Laois’s McDonagh Cup path laid out for them
Laois senior hurling manager, Tommy Fitzgerald will have his charges well prepared for this year's Joe McDonagh Cup campaign Photo: Denis Byrne
AFTER winning promotion to Division 1B Laois’s attentions now turn to the Joe McDonagh Cup. There has been double disappointment over the past two years and Tommy Fitzgerald and his charges are determined to change all that this year.
They could hardly have asked for a more motivating opening game than against our Barrowside neighbours, Carlow and them having home advantage. Carlow came very, very close to upsetting Laois’s road to the final, but lost of to a late, late goal from Laois that levelled the game.
Laois will travel with some degree of confidence having gotten the better of Carlow in the Walsh Cup Shield in January and then going on to be crowned Division 2 champions. Carlow’s confidence will have been hit as they were relegated, replacing Laois in Division 2.
Following Saturday’s game Laois play host to Davy Fitzgerald and Antrim on Saturday 25 April.
Two weeks later the travel to Mullingar to take on Westmeath in what is a daunting encounter given Mullingar came within a whisker of being promoted alongside Laois.
They follow that with a home fixture against Down who were also relegated from Division 1B this year.
Laois wrap up the league with a trip to Ruislip, their second this year, to play London who won last year’s Christy Ring Cup.
2026 Joe McDonagh Cup fixtures Saturday 18 April Antrim v Down, TBC, 1.30pm Carlow v Laois, Netwatch Cullen Park, 6pm Sunday 19 April London v Westmeath, McGovern Park, Ruislip, 1pm Saturday 25 April Down v London, McKenna Park, Ballycran, 1pm Laois v Antrim, Laois Hire O’Moore Park, Portlaoise, 4pm Westmeath v Carlow, TEG Cusack Park, Mullingar, 4pm Saturday 9 May Down v Carlow, McKenna Park, Ballycran, TBC Westmeath v Laois, TEG Cusack Park, Mullingar, TBC Sunday 10 May London v Antrim, McGovern Park, Ruislip, 1pm Saturday 16 May Carlow v London, Netwatch Cullen Park, Carlow, 1pm Antrim v Westmeath, Corrigan Park (TBC), TBC Laois v Down, Laois Hire O’Moore Park, TBC Sunday 24 May Antrim v Carlow, Corrigan Park (TBC), 1pm Down v Westmeath, McKenna Park, Ballycran, 1pm London v Laois, McGovern Park, Ruislip, 1pm
