Timahoe crowned LGFA All-Ireland Club 7's Senior Shield champions
Timahoe defeated Fethard and Donaghmoyne to lift All-Ireland silverware as Shanahoe pushed strong opposition all the way in the Intermediate grade
Two Laois LGFA clubs proudly represented the county at the LGFA O'Neill's All-Ireland Club 7's Finals in Dublin on Saturday, with Timahoe returning home with silverware after being crowned Senior Shield champions.
Hosted by Naomh Mearnóg, the annual competition brought together clubs from across the country for a fast-paced day of seven-a-side football, with both Timahoe and Shanahoe flying the flag for Laois.
Timahoe enjoyed an outstanding campaign, recovering from an opening defeat to claim the Senior Shield title after a series of impressive performances.
Their day began with a narrow 6-5 to 5-5 loss against Tyrone side Killeeshil, who topped the group before going all the way to the Championship final, where they were beaten by Dublin champions St Sylvester's. Despite that setback, Timahoe finished second in their group to secure a place in the Senior Shield semi-final.
They produced a superb display against Tipperary outfit Fethard, running out convincing 9-2 to 6-2 winners to book their place in the decider.
The Shield final against Monaghan's Donaghmoyne proved to be one of the games of the day, with the sides serving up a thrilling contest. Timahoe held their nerve in a dramatic finish to edge out their opponents by the narrowest of margins, winning 5-7 to 5-6 to lift the Senior Shield trophy and cap off an excellent day for the club.
Shanahoe also travelled to Naomh Mearnóg to compete in the Intermediate competition, where they were drawn in what proved to be a very challenging group. The Laois side faced Carbury of Kildare, Galway's Oughterard and Dublin club St Brigid's, with all three providing stern opposition.
Shanahoe were beaten by one of the tournament favourites, Carbury, but produced spirited performances in their remaining two outings. They pushed both Oughterard and St Brigid's all the way, suffering only narrow defeats in closely contested encounters.
Although they were unable to progress from the group stages, Shanahoe's displays showed plenty of determination and competitiveness against high-quality opposition.
The performances of both Laois clubs ensured the county was well represented at one of the LGFA calendar's most popular annual events, with Timahoe's Shield success providing the perfect highlight to round off the day.