Messages

Don't agree with Laoistoday on lots of things but overall they do a decent job. I fear what it would be like without them as the dearth of coverage in the traditional media is a concern. A lot of inaccuracies stem from the clubs such as players wearing the wrong numbers which is a frequent issue at club games. I think it is a bit rich blaming Laoistoday for not calling out the County board considering we have over 40 clubs who fail to do so every year at convention.

Considering the various subscriptions, I reckon the €6.99 spent on Loaistoday is probably one of my better ones.     

The vote was tight but I take it some of the lower tier clubs must have voted for it. The likes of Colt/Shanahoe Rathdowney Errill and Borris/K all have 3 votes due to having nominal Gaelic football clubs which might be a factor. There is talk in Laois Today about cross over games to avoid byes. From watching the championship last summer we should have 6 rather than 10. Idiotic is the only word to describe the decision.     

Offaly have 10 teams with Kilcormac/Killoughy 2nd team winning the Senior B. The same is likely to happen in Laois with 10 teams and definitely 12. Camross and Rathdowney/Errill are well capable of winning a weaker 2nd tier. A handful of clubs are pushing 10 teams to give them a safety net.   

10 team format will dilute the championship as the pressure will be off the mid division clubs if the likes of Ballyfin are playing senior. There is nothing wrong with the current format apart from clubs fearing relegation which should be a good thing. 

Clonaslee going to Na Fianna doesn't make sense considering their players are passing through Rosenallis. Mountmellick have traditionally accommodated players players from Clonaslee because Rosenallis and Clonaslee can't work things out. Ballyfin's big problem is that a lot of their better players put rugby first.

I think Abbeyleix also.
They are the makings of a fine side. Likely to be knocking around the last 4 for the foreseeable.
The other game will certainly be double figures.
Could well be 25+

Castletown, like The Harps & Borris Kilcotton (and possibly even Rosenallis) have not been good.
Those teams need to the pressure of an 8 team championship to improve or go down.
Those who remember the championships of the 1990s into the early 2000s, the likes of Clonad and Errill were very poor but surviving because there was 10 or 12 teams.
It did nothing to improve the standard or competitive nature.

8 teams is what we have. Max.

Have to agree. 10 team competition will only make it easier for the bottom 4 clubs to survive. The relegation final for the last number of years has been more competitive than most matches.   

I'm not against more teams in principle but I'm finding it hard to figure out that adding two limited teams to the Senior championship is going to make it more competitive other than giving a safety net to some of the teams who fear relegation. The Camross 2nd team nearly beat Ballinakill so you imagine their 1st team would give them a fair beating. If the top clubs put their mind to it, they can give any of the bottom 4 under the current system a hammering. Two more weak teams will only act as cannon fodder. Is that what we want?  5 team groups poses a few challenges, the most obvious is that under our structures nearly every club will go a month without a game as there has to be a bye and that's not counting the picnic. You could have the situation where a team who topped a group and had a bye in the last group game could go six weeks before their semi final. The other challenge is that two teams who get a bye in the first wound could use their players on their second teams mess up the lower grade championships right down to junior. C. Both of these are fixable but Laois is a dual county and both codes have to be accommodated. At senior level clubs like Rosenallis and Abbeyleix have a lot of dual players who may not be as keen on more games.     

We have a good few here calling for a complete change of county board. I'll play devil's advocate and ask who do these people suggest take over. A full executive top to bottom. Not too many legends sticking their heads above the parapet to take on any jobs in there. The chairman's position for instance requires them to be in OMP 6 days a week and that's with trying to hold down a job too. That's just one position. Have a scout around and see how many people you can get to do the various jobs. And before anyone says it I am not nor never have been on the Co board I've helped out with a few thins and see what a struggle it is to get people in

The county board personnel has changed quite a bit in the last couple of years apart from the Secretary which is a full time position so blaming the Co Board is a bit like blaming the government who take the hit irrespective of who is in power.  Before someone takes a pot shot at the Secretary, he has raised the thorny issue of restructuring our senior football championship for a few years but the clubs aren't interested. Therein lies the core problem in that our clubs put their own narrow interests ahead of the greater good.  Furthermore, small counties tend to get a good group of players once in a generation and the reality is we just don't have the players.   

Hopefully the intermediate championship can be revamped soon. It needs to be a 12 team competition with a least 8/9 first team club teams involved. It would improve the quality of the championship immensely. If I had a choice, I would rather my club be competitive challenging for a county title at intermediate level rather than hoping just to avoid relegation from the Laois senior championship year on year. Whose knows, with a strong intermediate county championship winning side there is a possibility of a Leinster title and an All-Ireland Final appearance in Croke Park. Winning championship matches and making a county final really brings a feel good factor to a parish/community. Look at the last few Leinster winning sides from Meath, Wexford, Louth, Kildare-with a slightly better club side coming out of Laois, we would be there or thereabouts for winning these titles.

Considering the standard of the 8 team competition, hard to see how 12 will improve things. The opposite I would think if the relegation match this evening is to go by.  Imagine O'Dempseys 2nd team or the Rock playing against any of the 4 teams in the senior relegation.

Kileen
Emo
O'Dempseys
Ballyroan
Rosenallis
Clonaslee

All to win

perdictions on song so far...

Impressive

Great credit to both teams for a super
game of football this evening in o.m.p

Have to agree.Very enjoyable. O'Ds missed a few goal chances and could have had a free at the end to equalise.

It's a pity Laois GAA Social Media channels are non existent

Laoistoday provides a great service and if we want Laois GAA to be covered properly,it has to be a premium service.The advertising model doesn't work particularly in a small county like laois. It's a service that can't be provided for free in the long term. I have signed up for a number of Subscription media and I will derive greater value out of Laoistoday than any of the others. 

Yeah no fault of Billy's. He has what he has and we're not good enough. It's time to accept that. We have a million problems and nobody to fix them. I genuinely feel this county has no chance with the current County Board in place. We wouldn't do any worse if they stepped aside en masse

The County Board is the easy target here. However its composition reflects our clubs so we all have take a share of the responsibility. The clubs are the real culprits as evidenced by the resolute opposition to reducing the senior Championship from 16 as practically every club is terrified of relegation. In a county the size of Laois, 8 senior clubs is more than enough as 16 team senior championship is at the heart of our troubles as it contributes to poor standards and bad practices. Considering we are in Division 4 I imagine some young lads will return as there might be a medal in it.   

Are many other counties in the same situation as Laois? Could the GAA not have allowed for a few weeks early next year to get the club championship finished. If they are worried about Covid and the after parties then don't let them take home the cup and get the Gardai to do their jobs in the town/village that wins it. It's hardly that difficult.

It's not a GAA decision either at local or national level. There will be no club games until level 2.     

I think the empty stadium tonight may well be a sign for the future. No neutral in their right mind will watch this on TV never mind go to matches. I agree it will be at least a 10 in a row before the powers to be realise that they have a problem.