Stradbally, Clonaslee and Rosenallis leading Laois soccer’s resurgence
A provincial title for Stradbally Town. Photo: Leinster FA.
2026 has been a remarkable year for Laois soccer, with a major turnaround in the county’s fortunes. After a difficult few years in the CCFL, with very little major accomplishments to speak of, clubs from around Laois brought the season to end an almost unprecedented level of success.
The CCFL’s biggest prize – the Combined Counties Cup – belongs to Clonaslee United after they came out on the right side of an enthralling final against Mullingar Athletic in Tullamore.
The Laois club took the lead when Joe McRedmond flicked a header into the path of Bob Downey who broke the deadlock with a neat finish.
Mullingar were back on terms within minutes, but a late goal turned in at the back post by DJ Callaghan secured a famous victory for Clonaslee.
This was the second time manager Paul Culleton has won the Combined Counties Cup, having first tasted success six years ago with Portlaoise club, Towerhill Rovers.
Stradbally Town claimed their first league title in over quarter of a century when they beat Cloneygowan Celtic to win Division 3 of the CCFL.
Benny Lawlor and James Devoy had Stradbally 2-0 up at Charter Road, but Cloneygowan pulled one back before the break before drawing level soon into the second half.
The home side turned things up a notch after that, with goals from Fionn McEvoy, Conor Buggie and Eoin Buggie delivering a league triumph for Stradbally 26 years after the club won Division 2 of the Carlow League.
With the league title in the bag, Stradbally Town turned their attention to provincial glory when they travelled to Baldonnell to take on Dublin side Portmarnock in the final of the Leinster Shield.
Fionn McEvoy opened the scoring for the Laois club just before half time before Eoin Buggie doubled the advantage late on, as Stradbally saw out the game to get their hands on a second piece of silverware.
Stradbally Town brought the curtain down on their season when they sealed the CCFL Shield to complete a monumental treble.
Stradbally and opponents Gracefield converged on Conor Davis Park, Mountmellick, for the shield decider, where a brace from Benny Lawlor helped Stradbally to a 3-0 lead at half time, with Fionn McEvoy also on target.
Jody Dillon and Conor Buggie each hit the net after the break to put the game beyond Gracefield and ensure a third piece of silverware for the men in green.
After several years in the wilderness, with the odd trip to a final, Rosenallis got over the line in the CCFL Division 1 Cup Final, beating Roscrea side, Killavilla United on a 2-1 scoreline in Ferbane.
A header from Jack Friel gave Rosenallis an early lead, one they would hold on to until half time. With only 15 minutes of the final remaining, the other Friel brother – Charlie – tucked the ball into the back of the net to double the Laois side’s advantage.
Killavilla pulled one back in stoppage time, but Rosenallis prevailed to bring the Division 1 Cup back to The Grove.
Laois was well represented at this year’s Gaynor Cup, a competition that sees the best U14 players across Ireland come together to represent their respective leagues in a week-long festival of football.
Portlaoise duo Grace Malone and Emmy Ryan were the sole Laois players on the Midlands team, while there were 12 Laois players named in the Carlow squad, Abbie O’Gorman, Bianka Frydlewicz, Naoise Buckley, Sarah Milton, Aoife Murphy, Julia Sykula, Polly McDonald, Ruby Fenlon and Crioa Hutton, all from Killeshin, and Kallie Dunne, Goda Gambickaite and Anna Rowan, each from St Fiacc’s.
The boys’ equivalent of the Gaynor Cup – the prestigious Kennedy Cup – ran one week later, with both competitions held at the University of Limerick where Laois had players on three different teams.
The Midlands Boys team featured Portlaoise players, Ben McCormack, Tyler Whelan and Mikuss Simsons, as well as Mountmellick United’s Conor Bourke, Jamie Long and Harry Minihan.
There were three St Fiacc’s players on the Carlow team - Cody Dowling, Jack Scully and Tommy Keating – as well as Killeshin’s Cathal English and St Anne’s’ Dylan Prendergast, while Durrow Lions players Conor Campion and Frankie Carroll played for Kilkenny.
