‘Every time you’re in a final, you want to win it’- Eoin Gaughan eyes Kerry showdown in Portlaoise

Camross’ Eoin Gaughan and the Laois senior hurling team are preparing to take on Kerry in this weekend’s Allianz Hurling League Division 2 final in O’Moore Park.

Speaking to the Leinster Express/Laois Live ahead of the game, Gaughan said that Laois are exactly where they wanted to be and that anytime you’re in a final, ‘you want to win it’.

“Absolutely, for the league campaign, the main goal was to get promotion anyway. It was ideal that we managed that with a game in hand as well before heading over to London. So yeah, look, league final coming up this weekend. Every time you're in a final, you want to win it. Looking forward to it now,” he said.

Laois and Kerry played out an entertaining game in the league phase, where a late Cormac Byrne point gave Laois a one-point victory over Kerry. Gaughan is expecting another big test on Saturday in Portlaoise

“There was nothing easy about that day. We probably didn't perform as we probably would have hoped. We definitely didn't take advantage of Kerry or anything like that. We knew they were going to be a good team. They're coming strong this year. I know they struggled a bit last year, to be fair, but they're definitely coming back this year. I'd say they'll be eyeing up the league final as much as we are. It'll be a good test, so hopefully we can get over the line again,” Gaughan said.

Gaughan was part of the Laois 26-man matchday panel that made the trip to London for the final league game last weekend. He was then given the number 16 jersey, as Eoin Reilly couldn’t travel, leaving Laois with Eoin Fleming as their only goalkeeper. Fleming had to go off as a blood sub, and Gaughan deputised for him in the Laois goal for seven minutes.

“It wasn't part of the plan for the year anyway, but no, we ended up having a good laugh about it. Look, someone kind of had to step up and stand in the goals at the time because we only had one goalie there on the day. I was the unfortunate soul, and unfortunately, Eoin Fleming had to go off for a blood sub for a few minutes. I didn’t have a whole pile to do, but hopefully it won't happen again anytime soon,” he laughed.

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Standing between the sticks has given Gaughan a new perspective on the goalkeeper position, and he joked that he won’t be giving out to them anymore if they make a mistake.

“It's not as easy as you might think. You're looking out at a lot of bodies, and there's a lot of movement going on. I've newfound respect for the lads that we have in goals. I won't ever be giving them any more slagging about goalie errors or anything like that again. That's for sure,” he said.

For many of the Laois players, it would have been the first time that they’d have gotten onto an airplane to play a hurling match. Gaughan said it felt strange, but the weekend away was a good way for the group to bond even more.

“It was very strange. It was a long weekend of travelling, which a lot of lads weren't used to. Going and staying with lads on the panel that you're training with every week, it does create a good bond in the group as well. You're spending a lot of time with each other, you're spending a lot of free time in between things as well, which is great, getting to know lads, you're having a bit of a laugh. It was definitely strange getting onto the plane with the hurling gear, but no, it was a right weekend in fairness now,” Gaughan said.

The Laois team huddle picture before the game against London showed Gaughan with plenty of blue tape on his left leg, but he’s hoping he can recover and be fit come the championship, which starts in three weeks. SEE PICTURE BELOW WITH EOIN GAUGHAN ON THE RIGHT.

“There was a lot of tape now, to be fair, for something that hopefully won't be too serious anyway. It's just a small knock, it's just a bit of a niggly one. I'll be aiming to be back for the Championship anyway, and back training after the league final for myself. Please God, it won't put me out for too long anyway,” Gaughan confirmed.

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Gaughan feels that the competitiveness of the Laois panel is unbelievable. He was in and out of the team in 2025 and admitted that it was of his own doing as he felt he ‘wasn’t up to scratch’.

“Last year, definitely, I probably wasn't up to scratch myself anyway. I found that the last two years I've been in there, the competitiveness of the whole group is serious. There's not one person in there you could say doesn't deserve a chance or doesn't deserve to be playing. We could go out on any given day, and everyone on the panel and all the management, I'd say 100% would back any one of the players we have there to put on the jersey and go out and do the job. That's the nature of the game: you make the panel, you make the team, some days you don't. You just come back the next day, train harder and try to get yourself back into it,” he said.

Laois manager Tommy Fitzgerald showcased the strength of the Laois panel last weekend against London as he made 13 changes. He has given every one of the 36 players on the panel a run in the league. 

“There were a few lads there that did get their first league start for Laois, which is great. After the last game, everyone on the panel had made a league appearance as well. As well as that, then, we're having practice games as well in between, where lads that mightn't be getting many games are definitely shining. I'm sure it's given management a headache in picking a team. It's great, everyone's throwing their hand up,” Gaughan said.

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Once the league final is played, Laois’ eyes will be firmly set on getting their hands on the Joe McDonagh Cup. Laois have lost the last two finals and will be hoping to make it third time lucky in 2026.

“100%. We all want to be back in Croke Park, definitely. We get through the league now, we've secured promotion, which was objective one. We have a league final this weekend, which is the next objective coming up now. After that, it's definitely hard to see past the first round anyway, because there are a lot of tough games coming up straight away. But look, overall, the main goal absolutely is getting back to Croke Park and hopefully getting back up the steps,” the Camross clubman said.

Looking ahead to the Joe Mc, Gaughan knows how difficult it’s going to be to get back to Croke Park with Laois having Carlow, Antrim and Westmeath in their first three games. They then welcome Down to Portlaoise before another trip across the Irish Sea to face London.

“They’re tough fixtures to get straight away. The likes of Antrim, obviously, who've competed very well in Leinster the last few years. Carlow, who always put up a tough game. We play Westmeath every year, and it's kind of, we win one game, they win another. There are no handy games at all, and that's absolutely not writing off Down or London as well, because travelling to London and then having to play Down, they'll also be seriously tough games as well. But look, you'll be looking at the first round, and after that, you'll be hoping to build from there,” Gaughan ended.

Laois v Kerry throws-in at 2pm on Saturday, March 28, in Laois Hire O'Moore Park, Portlaoise. You can follow all the live updates on the Leinster Express/ Laois Live from 1.50pm.