Everything still to play for as Laois SHC reaches decisive final round

The first weekend of Laois GAA jeopardy has arrived with the final round of the Laois Shopping Centre Senior Hurling Championship taking centre stage.

This weekend, two teams in the SHC will see their 2026 championship campaigns come to an end with the fourth-placed teams in the two groups of five exiting the competition. The two teams that finish bottom will see their Bob O’Keeffe Cup aspirations also end with the two bottom-placed sides then facing off in a relegation play-off, with the losers playing Premier IHC in 2027. Ballyfin are confirmed to be bottom of one group.

The criss-cross format in the championship has set up a weekend where every team but Ballyfin have something to play for this weekend.

County champions Clough/Ballacolla currently sit top of Group B, two points clear of The Harps. The only way Clough/Ballacolla don’t progress straight through to a semi-final is if they lose to Portlaoise on Friday evening and The Harps beat Ballinakill.

However, although The Harps are within touching distance of top spot, they are not yet assured of their place in the knockout stages. If The Harps lose to Ballinakill, they must hope that Rathdowney-Errill don’t overturn a 13-point difference in scoring difference against Abbeyleix. Borris-Kilcotton are the other team in that group and once they pick up a win against Rosenallis in the final game of the round on Sunday, they’ll be through either in second or third depending on results elsewhere.

Borris-Kilcotton are also not yet assured of a knockout place, as if they lose to Rosenallis and Rathdowney-Errill win against Abbeyleix, Rathdowney-Errill will leapfrog them. There’s plenty of ifs, buts and maybes in Round 5 of Group B, but we should have the full picture by around 20 past/half past 5 on Sunday evening.

Group A seems to be a bit simpler in terms of permutations, although no team’s position is confirmed heading into the final round of fixtures this weekend. Camross currently occupy top spot with six points after three wins and just the one loss to county champions Clough/Ballacolla in Round 3. They’ll be expected to beat Ballyfin on Saturday and secure a semi-final place, where they’ll face the winners of likely Rosenallis and Portlaoise if the form lines stay the same. Rosenallis and Portlaoise are currently second and third respectively and will likely still get through even if they lose, as Abbeyleix and Ballinakill are the ones under pressure to pick up two points.

There could be a situation where Portlaoise end up in the relegation playoff against Ballyfin if both Abbeyleix and Ballinakill win. Wins for those two could also knock out Rosenallis, although there would have to be a big swing in points difference for Rosenallis not to finish either second or third.

Ballinakill only picked up their first win of the campaign last time out as they beat Ballyfin and they must win again against The Harps if they have any chance of getting through. A draw would see them through, providing Portlaoise don’t beat Clough/Ballacolla.

As for their neighbours Abbeyleix, they’re in the same boat as Ballinakill, with only one win picked up against the same side in the form of Ballyfin. They face Rathdowney-Errill in what is probably the game with the most riding on it, as both teams have to win to have any chance of progression. By the time Abbeyleix play on Sunday, they’ll know what they have to do, or if there’s even still a chance of avoiding the relegation playoff. At this stage, they’d take a fourth-placed finish and just let the season end there, before worrying about 2027 later down the line.

Laois SHC Round 5 Fixtures

Friday, September 4

Clough/Ballacolla v Portlaoise at 7.30pm in Laois Hire O’Moore Park

Prediction: Clough/Ballacolla

Saturday, September 5

Camross v Ballyfin at 5.30pm in Laois Hire O’Moore Park

Prediction: Camross

Ballinakill v The Harps at 7pm in Laois Hire O’Moore Park

Prediction: The Harps

Sunday, September 6

Rathdowney-Errill v Abbeyleix at 2.30pm in Laois Hire O’Moore Park

Prediction: Rathdowney-Errill

Borris-Kilcotton v Rosenallis at 4pm in Laois O’Moore Park

Prediction: Borris-Kilcotton

By Sunday evening, the permutations will be replaced by certainty, with the eight teams who will continue their Bob O’Keeffe Cup quest known and two others left facing a relegation battle. For those at the wrong end of the tables, there is no room for error, and with so much still to be decided, Round 5 promises to deliver plenty of drama right across the Laois SHC.