Courtwood and Portlaoise fancied to advance to SFC last four
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The race for the Jack Delaney Cup moves up another gear this weekend as the Laois Shopping Centre Senior Football Championship reaches the quarter-final stage.
Four games across two double-headers will determine this year’s semi-final line-up, with the first two taking place in Laois Hire O’Moore Park this evening.
Stradbally and Courtwood get proceedings underway at 5.15pm before Portlaoise and Killeshin take centre stage at 7pm.
Courtwood enter the knockout stages hoping to continue what has already been an impressive year for the club.
Last year’s beaten county finalists added a first-ever ACFL Division 1 title in July and have carried that form into the championship, winning both of their games to secure a direct route to the quarter-finals.
Their opening victory over neighbours O’Dempsey’s wasn’t entirely convincing, but any concerns from that performance were emphatically put to bed in Round 2.
Courtwood tore Ballyroan-Abbey apart in a 5-16 to 0-15 victory, a result which earned Mark Bates’ side five weeks to prepare for this evening’s encounter.
Stradbally have taken a longer route to the last eight, but simply being back at this stage represents significant progress for Padraig Clancy’s side.
The 2016 county champions are appearing in an SFC quarter-final for the first time since 2021 following three seasons competing for the John Conway Cup in the Senior ‘B’ Championship.
Their spell there produced mixed fortunes. Stradbally won the inaugural competition in 2023, exited at the semi-final stage a year later and returned to the final in 2025, where they were eventually beaten by Emo.
Now they are back competing for the county’s biggest prize and will have no intention of settling for a quarter-final appearance.
There is also an interesting connection between the two camps. Current Courtwood manager Mark Bates was in charge of Stradbally when their 2022 campaign ended with defeat against Clonaslee St Manman’s in Round 3.
Recent meetings between Saturday’s opponents suggest there might not be a huge amount between them either.
They met in the ACFL Division 1 semi-final earlier this year and produced a thriller that required extra-time before Courtwood eventually prevailed.
Courtwood have become increasingly comfortable at the business end of the championship. They reached a semi-final in 2022 and the quarter-finals in 2023 before enduring a difficult 2024 campaign which saw them dragged into a relegation semi-final.
Their response was impressive. Just 12 months later they reached a first Senior Football Championship final in the club’s history.
That experience, combined with their league success and impressive championship form so far, makes them difficult to oppose.
Stradbally should make them work for it, but Courtwood look well equipped to take another step towards returning to the county final.
Portlaoise begin their knockout campaign against a Killeshin side who arrive in the quarter-finals with renewed confidence after finally putting one of their most frustrating championship records behind them.
The Town have enjoyed the more straightforward route to this point.
They overcame a difficult opening half against Clonaslee St Manman’s in Annanough to begin the championship with a victory before producing a much more assured display against Arles-Killeen.
That 0-26 to 1-12 win secured Portlaoise a direct place in the last eight and, like Courtwood, gave them a five-week window to prepare for their quarter-final.
Killeshin haven't enjoyed the same luxury.
Their championship began with a high-scoring encounter against Stradbally, but despite registering 2-16 they ended up six points short.
That immediately left them with little room for error and their response against Rosenallis was far from spectacular, but it was effective. Killeshin ground out a 0-13 to 1-8 victory to keep their championship alive.
Their most significant result, however, came in Round 3.
Killeshin finally recorded a Senior Football Championship victory over parish neighbours Graiguecullen, ending a long wait to get the better of their local rivals on the championship stage.
It was a particularly satisfying breakthrough given the recent history between the clubs. Graiguecullen had ended Killeshin’s championship at the quarter-final stage in each of the previous three seasons.
Getting over that hurdle should give Killeshin a considerable lift, but their reward is another formidable assignment.
Portlaoise remain in pursuit of a long-awaited return to the top of Laois football.
For a club with 36 county titles, seven years without lifting the Jack Delaney Cup represents a considerable drought. Their most recent triumph came in 2019 and, coincidentally, it was Killeshin they defeated in that year's county final.
There have been promising signs from Portlaoise so far and their second-round performance in particular showed the attacking threat they possess when they hit their stride.
Killeshin have already demonstrated their resilience by coming through two knockout games and their win over Graiguecullen should ensure they arrive with confidence.
This, though, looks like a considerable step up.
I don't expect Portlaoise to have everything their own way, but they should have enough quality to book their place in the semi-finals and keep their pursuit of a first Jack Delaney Cup since 2019 firmly on track.
Prediction: Portlaoise
