Laois SHC Prediction: Abbeyleix St Lazarian's v Clough-Ballacolla

Laois Shopping Centre Senior Hurling Championship

Laois SHC Round 1

Abbeyleix  v Clough-Ballacolla

O'Moore Park @8.00pm, Saturday 3rd August

Odds: Clough-Ballacolla 1/4 | Draw 11/1 | Abbeyleix 3/1

The second game in the double header in O'Moore Park on Saturday evening pits Abbeyleix against the 2017 beaten finalists Clough-Ballacolla, with both teams placed in group A along with Camross and Borris-Kilcotton.

Due to the strength of Camross and Borris-Kilcotton, this clash appears to be a must win for both Clough-Ballacolla and Abbeyleix if they are to progress to at least the knockout stages of this competition and avoid any relegation scrap.

Clough-Ballacolla might still consider themselves one of the big-hitters of the senior championship, but their result in this competition last year would indicate otherwise. 

They fell to a very heavy beating at the hands of Borris-Kilcotton in the quarters, as Clough-Ballacolla finished with 13 men and lost out 1-11 to 3-23.

Their league form might fill them with a bit more confidence. Clough-Ballacolla topped Division 1 which gave them a route straight through to the final. They faced old foes Camross in that final, and despite leading at half-time, Clough-Ballacolla were beaten by four in the end.

Abbeyleix survived any relegation worries from the Senior championship last season by beating Ballyfin in the group stages and thus progressing to a quarter-final against Rathdowney-Errill.

They weren't expected to get a result from that, but the hiding they received wouldn't have pleased them too much. The final score read Rathdowney-Errill 5-23 Abbeyleix 0-10. 

Abbeyleix haven't kicked on from that stunning victory over Camross just two years ago in a round two match, and while Clough-Ballacolla don't look to be the force they once were, Canice Coonan's charges should have enough to come out on top.

Verdict: Clough-Ballacolla