’ bench, with Ben O’Connor (Portlaoise), Eoghan Slattery (Courtwood), and Cian Ryle (Kilcavan) included in this weekend’s 26.

LAOIS: Killian Roche (Killeshin); Jake Darcy (Annanough), Trevor Collins (Graiguecullen), Jack Lacey (St Joseph's); Paddy O’Sullivan (Portarlington), Simon Fingleton (Park-Ratheniska), Kevin Swayne (Portlaoise); Rob Tyrrell (Courtwood), Conor Heffernan (Killeshin); Mikie Dempsey (St Joseph's), Ronan Coffey (Portarlington), Darren Brennan (Portlaoise); Rioghan Murphy (Portarlington), Daragh Galvin (Portarlington), Evan O’Carroll (Crettyard).

Subs: Matthew Byron (Courtwood), Ciaran Burke (Crettyard), Niall Corbet (Clonaslee St Manman's), Colin Dunne (Arles-Killeen), Josh Hogan (Portlaoise), Paul Kingston (Arles-Killeen), Aaron McEvoy (Ballyroan-Abbey), Alex Mohan (Portarlington), Ben O'Connor (Portlaoise), Cian Ryle (Kilcavan), Eoghan Slattery (Courtwood).

Laois currently sit seventh in Division 3 with three points from a possible eight, and face a challenging run-in: Westmeath on Saturday, Fermanagh in Enniskillen, and a final game against top-of-the-table Down.

The last meeting between Laois and Westmeath came on June 7, 2025, in a Tailteann Cup preliminary quarter-final at TEG Cusack Park, Mullingar, where Westmeath defeated Laois by 17 points to end their 2025 season.

Laois v Westmeath will throw-in at 6pm on Saturday, February 28. You can keep up to date with all that's happening in Laois Hire O'Moore Park on the Leinster Express/ Laois Live's live blog from 5.50pm