PROFILED: Everything you need to know about the Laois GAA Intermediate Football Championship teams

The 2026 Laois GAA Laois Shopping Centre Intermediate Football Championship gets underway on Thursday, July 23, with Arles-Kilcruise and Ballylinan facing off in Timahoe. The other Round 1 games take place on Saturday, July 25. Ballyfin v Portlaoise in Colt, Annanough v Mountmellick in Courtwood and Ballyroan-Abbey v Kilcavan.

We’ve profiled the eight teams competing in the championship below.

Kilcavan

Manager – Liam Lonergan

Selectors - Mick Tarpey, Damien Mangan, Barry Mangan

Captain – Ronan Gorry

New players – Ian Dunne (wing back, small but pacey; had a great league), Killian Doyle (goalkeeper) and Lorcan White (All up from minor). Adam Hunt back this year after being in Spain last year with work, massive addition and scoring regularly in league. Evan Hunt missed all last year with a cruciate injury. He’s back at centre-back for 2026

Any retirements, long-term absentees through injury, emigration or other reasons – Oisin Lalor is still playing soccer on a scholarship in the USA and hasn't been involved this year. No one retired from last year.

Last year – Semi-finalists

Star player – Cian Ryle

Key players – Adam Hunt, Niall Lalor

Prospects – Kilcavan will feel that they should have been in last year’s IFC final after squandering a six-point lead with 20 minutes to play against Arles-Kilcruise. They reached the ACFL Division 3 final and the 2024 Laois JFC champions will be looking for another semi-final appearance at the very least.

Ballyroan-Abbey

Management- Eoin O’Brien, Jim Whelan and Tom Whelan

Captain – Ruairí Dunne

New players – None

Any retirements, long-term absentees through injury, emigration or other reasons – None

Last year – Junior champions

Star player – Brian Whelan

Key players – Ben McDonald, Padraig McMahon

Prospects – Ballyroan-Abbey’s second team are back at the Intermediate grade for 2026 after beating Barrowhouse in last year’s JFC final. They have a tricky Round 1 clash against Kilcavan in Stradbally.

Annanough

Manager – Paul Lawlor

Selectors - Kevin Miller, Colin Miller, Dominic Stapleton, John Deegan

Captain – Ronan Stapleton

New players – Sean Tuohy, Eoghan Deegan, Shane Foley, Sam Ryan

Any retirements, long-term absentees through injury, emigration or other reasons – No long-term injuries or emigration

Last year – Junior champions

Star player – Brian Whelan

Key players – Ben McDonald, Padraig McMahon

Prospects – Ballyroan-Abbey’s second team are back at the Intermediate grade for 2026 after beating Barrowhouse in last year’s JFC final. They have a tricky Round 1 clash against Kilcavan in Stradbally.

Ballylinan

Manager – Eddie Kinsella

Selectors - Michael Murphy and Ger Walsh

Captain – Gary Walsh

Vice Captain – Darragh Loughman

Any retirements, long-term absentees through injury, emigration or other reasons – Cathail Dunne gone to Australia

Last year – Semi-finalists

Star player – Gary Walsh

Key players – Ryan Brady, Darragh Loughman

Prospects – Ballylinan were well beaten by Park-Ratheniska in last year’s championship. They’ve lost full-forward Cathail Dunne, who’s gone to Australia. They’ll feel they’re too long at this level and will want to get back up the senior grade for 2027.

Arles-Kilcruise

​Manager – Andy O’Brien

Selectors - Mick Shea, Anthony McElroy, Eddie Mulhall

Captain – Fran Egan (back from ACL injury)

New players – Adam George, Eolann Maguire, Fionn Gallagher up from Minor, Ciaran Lawler back from Australia

Any retirements, long-term absentees through injury, emigration or other reasons – Jamie Conway(ACL), Jack Behan (Shoulder surgery)

Last year – Intermediate finalists

Star player – Callum McElroy

Key players – David Conway, Ross Munnelly

Prospects – Arles-Kilcruise were finalists in last year’s competition, but eventually lost out to Park-Ratheniska. They’ll want to get back up to the final and reverse the result to return to the senior grade, having been relegated in 2020 by Courtwood.

Ballyfin

​Manager – Dean Malone

Selectors – Paddy Ryan, Lee Timmons, Brian Walsh

Captain – Sean Moore

New players -

Any retirements, long-term absentees through injury, emigration or other reasons –

Last year – Relegated from senior

Star player – Sean Moore

Key players – James Finn, Allan Connolly

Prospects – Ballyfin will want to make their stay in the intermediate grade as short as possible and return to Laois’ top table for 2027. They’ll likely be one of the favourites to claim the title

Portlaoise

​Manager – Brian Dunne

Head Coach - Alan Daly

Coaches and Selectors - Adrian Kelly, Brian McCormack, Kevin Gorman, Dennis Tynan and Dave Powders.

Captain – Conor Dunphy

New players - A good mix of 2024 and 2025 U-17 players.

Last year – Relegation finalists

Star player – Conor Boyle

Key players – Paul Cahillane, Graham Brody

Prospects – This Portlaoise team has a good mix of youth and experience with a good few of the players having won multiple Laois SFC medals. They minors that won the championship in 2024 are making the step-up to adult football with The Town’s second team.

Mountmellick

​Manager – Johnny Noonan in his first year

Selectors – Brian Dempsey, Steve Lynch, Martin Connolly, Glen Smith

Joint Captains – Colm Coss/Finn Culleton

New players - Shane Conran

Any retirements, long-term absentees through injury, emigration or other reasons – Niall Mullen has played 1st team this year. Cian Rafter away for early games

Last year – Intermediate ‘B’ finalists

Star player – Finn Culleton

Key players – Colm Coss, Oisin Hade

Prospects – Mountmellick would have been disappointed with their 2025 IFC campaign having had to settle for the ‘B’ side of the competition. They got to the final, but handed the title to Annanough by conceding the fixture.