2019 Allianz Football League Division 3.

[Nameless]

How do O'Byrne Cup midweek games get played? Westmeath played Dublin in the O'Byrne Cup final which was on a Friday, they only qualified for the final the weekend before. How did that happen?

[Don Draper]

Don't be over dramatic? If I had a midweek game and had to take the day off to travel to another county and didn't give proper notice to my employer, I'd be sacked soon enough. I don't know what planet yee are from. Do you honestly think that a panel of 30+ players would all magically be able to get the day off, just to satisfy yee lads, while yee make no such compromise or sacrifice?! Get real, seriously. Talk about entitled   

Relax, you'll do yourself an injury. This happens quite often. It happened in the OBC for both. Why are you so wound up?

[Tony]

The same O' Byrne cup where nobody cares about the result, players are trialled heavily, there are massive panels and if some players are not available for a particular reason, it's not a big deal? Yeah, that's like for like.

At the end of the day, the players said they can't play due to work commitments (from both panels) and I respect that. It's not good for us. But when you start disrespecting players wishes even more, you have issues. It's already next to impossible to be a county player with all the commitments involved.

If I was a county player in this scenario and I played for either team, I literally wouldn't be able to get a week day off with that short notice. So I'd have to take the day off if I wanted to play (ie call in sick). Which could get me sacked. I'm sure some of the 60+ players from both panels are in a similar boat as me.

[five points]

Big difference between O'Byrne/McKenna Cup and National League in fairness. OBC & MKC games are glorified challenge matches where counties are missing players anyway who are on college panels. The league is a serious competition.

[Giovanni]

I would be surprised if ths had much to do with players' welfare.

The fact is that both Louth and Westmeath are in with a shout of promotion. Both will know exactly what they'll have to do by the time they play the game. This is a big advantage for them. I don't think it takes much imagination to figure out what Louth and Westmeath players (and management) would prefer to do in this scenario. That doesn't make it right.

Louth in particular have already been given an important advantage over all the other teams fighting for promotion since they had fewer away games and it seems odd they are being given more advantages now.

I take Tony's point about essentially having to write off the day (or at least half of it) but I think they do that fairly regularly for training camps, Saturday games, etc. already. Does anyone know how the decision was actually made?

[Junior Ex Laoistalk]

It's possible that after the Round 7 games are played there will be no need for the Louth-Westmeath game to be played, same as the Laois-Antrim game in Div.4 last year didn't need to be played.
This would then mean that the Div.3 final could go ahead as planned and there would be no disruption to the "no inter county game" rule for April as April was set aside as the 'club month.

[five points]

I take Tony's point about essentially having to write off the day (or at least half of it) but I think they do that fairly regularly for training camps, Saturday games, etc. already.

Rarely at a few days notice though.

[Junior Ex Laoistalk]

[Countyminor]

Rob Pigott vs Brendan Murphy pt 3, MAKE IT HAPPEN JOHN

[Unlaoised]

Great win ,great crowd,Evan immense,Laois promoted

Carlow and dirty Brendan Murphy relegated


Laois in division 2 next

Div 2 next year
Fermanagh
Roscommon
Cavan
Kildare
Armagh
Clare
Laois
Louth/westmeath

[BallyroanAbu]

Fair play Laois you do everything right and you get a rub of the green,  great to see it done the right way.  Well done to the Squad, Management Team & the County Board.  I realize some here don't be in Portlaoise very often but Laois's Centre of Excellence, will with the right people involved allow us a serious platform for the future.  Well done Laois nice to see things being done well.

[Helix.]

Great win. Absolutely fantastic to have Brendan Quigley back. Made the difference in midfield and the winnings of the game. Dug out the win. Plenty of roaring and balling from Carlow in the terrace. Decent crowd today hopefully good support for a final against Louth or Westmeath. Got a point that was about 2 yards wide in 2nd half. Great progress under Sugrue and hopefully more to come.Onwards and upwards.

[Countyminor]

Embarrassing display from that absolute w*nker Poacher at the end. Huge congratulations to our lads and our management team. They are a credit to themselves and their county. Never gave them so much as an inch or stooped to their level.

[Blow-in]

I love GAA but if Stephen Poacher is the best Carlow can have wel they can close the gates of Dr Cullen Park. His display at the end of the game was the worst I've ever seen at a GAA game anyways.

[The Boy Wonder]

Great outcome today - well done to the lads. In truth they should have won more comfortably given they were so much on top in the 2nd half.

The Louth-Westmeath game won't be meaningless for either team after all 😀