PREVIEWS AND PREDICTIONS: Saturday's Laois GAA SFC 'B' semi-finals

Saturday afternoon sees the semi-finals of the Laois Shopping Centre Senior ‘B’ Football Championship take centre stage as the race for the John Conway Cup heats up.

All four teams head into this weekend with the pressure off, as their main aim once they were knocked out of the main championship would have been to avoid slipping into the relegation phase, where three of the four teams will be relegated to the Intermediate Championship.

Their wins two weeks ago ensured they were safe for another year and their focus can now turn to finishing the season on a high and lifting the John Conway Cup at the top of the steps in Laois Hire O’Moore Park.

Last year’s champions Emo travel to Pairc Acragar in Mountmellick to take on Rosenallis at 3.30pm on Saturday, September 26.

Emo secured their SFC status and a semi-final place by beating Park-Ratheniska 0-22 to 2-9. It was comfortably their best performance of the campaign after defeats to Graiguecullen and O’Dempsey’s in their opening two games. Paddy Hosey and Ross Meredith led the scoring with seven points apiece in that impressive victory. They also showed their attacking strength throughout the contest, while their ability to rack up a high score should give them confidence going into Saturday’s meeting with Rosenallis.

Rosenallis, meanwhile, came from eight points down with seven minutes remaining against The Heath in their last game to secure their status and book Saturday’s semi-final. Charlie Friel was the match-winner, scoring the decisive point and finishing with 1-9.

Rosenallis will come into Saturday’s game on a high after several of their players also played their part in last weekend’s quarter-final win over Abbeyleix. Fittingly, Friel again scored the winner, just two days after his mother Grainne’s funeral. It has been a difficult period for the club, with Charlie and his brother Jack having lost their mam.

I’m predicting Emo to reach the final for the second year in a row as they look to retain the John Conway Cup.

Prediction: Emo

The other semi-final takes place in Ballylinan, where Arles-Killeen face Crettyard at 3.30pm.

Arles-Killeen eased past Clonaslee St Manman’s in the quarter-finals to ensure they will play senior football for a 27th consecutive year. Ennae Byrne was excellent in that game, scoring 1-8, while Colin Dunne added five points. Arles-Killeen dropped into Senior ‘B’ after losing to O’Dempsey’s in Round 3, having earlier beaten Park-Ratheniska before losing to Portlaoise.

Crettyard defeated Graiguecullen in Stradbally, with Evan O’Carroll finishing with 2-6 of their 2-12 as the 2024 IFC champions secured their SFC status for 2027.

Crettyard pushed St Joseph’s all the way in Round 1 but suffered a disappointing defeat to Park-Ratheniska in Round 2 to send them into SFC ‘B’. John Murphy’s side will be pleased that they can now play with greater freedom, knowing they will definitely remain a senior club for 2027. O’Carroll’s contribution was particularly important, but they will know Arles-Killeen pose a different challenge and will need to match their opponents physically if they are to progress in this semi-final.

I expect Arles-Killeen to win this one, as I see them having too much quality around the middle third, as well as plenty of scoring forwards.

Prediction: Arles-Killeen