You could say it’s been a while since Laois and Kilkenny met in the Leinster senior hurling championship.
The sides meet in Nowlan Park on Saturday from 5.30 pm, their first championship clash against each other since 1999.
That was a Leinster semi-final that Kilkenny won 6-21 to 1-14 with a young man called Brian Cody taking charge of the side for his first championship game in his first season in charge.
The top scorers on the day were DJ Carey (2-3), Ken O’Shea (2-1), and John Power (1-1) while Niall Rigney (1-8) was the leading marksman for Laois.
Laois are seeking their first championship win over Kilkenny since the 1951 Leinster semi-final which they won by 5-10 to 2-7.
It’s 25-6 in wins for Kilkenny in their 31 championship meetings with Laois.
Kilkenny comes into this game after being easy winners over Westmeath last Saturday with Austin Murphy (0-7, 0-6 frees) and TJ Reid (1-5, 0-2 frees, 0-1 ‘65’) top scorers in their 5-23 to 1-19 win.
LAST FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP MEETINGS
1999: Kilkenny 6-21 Laois 1-14 (Leinster semi-final)
1998: Kilkenny 3-11 Laois 1-14 (Leinster semi-final)
1995: Kilkenny 2-14 Laois 2-12 (Leinster quarter-final)
1984: Kilkenny 4-15 Laois 1-16 (Leinster quarter-final)
1972: Kilkenny 5-14 Laois 5-7 (Leinster semi-final)
Leinster Championship Fixtures
Round 1: Wexford 1-19 Galway 1-19; Kilkenny 5-23 Westmeath 1-19; Dublin 1-20 Laois 2-15
Round 2: April 23: Galway v Westmeath; Kilkenny v Laois; Wexford v Dublin
Round 3: May 1: Laois v Wexford; Galway v Kilkenny; Westmeath v Dublin.
Round 4: May 14: Dublin v Kilkenny; Laois v Galway; Westmeath v Wexford.
Round 5: May 21: Kilkenny v Wexford; Galway v Dublin; Laois v Westmeath
Final: June 4
