The draws have been made for the Leinster minor and U-20 football plus U-21 hurling championships.
These were made at a Leinster Council meeting last night where it was also agreed to defer the draw for the minor hurling championship to a later date as a format for the competition has still not been agreed.
Laois senior hurling manager Eamonn Kelly will also take charge of the county’s U-21 hurlers this year and they have been drawn against Dublin.
In the football, Donncha Phelan’s U-17s will compete in this competition which is taking a new format this year.
Kilkenny have not entered so the eleven remaining teams have been split into two groups.
Group 1 contains six teams with Laois placed in Group 2 along with Carlow, Longford, Wexford and Kildare.
The championship begins on the Bank Holiday Monday in May, the 7th, and the top two sides will progress to the semi finals.
2018 will also see the introduction of the new U-20 competition in football to replace the existing U-21.
Once again 11 teams have entered and this time Laois have been drawn in a four team along with Kildare, Meath and Wicklow.
There will be quarter finals in this competition so presumably three teams will come out of the two groups with four teams while the remaining two teams will qualify from the three team group.
Laois have yet to appoint a manager for this team but the competition is not due to start until June.
This team should comprise of the defeated Leinster minor team from 2016 plus last year’s minors who didn’t do too badly either.
The draws for our senior hurlers and senior footballers were also made last night.
SEE ALSO – Walsh Cup draw made and Tier 2 hurling fixtures confirmed
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