For the second time in six seasons, the Laois footballers will play in Division 4 of the National League in 2023.

A seven-point loss at home to Longford on Sunday condemned Laois to the drop.

For Longford man Billy O'Loughlin it was a bitter-sweet return to O'Moore Park. The Arles-Killeen club man and former Laois U-20 manager oversaw a comprehensive win as Longford avoided relegation at Laois's expense.

We look at where it went wrong for Laois, how it's a symptom of a wider malaise in Laois football and what can be done in the short term to boost Laois coming into the championship.

We also talk about the start of the club football leagues, the reaction to Alan's rankings and chat about a big win for Laois camogie.

It’s a big weekend for the Laois footballers as they host Longford in the final round of the National League with the loser likely to be relegated to Division 4.

To make it even more interesting is the fact that Billy O’Loughlin, from Arles-Killeen and a man steeped in Laois football, is the Longford manager.

We look ahead to that game and as to how the Laois team might take shape.

We also have an apology to make to a Laois school after a disgraceful recent oversight.

And our club football rankings are back. It was an easy choice as to who was Number 1 but everything else was difficult. Who are the biggest fallers and climbers? Who’s looking to be as high as they are, who has the most room for improvement and who’s lucky to be on the list at all? 

It was an extremely busy but largely disappointing weekend on the GAA front for Laois teams. 

Only Conor Gorman's minors managed victory of the six Laois teams in action across the country. 

They defeated Westmeath in the Leinster championship while the senior footballers lost in the league to Limerick and the senior hurlers lost to Dublin. 

The Laois Ladies were beaten in their Division 2 semi final by Armagh while the Laois camogie team face a relegation play off in Division 2 of the league after defeat to Kerry. 

Meanwhile, there was heartbreak for the Laois minor camogie team who lost the All-Ireland decider to Offaly. 

Steven Miller and Alan Hartnett are here to look back at all of those games. 

While this week's show concludes with an interview with one half of Heywood CS' All-Ireland winning management team - Seamus Kerr. 

The Laois footballers got a much-needed win in Wicklow on Sunday when they proved too strong for the home side in Division 3 of the National League. 

Billy Sheehan's side move onto five points though still aren't clear of relegation but do remain in the promotion hunt. 

Steven was in Aughrim for that game and looks back on some of the game's big talking points and his choice of man of the match. 

Alan chats about Heywood's All Ireland Colleges football success and the Laois minor camogie team booking their place in the All Ireland 'B' final. 

Plus we discuss the GPA's expenses protest, the latest Kelly Cup action and a dramatic Leinster Schools Cup rugby game with a huge Laois involvement last week. 

In our latest Talking Sport Podcast, we talk about the Laois footballers upcoming trip to Aughrim to play Wicklow in Division 3 of the National League. 

We also chat about the Laois minor football panel and Heywood's bid for All Ireland colleges glory. 

On the hurling side of things we discuss the Laois camogie team and their belated start to a difficult season as well as a couple of recent managerial appointments. 

Plus with the club scene set to begin in the coming weeks, Steven ranks Laois's hurling clubs from 1-25. 

With the Laois GAA club season beginning to get up and running again, we sat down with some of the men that make it all possible: the referees. 

Seamus Mulhare from The Heath, Graiguecullen's Brendan Hickey and Padraig Dunne from Colt-Shanahoe are among Laois's top referees, with all having taken charge of senior county finals played in 2021. 

And in a special episode of our Talking Sport Podcast, we chat to them about their decision to become a referee, the challenges they have faced and what it is that they really enjoy. 

The discuss various rules, the good moments and bad and what they'd like to see changed. 

It's a bumper episode this week as we're joined by Damien Carter to look back on the Laois hurlers' thrilling win over Antrim in O'Moore Park on Sunday. 

The win ensures that Laois will play in the top division of the National League for the 10th season in a row in 2023. 

We hear from Laois manager Seamas 'Cheddar' Plunkett and pick our man of the match, the game's big talking points and whether there is a disciplinary issue in Laois hurling. 

We also wonder how Laois should approach the last league game against Dublin seeing as the counties will also meet in the opening round of the Leinster championship on April 16. 

Plus we hear from Shane Keegan about his Hurling Coaching Workshop that he's hosting in Portlaoise next weekend where Eamon O'Shea, Derek McGrath and Christy O'Connor among those to be presenting. 

The Laois footballers' loss to Fermanagh is in the second part of the show. Alan was in Enniskillen. What were Laois like? Is promotion gone? Is relegation a possibility? And what changes can we expect for next week's trip to Aughrim to play Wicklow. 

As well as that we pay tribute to the great Jack Nolan, who has announced his retirement from commentating after a 32-year career. 

We are heading for the first weekend in March and yet another busy one lies in front of us. 

Steven Miller and Alan Hartnett are back to take you through all the main sporting news ahead of the games. 

The Laois footballers continue their Division 3 adventure away to Fermanagh in Enniskillen at 3.30pm on Saturday. 

The Laois hurlers are live on TV on Sunday for their do or die encounter with Antrim at 3.45pm. 

The Laois U-20 footballers are also in action this weekend as they will face Dublin in a winners takes all clash that will determine who faces Kerry in the John Kerins Cup final. 

While the Laois Ladies, already qualified for a Division 2 semi final, face Kerry in Tralee.

Alan also gives a low down on all the schools action that has taken place this week with some very good results. 

While Steven has a report for the Laois U-20 hurlers win over Kildare that puts them in a league final against either Offaly or Westmeath. 

We also find out just how long it takes to get to Killadooley when you're 11!

The National League action for the Laois hurlers and footballers resumed over the weekend but there wasn't a huge amount to shout about.

The footballers promotion hopes suffered a blow when they were held to a draw at home to Antrim, the visitors equalising deep in injury time.

We look back at that game and what means in the battle for promotion from Division 3.

The Laois hurlers, meanwhile, made the short trip to Nowlan Park to take on Kilkenny and after the heavy loss to Waterford the last day out, showed some signs of improvement here before albeit going down to a 2-28 to 0-17 loss.

On a more positive note, the Hewood CS senior football team booked their place in the All Ireland 'C' final while the Laois U-20 footballers had a good win away to Meath in their pre-season John Kerins Cup match.

Plus we chat briefly about the Kelly Cup action, including the bizarre 1-3 to 0-1 win for Clonaslee-St Manman's over Ballylinan.

The various storms over the past week have played havoc with sporting fixtures across the country but it’s still an incredibly busy period for all sports.

Our Talking Sport Podcast is back to chat about this weekend’s action which is once again a busy one for a number of Laois teams.

The senior footballers are in O’Moore Park on Saturday night where they host Antrim as we look ahead to that game and also chat about what the Fermanagh postponement will mean.

The Laois hurlers are coming off the back of a massive loss to Waterford and must now go to Nowlan Park to play Kilkenny.

The Laois ladies football team have a weekend off after securing a Division 2 semi-final place with a win over Tipperary last Sunday while we also discuss a Leinster schools football success for Heywood.

Club transfers, managerial appointments, the glamour of the Kelly Cup and the upcoming championship draws are also on our agenda.

Plus, the Portarlington rugby team had reason to celebrate last weekend, there were two young Laois girls playing soccer for Ireland and a Mountmellick man will represent the Irish senior basketball team.