Laois SHC 2023

[Spiritof1915]

Offaly have 10 senior clubs. Westmeath have 6 and 6 in senior B I believe. 
There's no easy fix for keeping championships competitive. In most championships nationwide you always have 2 to 3 teams ahead of the pack. It evoles over the years . Teams come and go as evidenced by borris kilcotton last week.

What I do know is the premier intermediate competion has been dreadful over the last few years. One or 2 teams totally dominating, winning pulling up. Ballyfin, clonaslee, slieve bloom, colt shanahoe along with camross,  rathdowney Errill and now ballacolla 2nd team have no realistic chance of winning. And it's the manner of defeats which is the problem and totally detrimental to bringing on Laois hurling.
Ballinakill with a full compliment and portlaoise would in my opinion be competitive with The Harps, Castletown, rosenallis , abbeyleix and borris kilcotton. The other 3 are a bit ahead but in a few years with hard work it not unrealistic to think the other teams would make semi finals and finals. They all have solid platforms. 
A 10 team senior championship would then make the intermediate championship very competitive. With the addition of colt/shanahoe, park ratheniska, mountmellick. Mountrath have talent on the horizon too. These teams can't be ignored either. It would be some crack truknb to predict a winner.
It's my take on it and worth trialling for 2 years in my opinion. It's the only show in town for the clubs in offaly and have argued successfully against the offaly County board to keep it in place.

[Laois Rising]

How about you go the other way and turn the Laois senior championship in a 6 team championship and the Intermediate into a 6 Team championship. If you want evenly matched and competitive games this might be the way forward. Play the 6 team championships using a league format with top team straight through to the final and 2nd v 3rd in a semi final. I would have the bottom 2 teams meet in a relegation decider. That way it would keep every game competitive. You would have a senior championship of Camross, Castletown, Abbeyleix, Clough-Ballacolla, Rathdowney-Errill, Rosenallis and an intermediate championship of The Harps, Borris-Kilcotton, Ballinakill, Ballyfin, Portlaoise and Slieve Bloom. I think both those championships should provide some evenly contested and competitive games. Upping the number of senior teams to just make intermediate championship more competitive makes little sense to me.

[Spiritof1915]

How about you go the other way and turn the Laois senior championship in a 6 team championship and the Intermediate into a 6 Team championship. If you want evenly matched and competitive games this might be the way forward. Play the 6 team championships using a league format with top team straight through to the final and 2nd v 3rd in a semi final. I would have the bottom 2 teams meet in a relegation decider. That way it would keep every game competitive. You would have a senior championship of Camross, Castletown, Abbeyleix, Clough-Ballacolla, Rathdowney-Errill, Rosenallis and an intermediate championship of The Harps, Borris-Kilcotton, Ballinakill, Ballyfin, Portlaoise and Slieve Bloom. I think both those championships should provide some evenly contested and competitive games. Upping the number of senior teams to just make intermediate championship more competitive makes little sense to me.

Certainly a better option that what's in place atm

[Laois man]

Sbloom could struggle to stay intermediate next year.

[burdizzo]

Slieve Bloom were relegated from Premier Intermediate this year, and could struggle to stay going at all. They've a very small panel, and seemingly have virtually no juveniles coming through for the next few years. Can't remember the exact details, but there was some dispute, and nearly all the juveniles have now ended up going to Castletown.

On the Senior thing - the original proposal to increase to 10 was dependant on the two extra being area teams, as far as I remember.

[Laois man]

Clubs with no juvenile set up can't stay going. That's where all the work starts with the juveniles.

[Keyser Söze]

6 would be very harsh! I think playing the same teams all the time would be a bit of drag too.

If it goes to 10, something along the Kilkenny system could be used?
Groups of 5.
4 games.

1 & 1 into semi finals
2v3 & 2v3 in quarter finals
4v5 & 4v5 into relegation semis

Or just leave 4 out of it.
Gone from championship but safe.

If it stays at 8, I think the groups need to be scrapped!

[Laois Rising]

Sbloom could struggle to stay intermediate next year.

I just put them in at the end out of devilment tbh. Also, there is no way clubs would support the reduction to 6 teams at senior or premier intermediate. The Kilkenny system has merits too. At present the current system is not working as well as it could and for that reason would like to see something new trialled. 

[Laois man]

Right lads just for abit of crack my prediction for this yearsenior champs Rdowney /Errill. Senior B Ballinakill. Intermediate Trumrea. Junior A park ratheniska. Junior B Harps and junior C Ballyfin.

[burdizzo]

The only ones I'd quibble with are Ballinakill (think Portlaoise will do it) and Trumera. Not sure who will win the intermediate, but I don't think it'll be Trumera. Colt/ Shanahoe with James Keyes (not likely at the moment), or Mountmellick? Actually, quite an even championship with no team miles ahead of the others. Ballyfin will certainly win the 'C'.

[Laois man]

Burdizzo. I seeing Bkill playing plaois they were good and if Cha comes homes it will be some help. But it will be a close Cship Ballyfin ain't too bad either. Just feel Trumrea are coming good at the right time good win over colt/Shanahoe but Aleix will be tough in Qfinal sat night.

[Laois man]

2 qfinals yesterday Aleix looked good but Rosenallis were poor never got going in the second half at all. Second game was a cracker Castletown must be sick this morning done everything but win. There full back were outstanding holding Bergin. Picked and cillian Dunne too 2 points from play. What was the last free for Cbolla for? Ctown hit 2.17 from play Cbolla with 2.09 from play. Still think Cbolla v Rdowney final. Is there any where ye can listen back to Jack Nolan on radio 3 for yesterday games??

[crow]

Last free was a line ball to C/B that's all,really sorry for Castletown they were the better team by far,ref made huge decisions on both sides,but no help from the other officials,

[mcwregor]

Great game and good to see a close game at quarter final stage. The gap is definitely closing on what now is the top 3. Castletown were excellent on Sunday. I think the harps are coming and if they had a full team for the earlier rounds they would have been in quarters. Abbeyleix have taken over from borris kilcotton as a top 4 team and they will be thereabouts for a county final over the coming years.
Looking at the county team next year. Lee Cleere was outstanding and is a nailed on starter for laois if he commits. Brendan Reddin is nearly a veteran at this stage but was very good. I wouldnt mind seeing him coming in for laois with 20 minutes to go in some games. Some of the younger lads were very good too especially on the castletown side Rory Kelly, Aaron Phelan, Ciaran McKelvey and Jack Breen all played well and looked comfortable at this level, as far as i know all 4 of them are u20 next year too. Cormac hogan and joseph pearson when introduced also acquitted themselves well, both u20 next year too.
In the other game Abbeyleix are a very well balanced team with an exceptional goalkeeper. Colin Byrne (u20 next year) was dangerous, along with good performaces from Fionan Mahony, Aaron Brennan and Liam Delaney. David Dooley would be worth bringing in to a county senior set up (depending on rugby), an excellent hurler that would benefit from training at an elite level.

[Keyser Söze]

Agree with the previous posters, Castletown will be sick.
Some score to put up while playing with a sweeper.
Their use of ball and comfort levels on the ball (particularly inside their own 65) was very impressive.
If they can achieve a level of consistency and settle on starting positions for some of their main men they can definitely push on.

Abbeyleix very very good again. There is major potential there. They are ahead of the rest in chasing down the big 3.
Rosenallis have possibly reached a limit in their upward journey.