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Laois by 10+ points. I hear Enda Rowland is back between the sticks.

[or Laois/Carlow/Westmeath/Antrim/London]

Sky's exclusive matches

Provincial Championship Games

June 7 – Kilkenny v Offaly LSHC

June 14 – Dublin v Wexford or Laois/Carlow/Westmeath/Antrim/London LSHC

June 21 – Sligo v Galway/London CSFC

June 28 – Armagh/Cavan v Down/Tyrone/Monaghan (USFC)

Qualifiers

July 5 – Game D qualifiers

July 12 – Game F Qualifiers

July 19 – Games I and J

July 26 – Games G and H

August 2 – Games K and L

All-Ireland Series

August 9 – 2 x Football Quarter-Finals


TBH there's no real biggies in there for Sky barring maybe the Ulster semi-final at a push, but I suppose who knew Kilkenny would have been going through the qualifier route last year.

Fixed your post... this is going around the net and it is assuming Wexford win their quarter final first - quite offensive for anyone from the 5 counties listed in red.

Also, Sky will be showing all semi-finals and finals of the All Ireland alongside RTE.

http://www.coolsport.tv/schedule.html Stream 26 today!

Laois 2-18 v 0-13 Carlow

We face Galway in the Semi Final next. Portlaoise will host the game on June 16th.

Keeping it under 10 points beating would be the realistic aim here.

Good response for Cheddar... 35 at first meeting.

Kilkenny U21s beat Waterford in a challenge game recently 1-22 to 1-16. Kilkenny were missing R.Doyle, C.Buckley, K.Kelly, J.Power, E. McGrath, M.Gaffney. They also lost Padraig Walsh to a hand injury mid-way through the first half.

Kilkenny will, as always, be hard bet at any level.

Laois U14s sent down two teams to Kilkenny for more challenge games recently...

Laois 1 Team: 7-28 v 1-02 :Kilkenny Central.
Laois 2 Team: 3-11 v 3-12 :Kilkenny North.

There are green-shoots in Laois Hurling with competitive teams from U21 all the way down to U14.

The minors play Wexford in the Leinster Semi on June 24th in Wexford. This team beat Offaly for the first time in 40 years at this grade last month.

The U21s are now in a Leinster Semi against Carlow on June 20th in Carlow. Two games on the road for these teams.

At underage there have been impressive results...

U14 Challenge Match, Birr on 5th May: Laois 5-13 Offaly 1-05.
U15 Challenge Match, Limerick on 12th May: Laois beat Limerick by 1 point.
U15 Challenge Match, Kilkenny on 16th May: Laois 2-16 Kilkenny Nth 1-07.
U14 Challenge Match on 19th May: Laois 9-19 Tipperary Nth 3-09. <<< not a misprint!
U15 Challenge Match on 19th May: Laois 3-10 Carlow 1-09.

...hopefully it continues.

Keep the provincial championships the way they are. Run them off as a seperate competiton.

Then afterwards have an open draw for the All Ireland Series. To keep some impetus from the Provincial Champions have a bonus point awarded going forward to the AI Open draw.

Four pools of three counties: (perhaps no more than two provincial champos allowed in one group):

GROUP 1
Kilkenny (1pt)
Tipperary (1pt)
Offaly

GROUP 2
Galway (1pt)
Limerick
Cork

GROUP 3
Antrim (1pt)
Laois
Wexford

GOUP 4
Dublin
Waterford
Clare

Top teams in each group qualify for quarter finals in another open draw..
bottom teams do battle for relegation in open draw
Loser of relegation final goes down, Christy Ring winners promoted.

Some incentives all round... win your provincial gets you close to an AI Quarter Final.

Jaysus lads, why scrap the provincial champos? I have said it may times on here that these competitions should be ran as a seperate entity to the All Ireland.

June Bank Holiday weekend should be the final days.

Start the All Ireland series as an open draw/champions league style from the last week of June with "PERHAPS" a bonus point for the provincial champions in the All Ireland series.

EXAMPLE FOR 2009:

MAY 3RD:
LEINSTER SHC - Laois 1-16 V 1-14 Westmeath
MUNSTER SHC - Cork 1-15 V 2-11 Limerick
ULSTER SHC - Armagh 2-13 V 1-11 Donegal

MAY 10TH:
LEINSTER SHC - Dublin 2-18 V 3-14 Offaly
MUNSTER SHC - Clare 1-17 V 1-19 Tipperary
ULSTER SHC - Derry 1-15 V 2-18 Down
CONNAGHT SHC - Mayo 1-12 V 1-16 Roscommon

MAY 17TH:
LEINSTER SHC - Laois 1-15 V 1-14 Wexford
MUNSTER SHC - Waterford 2-19 V 3-15 Cork
ULSTER SHC - Armagh 1-11 V 2-13 Antrim

MAY 24TH:
LEINSTER SHC - Dublin 2-13 V 0-20 Kilkenny

MAY 31ST BANK HOLIDAY SUNDAY FINALS AT THURLES:
CONNAGHT SHC FINAL: Galway 2-17 V 1-13 Roscommon
MUNSTER SHC FINAL: Tipperary 2-19 V 3-19 Waterford

JUNE 1ST BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY FINALS AT TULLAMORE:
ULSTER SHC FINAL: Antrim 0-18 V 1-13 Down
LEINSTER SHC FINAL: Killenny 0-21 V 2-12 Laois


ALL IRELAND OPEN DRAW 2009:

GROUP 1
Galway
Cork
Tipperary
Offaly

GROUP 2
Waterford
Kilkenny
Wexford
Dublin

GROUP 3
Antrim
Laois
Clare
Limerick

Top team in each group qualifies for All Ireland Semi Final. A play off between the best two second placed teams to determine last semi-final place.
No more than two provincial champions allowed in a group IF bonus point is given to provincial champions.
Each team plays each team once with the home/away agreements in place continuing.


What would your thoughts be on this lads???

Couple of reasons
1 - Football is now the dominate code in Laois
2 - The likes of Castletown/Camross situation where they are more interested in bating the heads of each other is wide spread in Laois

I would take issue with you there Lad. The relationships between the other 11 senior hurling clubs in Laois are very good. None of that carry on happens between the rest of us.
Also, there are many other counties with club problems like Castletown/Camross yet it does not affect them having a serious county side.

I am really surprised about that one... it was well visited and had loads of regulars.

Anyone know why the www.kilkennycats.com forum is offline lately?

I suppose you're right about the footballers! Thank God they didn't after, Kilkenny romped to a 24 point victory.

They (The CB) should hang their heads in shame.