Laois LGFA clubs set for All-Ireland Club 7s challenge
It promises to be a memorable weekend as Laois clubs compete on Saturday before the county's 2001 champions are celebrated on Sunday
Two Laois LGFA clubs, Timahoe and Shanahoe, will fly the county's flag in this year's O'Neills All-Ireland Club 7-a-side competitions at Naomh Mearnóg in Dublin on Saturday.
Timahoe will compete in the Senior competition, while Shanahoe are among the clubs taking part in the Intermediate grade as 60 clubs from across Ireland gather for the annual tournament on the eve of the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Football Finals. Timahoe won this competition back in 1994.
For both clubs, the weekend carries extra significance. While they will be chasing All-Ireland titles on Saturday, many of their former players will be honoured the following day in Croke Park when the 2001 Laois All-Ireland Senior Championship-winning team is recognised on the 25th anniversary of its historic success over Mayo.
Timahoe had an incredible 14 players on the Laois panel that captured the Brendan Martin Cup in September 2001, underlining the club's enormous contribution to the county's greatest day in ladies football.
Shanahoe were also represented by Mary and Martha Kirwan, with Mary Kirwan producing one of the finest individual displays ever seen in an All-Ireland final. She finished with 1-7, including the dramatic late free that secured Laois' famous victory, while Timahoe's Sue Ramsbottom also played a starring role with four points.
Timahoe remain the most successful club in the history of the Laois Senior Ladies Football Championship, having lifted the Lulu Carroll Cup on 12 occasions. Their most recent title came in 2012, while they have also experienced heartbreak on 13 occasions, finishing runners-up between 1990 and 2019.
Shanahoe, meanwhile, claimed their only senior county title in 2006 after reaching the decider for the second time in three seasons, having been beaten by Crettyard in the 2004 final.
The O'Neills All-Ireland Club 7s have become one of the highlights of the LGFA calendar and traditionally signal the beginning of All-Ireland Finals weekend. There was huge interest in this year's competitions, with 60 clubs entered across the Senior, Intermediate and Junior grades.
Reigning Senior champions Donaghmoyne of Monaghan return to defend their crown, while 2025 AIB All-Ireland Senior Club finalists St Ergnat's, Moneyglass are among the leading challengers.
Speaking ahead of the tournament, LGFA President Trina Murray said: "We're really looking forward to our 2026 O'Neills All-Ireland Club 7s at Naomh Mearnóg. It's great to have O'Neills on board again for a third year as sponsors of this prestigious annual event. Ahead of our TG4 All-Ireland Finals, the O'Neills All-Ireland Club 7s are a perfect appetiser, and keenly contested in their own right. Clubs from across the country will descend upon Naomh Mearnóg aiming for coveted national titles and while there's a huge element of fun and camaraderie involved on the day, the football is also extremely competitive."
The action at Naomh Mearnóg gets underway on Saturday before attention switches to Croke Park on Sunday, where Kerry and Galway contest the TG4 All-Ireland Senior Final and the 2001 Laois team will be honoured during the day's celebrations.