Laois SHC Prediction: Rathdowney-Errill v Castletown

Laois Shopping Centre Senior Hurling Championship

Laois SHC Round 2 Group B

Rathdowney-Errill v Castletown

O'Moore Park @7.30pm, Saturday 17th August

Odds: Rathdowney-Errill 2/7 | Draw 10/1 | Castletown 11/4

The battle at the top of Group B pits together last year's beaten finalists and one of the heavy hitters, Rathdowney-Errill, against what might be a surprise package this year, Castletown.

Rathdowney-Errill must have been wounded after their devastating county final defeat to Camross. They have been drawn in the group that doesn't contain Camross, and fellow big hitters Borris-Kilcotton. There are both upsides and downsides to that.

They are overwhelming favourites to top this group and if they do, will have a straight passage through to the semi-finals stage. Presuming that happens, they might feel a bit worried that they'll be slightly under-cooked for a potential clash with Borris-Kilcotton or Camross.

Rathdowney-Errill look even bigger favourites to top this group following their emphatic first round victory over Ballinakill. They dominated that contest in every quarter, with Paddy McKane, Paddy Purcell and Mark Kavanagh all impressing in the win.

They weren't really tested though, and Castletown will fancy giving Rathdowney-Errill more of a game than Ballinakill managed.

Castletown looked like they'd coast to an opening round victory against Portlaoise, as they surged into the dressing room at half-time with a commanding seven point advantage.

However, they were held scoreless early on in the second-half, as Portlaoise pulled back on level terms. A goal from midfielder Brendan Reddin, who ran the game in the centre and scored 1-5, ended Portlaoise's resurgence though and Castletown left with the two points.

If Castletown can piece a performance together for the full sixty minutes of this clash, they are capable of giving Rathdowney-Errill their hardest game of the group. However, the quality that John Delaney's charges contain in their ranks should still pull them through.

Verdict: Rathdowney-Errill