Laois GAA clubs set to host Walsh and O'Byrne cup games as fixtures confirmed

The fixture details for the GAA's pre season competitions have been finalised with all home games for Laois teams to be played in a mixture of club grounds across the County.

Billy Sheehan will begin life as Laois senior football manager with a tricky away date in Wexford on Saturday January 8. The game is fixed for Enniscorthy at 2pm while they will welcome Meath to Stradbally on the following Wednesday evening for a 7.30pm throw in.

They will finish off their group stage games on the following Saturday making it three games in seven days. The final game will be an interesting one as they take on Wicklow, who they have have also drawn in the first round of the Leinster championship. That game will take part in Crettyard with throw in time decided as of yet.

Cheddar Plunkett and the Laois senior hurlers will begin their Walsh cup campaign at home to Wexford on Sunday January 9 with that game down for Rathdowney at 2pm.

The following week they will travel to Kilkenny to take on the Cats with that one down for Sunday January 16 but as of yet, there is no venue confirmed for the game that will also have a 2pm throw in.

Depending on how all the above games go, there could be knockout action towards the end of January with the Walsh cup run in two groups and the winner of each meeting in the final.

The O'Byrne Cup is slightly different as there are semi finals. Should Laois top their group, they would face one of Kildare, Westmeath or Carlow in the semi final while the winners of Group A containing Offaly, Dublin, Longford and Louth will progress straight to a final.

O'BYRNE CUP FIXTURES

Saturday January 8 - Wexford v Laois (Enniscorthy) 2pm.

Wednesday 12 January - Laois v Meath (Stradbally) 7.30pm.

Saturday 15 January - Laois v Wicklow (Crettyard) TIME TBC.

WALSH CUP FIXTURES

Sunday January 9 - Laois v Wexford (Rathdowney) 2pm.

Sunday January 17 - Kilkenny v Laois (Kilkenny venue)