Senior Hurling Club Championship 2015

[merman]

I proposed a format earlier in the year and I would still stand over it.

I would propose running the knockout phase exactly as is now; tarting at the same time towards the end of July.

Instead of an open draw, however, I would draw two groups of 4 and each team would get three games in the group; one in  April/May/June maybe.

Then for the 1st Round of the C/ship, 1st in A plays 4th in B; 2nd plays 3rd etc...

I think the competitive nature of our championship with lots of evenly matched teams means that a league basis could be very exciting.
I also really like the Westmeath system where there are also 8 teams...

[Jimmy P]

Good option there Merman wasn't that system ran in 2012 with two groups and group placing determining what stage you enter the championship at? I think it was a 10 team championship then with Ballyfin and Abbeyleix being relegated that year.

I would love to see the introduction of some well organised amalgamations to. Some similar to Cork where junior and intermediate clubs get the chance to hurl senior and be competitive.

The Tinnahinch experiment certainly worked in its early years and with some luck would have heralded a championship.I know with my own club at under-age we hurl under the Na Fianna banner a combination of Emo,Mountmellick,Ballyfin and Clonaslee. Logistically it may be difficult to organise but I think using these as an example there would be enough interest to make it happen.

Anyone any opinions on these? I know the Castletown/Sliabh Bloom arrangement didn't work well but if it were more a "divisional" set-up without a club losing its identity it may just be worth looking at

[blueandwhite1]

I like the idea of divisional teams - more  senior hurlers and more games - as long as teams have a realistic chance of making a semi final. Na Fianna might work in a few years but would need to be competitive. Ideally, Laois would have 10-12 competitive teams with a fiercly difficult intermediate (Senior B) championship.

In terms of senior hurlers for Laois, the following looked the part so far for me:

Willy Dunphy
Mark Kavanagh
Sean Downey
Brian Campion (retired but still young enough and we really need a full back in 2016)
Aaron Bergin Portlaoise?

Plenty of U21s on view across the grades.

[merman]

Any viewson the finals?

Portlaoise vs Clonaslee
1:30 pm

Portlaoise will start as the hottest of favourites. They overcame Clonaslee during the league with 8/9 points to spare and that was after hurling a good chunk of the game with 14 men; they are even stronger now. They have progressed through the championship, perhaps ominously, without looking at their very best but one still never felt that they were ever in real peril.
Clonaslee play an intelligent game and they are economical in how they use the ball. I wouldn't be surprised to see them hurl quite deep and try to smother space around  their half-back line. Darren Rooney has the experience and nous to have a huge bearing on the game, especially if their forwards work hard to force Portlaoise clearances into the air.

Discipline will be crucial for both teams and Anthony Stapleton will be watching particular players very closely.

I couldn't really back against Portlaoise. I think they have the better spread of forwards and that could be decisive.
Clonaslee will throw everything at them but Portlaoise to prevail with 5/6 to spare...

Camross vs Clough/Ballacolla

Has the makings of a very interesting final.
The simple fact is that we know a lot more about what Camross will bring than what CB will. Camross are drilled incredibly well by Arien Delaney and their setup has dismantled CB's efforts over the last few years. I'm not necessarily inclined to dismiss the league final but I do think their 1st Round Championship victory is more relevant. They rotated half-forwards and midfielders into deeper positions and they worked the ball forward with forensic precision. It felt like they had their homework done on CB and I've no reason to suspect the same won't hold true this weekend. There's a definite belief in Camross that CB have a soft underbelly and they have exploited that tellingly over the last 3 years. Camross don't lose too many finals and they'll be anxious to banish memories of last year's reversal to Rathdowney/Errill. It will be interesting to see where Zane Keenan sets up and I wouldn't be surprised to see him starting right half/corner forward on Lee Cleere or Eoin Doyle.

For CB, despite three good wins on the bounce, there still hovers a cloud of uncertainty. Collectively, they have chalked up decent returns in all three games without the majority of their forwards having consistently good games. Picky Maher seems to have hit form at the right time and his aerial power and speed could well unsettle Dawne Palmer or Damien Keenan; I would expect that he will receive plenty of attention early on Sunday. Defensively, CB have been resolute and 4 clean sheets should fill them with confidence. The key for CB may well be if they can maintain discipline, both in terms of not conceding frees and in executing whatever setup they have in the face of an intense and physical battle. Camross' intensity levels are set in stone and CB must match that before anything else.

