After eight Round 1 games (some of them fiercely contested; some a bit one-sided), the draw has been made for the quarter-finals of the inaugural LaoisToday QuizCast.
The general sports knowledge straight knockout contest began with 16 contestants, requiring eight rounds to separate the wheat from the chaff.
And the quarter-final draw has pitted two of the impressive Round 1 performers against each other – Clonad’s Murt Norton and Barry McEvoy from Castletown, who also doubles as LaoisToday’s Hurling Man.
Only one of those will make it the finale in The Square Bar in Portlaoise on December 8 where the semi-finals and finals will be held.
Pauric Ramsbottom from Timahoe, the competition’s youngest contestant who recorded a big win over LaoisToday’s Alan Hartnett in his opening game, will take on Brian Hogan from Courtwood, who got the better of the previously fancied Darren Bracken.
Laois Ladies footballer goalkeeper Eimear Barry saw off the challenge of her team-mate Mo Nerney in a nailbiting Round 1 tie to set up a quarter-final showdown with Portlaoise Panther Jack Scully, who had a relatively comfortable win over Bernard Rochford from Mountmellick.
And the final pairing sees Gavin Deering from Killeshin, fresh from a thrilling win over Laois football legend Mark Timmons, take on LaoisToday’s Steven Miller, who scraped by Camross’s Eoin Scully in his first round tie.
All games will be recorded this week – to be broadcast across the various LaoisToday platforms.
LaoisToday QuizMaster Mark Comerford, who came up with this concept to help us pass the winter months, will be in the presenter’s seat for the quarter-finals and is working hard on the Square Bar plan!
Quarter-final draw
- Brian Hogan (Courtwood) v Pauric Ramsbottom (Timahoe)
- Gavin Deering (Killeshin) v Steven Miller (LaoisToday)
- Murt Norton (Clonad) v Barry McEvoy (Castletown)
- Jack Scully (Portlaoise Panthers) v Eimear Barry (Shanahoe)
Round 1 results
- Steven Miller 7 – Eoin Scully 5
- Pauric Ramsbottom 5 – Alan Hartnett 4
- Barry McEvoy 7 – Michael Boyhan 2
- Jack Scully 8 – Bernard Rochford 3
- Brian Hogan 6 – Darren Bracken 2
- Murt Norton 6 – Colin Delaney 4
- Gavin Deering 5 – Mark Timmons 4
- Eimear Barry 3 – Mo Nerney 2
SEE ALSO – Check out all the previous episodes of the LaoisToday QuizCast here
