Laois Senior Football Championship 2021

[Smellyball]

Ballyroan, Portlaoise and Graiguecullen will all win by 5 or 6.
Unsure about Port V Stradbally,  Port will presumably win but I'm torn whether it'll be a tight 2 point win or a 12 point hammering, depends if Stradbally can stay with them the first 40 min or so.

[SCFC]

Graiguecullen v Emo
I think Graigue should win this one but it could be closer than last year's semi final. Emo might have a few extra players available to them from the Rosenallis game so wouldn't rule them out completely. But Graigue should still win by 3 or 4 points.

Portarlington v Stradbally
I think Port could win this one easily enough. Had a very good challenge game v St Vincents since beating Courtwood. Stradbally seem to be improving from a few very average years. Few nice young players coming through but I think this will be a bit early in their development.

Ballyroan Abbey v Courtwood
Hard to know with both of these teams how good or bad they are! A right game to avoid for betting purposes. BA should edge it I suppose but there could be a kick in Courtwood.

Portlaoise v O'Dempseys
Portlaoise seem to be gradually improving since their disastrous first game. O'Dempseys have two wins but really not sure how strong they are. Another hard one to call but I think O'D's might edge it.

[town1980]

portarlington..strad have been poor to date there might be a kick in them but ports defense i feel and forward movement makes them stand out favourites for the chanmpionship
graiguecullen.. againemo might raise there game but in this years champo graigue have been cruising graigue for me because of there backline
portlaoise ...portlaoise have gotten through if they handle hatch and barry they win i think they will
courtwood ...50/50 game im going to go for courtwood because there more expeirenced but a ballyroan win would not surprise me but ill go for the wood

[The PRO]

Think Portlaoise will beat O'Dempseys who will miss Shane Nerney a lot. Graigue and Port to win handily and BA to beat Courtwood. The relegation final could be very tight. A lot will depend on who each team will have available from their injury lists. I'll go for Ballylinan.

[Laoiseabu]

Think Portlaoise will beat O'Dempseys who will miss Shane Nerney a lot. Graigue and Port to win handily and BA to beat Courtwood. The relegation final could be very tight. A lot will depend on who each team will have available from their injury lists. I'll go for Ballylinan.

I think Benny Carroll if he's missing will be big loss to Portlaoise. He would be Portlaoise main foward and with Bruno no longer playing it makes Benny an even bigger loss. Any word on David Seale or Brody .

[Spiritof86]

Graigue and Port to win comfortably enough . I still think Portlaoise are there for taking especially if Benny Carroll is not starting . I fancy O'Dempseys to sneak it . Hearing good things from that camp .
Ballyroan and Courtwood is a fascinating encounter and in my opinion the closest of the weekend.
I remember saying perhaps Courtwood were maybe a little fortunate the last day out but there's something about them that can only be admired .
Ballyroan maybe just to sneak it but Courtwood could catch them .

[Junior Ex Laoistalk]

Graiguecullen v Emo postponed due to a bereavement in the Emo area.. R. I. P

[town1980]

Hard to see anyone coming near portArlington there work rate hasn't been matched by any team yet

[Silkyskillssunshinee]

Portarlington are beatable if Portlaoise/Graiguecullen can play a bit more adventurously and move the ball a bit faster going forward. When Port get the lead, they know how to defend in numbers and are very well organised under Martin Murphy. Difficult to claw them back as Strad found out tonight.

[Pugwash]

I can't see anyone stopping Port, they're a good bit ahead of the rest of the pack in my opinion.

They beat Graigue by 11 points in the county final and had them at arms length throughout, where Graigue were too slow on both the attacking and defensive transition.

I would also argue that Graigue don't have enough scoring threats in the forward line to win a Championship, while the addition of Conor Kelly has definitely helped, it won't be enough especially with Ambrose (arguable Graigue's best forward for the last decade) not at full fitness.

Scott Roycroft, Jack Byrne, Jamie Murphy etc will all hopefully play senior football next year or the following year, all three have real quality and could be the key to bridging the gap in years to come.

[Silkyskillssunshinee]

O'Dempsey's probably should have beat Portlaoise today. Only a couple of points up at HT when they were dominating possession. In fairness to Portlaoise, they've showed serious heart in this championship and that's made up for their lack of quality so fa.

Ballyroan were full value for their win and could have had a few more goals in the first half if they were a bit more clinical. If they can avoid Port in the semi-final draw, there's absolutely no reason they can't reach the final.

[town1980]

I thought we were brutal,,,and o Dempseys were worse uncocahed slowci could go on ,,, babbey ere unreal heart determination bad good the C ~~~S could win a final lol 

[Tintin84]

Portlaoise's subs made the difference and won them the game, Same the last day for O'Dempsey's their subs won them the game against Rosenallis When Rosenallis were the better team. Probably the best three teams in the championship so far in the semis and I would expect Graiguecullen to be too strong for Emo who will be without Pa Kirwin, as far as I know, he's gone in quarantine with the defence forces down in Cork.

Ballyroan Abbey to win it out for me.

[redsetanta]

Emo obviously had fire in their belly's last night.

They'll hardly have the same for Port though.

[Chrimtain]

Don't rule it out. Local derby, players know each other well. Anything can happen.