PREVIEW AND PREDICTIONS: Quarter-final places up for grabs in Laois SFC

Saturday evening sees a double-header of Round 2 Winners’ action in the Laois Shopping Centre Senior Football Championship, with two teams looking to book their place directly in the quarter-finals.

First up is a clash between Arles-Killeen, who accounted for Park-Ratheniska in Round 1, and Portlaoise, who came good in the second half to defeat Clonaslee St Manman’s two weeks ago.

These clubs haven’t met all that often in the senior championship, with their last meeting coming in 2023 when Portlaoise ran out 2-10 to 0-4 winners in Round 3. Before that, they met in two consecutive county finals in 2013 and 2014, with Portlaoise winning their seventh and eighth Laois Senior Football Championships in a row.

Portlaoise weren’t at their best in Round 1 when they overcame Clonaslee St Manman’s, but they did enough to get over the line and progress to Round 2. Goals from Ben O’Connor and DJ White proved crucial, with White finishing with 1-4 to his name.

The Town should also be able to call on the services of Kieran Lillis after he missed the opening game while travelling in Australia.

Arles-Killeen showed a clinical edge in their five-point win over Park-Ratheniska in Round 1. Park-Ratheniska had plenty of chances to claim victory, but they failed to take them and were punished at the other end, with Donie and Paul Kingston, Ennae Byrne and Colin Dunne doing most of the damage. They also had Enda O’Rourke to thank after he made countless goal-line clearances to deny Park-Ratheniska.

If Arles-Killeen’s defence is as leaky as it was against Park-Ratheniska, they could be in for a difficult evening. However, if they can withstand the expected Portlaoise pressure and get the ball quickly into their forwards, they could cause an upset, with Portlaoise 1/6 favourites to get the job done.

I still expect Portlaoise to have too much for them.

Prediction: Portlaoise

The second game on Saturday evening sees Ballyroan-Abbey and Courtwood meet at the same stage for the second consecutive year. On that occasion, Ballyroan-Abbey came out on top by 2-16 to 2-14.

However, Courtwood had the last laugh as they went on to reach their first-ever SFC county final, where Portarlington eventually needed a replay to get the better of them.

Courtwood came into the championship full of confidence after winning the club’s maiden ACFL Division 1 title. They were very lacklustre in their opening game against neighbours O’Dempsey’s, but Mark Bates’ side did just enough to make it into the Round 2 draw.

Surely they cannot afford to perform in that manner again if they are to get past Ballyroan-Abbey and progress directly to the quarter-finals.

Ballyroan-Abbey were big winners over Rosenallis in Round 1, with Diarmuid Whelan scoring 10 of their 19 points as they eased to victory.

Martin Murphy’s side reached a league semi-final this year and also made it to a quarter-final in last year’s championship, where they lost out by just two points to St Joseph’s.

Another close encounter is expected between these two sides, and Courtwood will be well aware that they need to raise their performance levels if they are to progress straight to the quarter-finals.

Prediction: Ballyroan-Abbey

Portlaoise v Arles-Killeen throws in at 5.30pm, with Ballyroan-Abbey v Courtwood at 7pm.