GALWAY BID TO REACH THIRD LEINSTER HURLING FINAL
Having received a bye to the semi-final as defending Leinster GAA Senior Hurling champions, Galway will be bidding to reach the decider for the third time when they take on Laois in Portlaoise on Sunday (3.30pm). There's Leinster Quarter-final replay action in Parnell Park on Saturday evening (7pm) when Dublin host Wexford for the right to play Kilkenny in the other semi-final.

LAOIS v GALWAY, PORTLAOISE, SUNDAY, 3.30pm
Laois have already had two wins in this year's championship, beating Antrim (1-16 to 0-13) and Carlow (2-18 to 0-13). Stephen Maher is top scorer for Laois, having scored a total of 0-13 (0-9 frees), followed by Zane Keenan 1-5 (1-1 frees) and Tommy Fitzgerald 1-2.

Laois earlier won promotion to Division 1B having won 2A with five victories from six games. Galway reached the Division 1 semi-finals, losing to Kilkenny, leaving them with the following Allianz Hurling League record: Played 6, Won 2, Drew 1, Lost 3.

Galway and Laois last met in the championship in the 2009 Leinster quarter- final when Galway won by 27 points.

Last Five Championship Clashes
2009: Galway 5-29 Laois 0-17 (Leinster quarter-final)
2008: Galway 1-26 Laois 0-9 (All-Ireland qualifiers)
2007: Galway 3-20 Laois 1-14 (All-Ireland qualifiers)
2006: Galway 7-18 Laois 2-13 (All-Ireland qualifiers)
2005: Galway 2-22 Laois 2-11 (All-Ireland qualifiers)
Galway 5, Laois 0

Did You Know?
That this is Galway's fifth season in the Leinster championship. Their record reads: Played: 11; Won 7; Drew 1; Lost 3

That Laois are in the Leinster Semi-final for the first time since 2001 and are bidding to reach the final for the first time since 1985. Tweet

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