The hunt for Hosie starts this weekend
Portlaoise celebrate winning promotion to the Leinster League Division 2A last March Photo: David Maher
LOCAL rugby returns to Laois and Kildare this weekend, with the quarter-finals of the North Midlands Hosie Cup getting underway on Friday night. The draw has thrown up some very interesting pairings, most notably a repeat of last year’s final.
The 2026/27 season technically got underway ten days ago, when Athy beat Dublin side, Suttonians to win the Colm O’Shea Cup - the Leinster junior rugby super cup that pits the Towns Cup winners against the Metro Cup winners.
North Midlands Hosie Cup Quarter-Finals
Portlaoise v Athy
Friday, September 4th, 7.30pm at Togher
Having already tasted silverware in the season’s curtain-raiser, Athy head to Laois with aspirations for another historical season. Their last two games have seen Athy leave the field with a trophy - beating Suttonians to win the Colm O’Shea Cup last weekend having ended the 25/26 with a milestone victory over Tullow to retain their Towns Cup.
Athy made it to the All-Ireland Junior Cup semi-finals last year as well and will be hoping to avoid another relegation battle as they enter their third tier in Division 1A of the Leinster League.
Portlaoise are also riding high heading into the weekend, after winning promotion to Division 2A last season at the expense of Roscrea, with an exceptional record of 14 wins and just one defeat in Division 2B. The home side will be keen to lay down a marker against one of the top junior clubs in the province.
Clane v Naas 2
Friday, September 4th, 8pm at Ballinagappa Road
Clane welcome the Naas Seconds to Ballinagappa Road in the first of two all-Kildare games in this round, with the visitors coming into the game as overwhelming favourites.
With Naas firsts playing in the AIL, the duty of representing the club in junior Leinster competitions fall on the club’s seconds; they won last season’s Metro League Premier Division and had a fantastic run in the Towns Cup, going all the way to the semi-finals before losing out to Tullow.
Clane, on the other hand, play in the bottom tier of Leinster rugby, but they did at least finish Division 3 on a tremendous run last season, winning six of their final seven games. They will need to re-create that kind of form if they are to have any chance against Naas.
Newbridge v Cill Dara
Saturday, September 5th, 6pm at Rosetown
The rivalry between Newbridge and Cill Dara produced two enthralling games last season in Division 2A of the Leinster League, with Newbridge winning both games, home and away.
The two Kildare clubs faced off in the 25/26 Hosie Cup final, with Newbridge again coming out on top to get their hands on the trophy.
Cill Dara have the perfect opportunity for redemption on Saturday, and a win away n Rosetown would be the perfect catapult into what promises to be a difficult season ahead.
Clondalkin v North Kildare
Sunday, September 6th, 3pm at Kingswood Farm
North Kildare’s 50/50 record last season left them languishing in mid-table in Division 2 of the Leinster League for the sixth consecutive season.
The Kilcock/Maynooth club have stagnated since their relegation in 2019, but they have a chance to get the new season off to a winning start against Clondalkin. The Dublin club will join North Kildare in Division 2 this year having been relegated last season.
