2025 National Hurling League

[Kidder81]

Let's be realistic as to where Westmeath are at presently- they have a smaller pool of players to Laois and don't have the same strength in depth. Davy Glennon and Niall O'Brien only came on as subs and a long way off being properly match fit. Jogger Doyle and Killian Doyle weren't playing either. Westmeath minus a few of their stalwarts should not be beating Laois and that proved the case.

Another game and another improvement in performance. League is going as expected for Laois and I do think they will step it up again for the challenge of Carlow. Regardless of the result against Carlow it looks most likely the Antrim v Laois game will be a straight relegation play-off match and unfortunately that is an away game for Laois. Davy Fitz is astute enough and will target (as he must) that game.

Perhaps come the last game and if Dublin already promoted we might still have a shot with staying up but I wouldn't be banking on that game. Need to win our next two games and then let the game against Dublin be a hit to nothing.

 

The Antrim game is in Ballycastle which won't have the same home advantage that Corrigan brings, good big pitch though always at the mercy of the elements.

[SpeculativeEffort]

Just a word on Willie Maher's new appointment. What are his intentions for promoting/progressing hurling in Laois?
Im sure his remit includes promoting hurling in weaker counties. Trying to get hurling going in counties like Longford and Leitrim is going to be an arduous task. There needs to be some will in these counties to get things going. Im not so sure that will is there in those counties.

I would have to question though are the county board doing there utmost here??

WHO HAS GOT LAOIS HURLING'S BACK?

I have quoted 2 parts of your message. The first refers to weaker hurling counties and questions if there is interest in those counties. There is interest and a will, however the problem is that their county boards are completely dominated by football only people and hurling isn't promoted or allowed to grow. That's the biggest issue. Hurling lives in footballs house as a hostage.

Later your message refers to Laois Co Board which is similar to those in Longford, Leitrim etc. Hurling has little or no voice and nobody with any power is a hurling first person. However Laois does have a hurling area and a proud tradition which allows us compete in tier 2 mostly and tier 1 occasionally without any real drive from co board level. Imagine what we could do with a board that was determined to drive hurling? Similar strides would be possible in Longford, Leitrim etc.

[georgedoylesrightleg]

non one has laois back. we have ta have it ourselves. if laois hurlin people dont do it then no ones doin it for them. same wit the football. no ones gunna hand it to you. look at the biffos. go out and get it and fcuk the lot of htem

[Laois man]

Big game Sunday got hurlers I feel we can beat carlow hopefully I am right.

[georgedoylesrightleg]

never feered carla.

[Verbal]

The order of the games has worked out well.
They are 3 relatively winnable games.
This one being the most winnable.

I don't know if they should be relegating & promoting two teams between Division 2 & Division 1B.
Same could be said of 1A to 1B.

Maybe that's a bit self serving.

[The infidel in exile]

Well, apparently the weather had a big part to play at home yesterday, but as I have spent 12 years in Nottingham, I thought it would be on as it was fine over here, but it's amazing how much one forgets when you leave your homeland. I truly hope that you are wrong Verbal, but I don't believe that you are self serving at all as division 2 is currently mainly full of countries where hurling is clearly the second sport by far, considering that Down (who I admire for their tenacity) and Kildare, who are putting big work in at underage level, seem to be the two to watch, but after our relatively comprehensive win in Westmeath, I'm glad that it was called off as the god's seem to have allowed Tommy and the team to get the lads up to better fitness, that was clearly lost prior to Christmas due to unforeseen circumstances with illness. Laois are better on dryer surfaces, as we have some very good young talents on the panel, of course the same argument can work for other countries, but on a nice day on a good pitch, the better team wins. Finally I wanted to wish Enda Rowland all the best in his new endeavours. I understand that some contributers may have a different opinion, which is fine. Enda put the county jersey on for the first time at the age of 15, at minor level, and has played consistently for club, County, school and university for 15 years, from 2010 to 2025. Enda pulled off remarkable saves, and was finally nominated for an all star after the year of winning the Joe mcdonagh, Dublin, and losing to Tipperary in the all Ireland quarter final. Finally Enda will go down in hurling memory as the highest scoring goalkeeper in hurling history with 6-48, whilst scoring 1-02 from inside the 21 against Kerry. I wish Cathal Dunne the best and I'm sure that he will continue to keep a proud tradition of great laois hurling goalkeepers, Morgan Kelly etc.

[oneshot]

i'd say Enda will go down as one of the best goalkeeper Laois had. Morgan Kelly don't think so maybe it's the 80s and been beaten bye offaly every year and the 85 leinster final hammering.

[redsetanta]

Reports of a virus in the Antrim camp with a lot of players getting it.

Game also moved to Corrigan Park which is much handier to get to for anyone travelling up from Laois

[The infidel in exile]

True, checked on the Antrim Gaa that their missing 12 at least and Davy is fuming about it because it's their last game and protocol means that the game can only be called off for a bereavement or something similar. So unless Laois fall apart, we should be out of relegation worries with two home games left. Finally it would be typical if Laois win all three games ( as Dublin could be playing for pride and nothing else) we could finish on 8 points, which would be amazing considering that we didn't start to train properly until 8 weeks ago. We may rue the 9 missed frees and pj Sculley's sending off in Waterford. That saying we could still bee in bother if we don't beat Antrim with 9 of the 12 players sick, are first 15.

[Voice of tReason]

And if the current Antrim manager says they'll be short players then they definitely will be short players...........

[georgedoylesrightleg]

davy iup to his usual shite

[Laois Rising]

It's a gastric bug. Unless it hit them 24-48 hours before then game it's not going to have too much of an impact. Most of them were feeling unwell earlier in the week. Fit players in their 20s should be fine again 48 hours or more from showing symptoms. I have a feeling the vast majority of the players will be lining out at the weekend. Davy creating his usual go to siege mentality trick again. Would be great for building momentum under Tommy to get the win on Sunday. It would remove the pressure of relegation and allow Laois to really get their stall right for the start of the Joe McD.   

[Laois man]

Davy talking shit as normal looking for a way out if laois win.

[Blueforever]

Embarrassing stuff above in Antrim some of the Laois players cannot execute the basic skill of rising the ball