The Laois minor football panel has been named ahead of the 2026 season.
Manager Dave McGrath has confirmed a 37-player panel who will represent Laois this year.
Laois have a decent bit of experience from last year to call upon too with nine of that panel available again.
Fionan Brennan (Crettyard), Cian O’Sullivan (Crettyard), James Smyth (Mountmellick), Ethan Neilon (O’Dempsey’s), Eoghan Lalor (Kilcavan), David Timmons (Portlaoise), Aaron Mackey (Arles-Kilcruise), Sean Maree (Emo) and Dan Downey (Park-Ratheniska) back again.
Three of those make up the leadership group with Fionan Brennan named as captain and he will be assisted by Eoghan Lalor and Sean Maree.
The minor champions from 2025, Crettyard-Spink (including Killeshin) make up the bulk of the squad.
Crettyard have the highest representation with five players while Killeshin provide another three.
Graiguecullen, Mountmellick, O’Dempsey’s and Portarlington also provide three players each.
While Arles-Killeen, Kilcavan, Ballyfin and Portlaoise supply two players each.
Players from Annanough, Arles-Kilcruise, Ballyroan-Abbey, Clonaslee St Manman’s, Emo, Park-Ratheniska, St Joseph’s and The Rock make up the rest.
In total, the Laois minor football panel for 2026 comprises players from a total of 18 clubs.
For the Leinster championship, Dave McGrath’s charges are in Group 1 alongside Louth, Kildare and Meath.
Louth were defeated finalists last year while Meath’s last success was 2021 and Kildare’s was 2019.
Three of the four teams in Laois’s group will advance to the knockout phase with this competition set to start at the end of March.
The Leinster Minor Football Championship begins on Tuesday, March 24, with the second and third rounds scheduled for April 7 and April 14, respectively.
LAOIS MINOR FOOTBALL PANEL 2026
Fionan Brennan (Crettyard) (Captain)
Cian O’Sullivan (Crettyard)
Mark Dowling (Crettyard)
Michael Brennan (Crettyard)
Darragh Brennan (Crettyard)
Ryan Doody (Graiguecullen)
Mikey Hand (Graiguecullen)
Thomas Lawler (Graiguecullen)
Mikey Regan (Killeshin)
Nisun Balogun (Killeshin)
Dale Heffernan (Killeshin)
James Smyth (Mountmellick)
Nathan Lenihan (Mountmellick)
Billy Byrne (Mountmellick)
Killian McLernon (O’Dempsey’s)
Ethan Neilon (O’Dempsey’s)
Will Craig (O’Dempsey’s)
Aidan O’Reilly (Portarlington)
Cillin Hoey (Portarlington)
Max O’Reilly (Portarlington)
Eoghan Harris (Arles-Killeen)
Will McGrath (Arles-Killeen)
Eoghan Lalor (Kilcavan) (Vice-Captain)
Tadhg Hughes (Kilcavan)
Oisin Gilligan (Ballyfin)
John Fitzpatrick (Ballyfin)
Daire Brosnan (Portlaoise)
David Timmons (Portlaoise)
Finn Darcy (Annanough)
Aaron Mackey (Arles-Kilcruise)
Gearoid Slevin (Ballyroan-Abbey)
Orran Langton (Barrowhouse)
Senan O’Brien (Clonaslee-St Manman’s)
Sean Maree (Emo) (Vice-Captain)
Dan Downey (Park-Ratheniska)
Cian Murphy (St Joseph’s)
Frankie Delaney (The Rock)
SEE ALSO – Laois student named runner up in national Lions Club Youth Ambassador Award 2026
