PREVIEWS AND PREDICTIONS: Who will book their place in the SFC decider?

It’s a super Sunday of Laois GAA Laois Shopping Centre Senior Football Championship semi-final action, with the two finalists set to be come 5.30pm.

Three of the four sides are returning to the semi-final stage for the second year in a row, with Courtwood, St Joseph’s and Portarlington all back in the last four. The other team is Killeshin, who are appearing in their first semi-final since 2019, which they won before they lost to Portlaoise in the County Final.

The first game on Sunday afternoon is a repeat of last year’s semi-final, with Courtwood taking on St Joseph’s.

Last year was a historic one for Courtwood as they defeated St Joseph’s to reach the club’s first-ever SFC final. Unfortunately for them, Portarlington got the better of them after a replay in the decider. Courtwood added another piece of history in 2026 when they were crowned ACFL Division 1 champions for the first time.

They came through their quarter-final against Stradbally, having also won their opening two games against O’Dempsey’s and Ballyroan-Abbey. They were also boosted by the return of Eoghan Slattery following his lengthy injury lay-off.

St Joseph’s are similar to Courtwood in that they also come into Sunday’s game unbeaten. They defeated Ballyroan-Abbey in the quarter-final after opening their campaign with wins over Graiguecullen and Crettyard.

Last year’s semi-final went right down to the wire and I’m expecting another tight contest this time around. I think the result will remain the same, with Courtwood reaching a second final in a row as they continue their pursuit of a league and championship double.

Prediction: Courtwood

The second semi-final is a fascinating one, with Portarlington chasing a third SFC title in a row and a sixth in seven seasons, while Killeshin have not reached this stage since 2019.

Killeshin were the big winners last time out as they dumped record title holders Portlaoise out of the championship. Killian Roche kicked two two-point frees in the final 10 minutes to put Ryan Van Haeften’s side into the last four after they had fallen 1-4 to no score behind after just six minutes.

They are the only semi-finalists to have lost a game in the championship, suffering defeat to Stradbally in Round 1. They responded by beating Rosenallis before overcoming Graiguecullen and Portlaoise. Their victory over Graiguecullen was particularly notable as it was the first time they had ever beaten their neighbours in the SFC.

Portarlington were made to work in their quarter-final when they beat neighbours O’Dempsey’s by five points. O’Dempsey’s adopted a very defensive approach, forcing Portarlington to be patient in attack. They scored 1-2 without reply after half-time, which proved decisive. Jordan Fitzpatrick was in excellent form, scoring 1-5 after starting ahead of Colm Murphy.

It is difficult to see Killeshin upsetting the odds for a third game in a row, particularly against a Portarlington side aiming to reach the final for the sixth time in seven championship campaigns.

Prediction: Portarlington

St Joseph’s v Courtwood is at 2pm on Sunday, September 27, while Killeshin v Portarlington throws in at 3.45pm. The winners will meet in the SFC County Final on Sunday, October 11.