Laois are a dual county, enjoying comparative success at both football and hurling. Laois are one of a select group of counties to have contested All Ireland finals in both football and hurling, and are six times Leinster Senior Football Champions, and three times Leinster Senior Hurling Champions. In recent times Laois have been more successful footballers than hurlers. Laois minors have had considerable success over the past two decades, and the Laois senior footballers reached the Leinster final in 2003, 2004, and 2005. Laois hurlers currently compete in the Joe McDonagh Cup, a competition reserved for the second tier hurling counties.
Laois contested the second ever All-Ireland final in 1889 and also won the first ever National Football League final beating Dublin in the 1926 final. 1936 saw the only other appearance by Laois in an All-Ireland senior decider. Laois beat Monaghan by a point in the 1986 National Football League final. Liam Irwin and Colm Browne both won All Stars for their performances that year. During the 1990s Laois had a number of successes at Minor and U-21 level, including All-Ireland Minor Football Championships in 1996 and 1997. During the mid-2000s Laois football became a strong force at all age levels. Under former Kerry and Kildare manager Mick O'Dwyer, Laois were National Football League runners-up and Leinster Senior Football Championship winners in 2003. Laois would go on to contest the Leinster Senior Football Championship Final again in 2004 and 2005. During the same period the Minor team were All-Ireland Minor Champions in 2003, and Leinster Champions in 2004, 2005 and 2007, while the U-21 panel were Leinster Champions in 2006 and 2007. In 2006, Mick O'Dwyer's management of Laois ended and he was replaced by the former Limerick manager, Liam Kearns. After two years Liam Kearns was replaced by Sean Dempsey in 2008. Dempsey who had led the Laois minors to All-Ireland success in 2003 commenced a major re-building exercise in 2009 but failed to achieve any success and was replaced by Justin McNulty for the 2011 season. After three seasons in charge, McNulty stepped down to be replaced by Tomás Ó Flatharta.
Hurling
Laois won one All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship title, in 1915, when the day was so wet the team reportedly played the second half in their overcoats. Laois currently competes in the Liam MacCarthy Cup, but has also won three All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championships. The hurlers reached National Hurling League semi-finals in 1981 and 1983 before losing the Centenary Cup hurling final to Cork in 1984, and were back in the National Hurling League semi-final in 1996. Laois most recently contested the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship final in 1985, in what was to be a disappointing final defeat against Offaly. Laois won the Joe McDonagh Cup in 2019, and went on to shock Dublin in the preliminary quarter-final the next week to reach the All-Ireland Quarter Final. This was considered one of the greatest shocks in the history of the championship.
The major local club hurling competitions in Laois are the championships which are listed below. In addition, all teams compete in the All-County Hurling League from Division 1 down to Division 5. Laois Senior Hurling Championship Laois Senior’A Hurling Championship Laois Intermediate Hurling Championship Laois Junior Hurling Championship Laois Under 21 Hurling Championship Laois Minor Hurling Championship Laois Junior "B" Hurling Championship Laois Junior "C" Hurling Championship