As regards a prediction, I'm a little bit torn. I'm of the belief that Camross would definitely have chosen CB over the likes of BK or RE. They have the blueprint for how to stop CB and they will arrive Sunday determined to outwork, outfight and outmanoeuvre their opponents. They have excellent players right throughout the team and the likes of Joe Phelan and Ciaran Collier have really stepped up a level this year.
For CB, I suspect we will know after 5 minutes what they are going to bring to the match. They will need to inject pace  into the game from minute one and I suspect they will need goals to give them a chance.

Camross start as favourites for me. I believe they will score 17/18 points and a goal or two would be crucial. For CB, I think they'll need goals but if Willie Dunphy is stopped, I'm not sure where they will come from.
Camross won't be denied if this is close so I'll give the men in Black & Amber the nod by 2...

I'm hopeful for a good final to what's been an ok-ish championship.

[Keyser Söze]

Senior A Final
No point in debating it really. No offence to Clonaslee but Portlaoise are not going to slip up. Hopefully a good game.

Senior Final
Camross have had the measure of Clough Ballacolla for the past 3 years. After the first round game I totally dismissed Clough Ballacolla's chances. There ability to throw away games and "Lie down" in the face of high tempo, physical, pressing game totally turned me off any prospect of them winning a SHC. In fairness to them they have reacted mightily. A SHC won be beating Rathdowney Errill, Borris in Ossory Kilcotton and Camross would really be impressive.

Camross will be super organised, physical, motivated and clever. I would expect a surprise also. Gilmartin/Keenan/Palmer to start at full forward or something along those lines. Perhaps Andrew Collier to man mark Tom Delaney at midfield and Keenan to go in full forward?
Like Merman, I would agree that Camross are probably happy to see Clough Ballacolla again. Rathdowney Errill are just about the only team they haven't beaten on this 3 year run. They never looked like beating them in last year's final. For all of Arien Delaney's good work I honestly don't think the Camross players believed they could win that game.

Ballacolla only have a certain few players capable of being physical to the same degree as Camross. But I would expect Mick Mac, Tom Delaney, Hyland and Shane Hanlon to be extremely physical in the early stages and "set a tone" so to speak. If that doesn't happen I can't see the rest rising to the challenge.
The returning exiles has certainly boosted Camross' panel, but I wonder is the team as settled as it was?
Merman states that Camross don't lose too many finals. They have won/lost 3 of their last 6 (over a 20 year period) and lost 2 of the their last 3 (over a 5 year period) so that all depends on how far back you want to go. Won- 1996, 2007, 2013. Lost- 2000, 2010, 2014.

Having written Clough Ballacolla off a few months ago, I am going to tentatively side with them.

If Camross win it would mark Arien Delaney down as the most impressive Laois Club Manager in my memory. Not too many are fans of his combative sideline style, but he obviously has something going on.

Finally, I hope referees don't feature/dominate tomorrow. In fairness I think the order is correct and I'd be less fearful of BOR taking centre stage than AS.

[merman]

Well done to Clough/Ballacolla yesterday.

I, like many, wrote them off earlier this summer but an excellent second-half performance saw them power through yesterday.
Commiserations to Camross who gave their all.
Picky was brilliant throughout and once they matched Camross' work-rate and intensity they had the hurlers to push through. To beat The Harps, Rathdowney/Errill, Borris/Kilcotton and Camross must surely make this their sweetest yet.

I wouldn't say it was a classic but a very enjoyable game and I'd say Ballacolla won't sleep for a week.

Does anyone know who they face in Leinster??

With my county hat on, I think it's imperative we keep Zane Keenan involved with Laois. He was outstanding yesterday. Darren Maher and Joe Phelan would be massive additions to our defence and I can't wait to see young Lee Cleere lining out for our senior team; he's as good a minor as I've seen in a long time.

[redsetanta]

Fair play to Clogh Ballacolla and it's great to hear that the county players performed. Many of our knowledgeable posters felt it would be Camross however C/B deserved their title this year.

Would really hope to see Keenan stay with the county this year but he has a year in year out cycle so hopefully Cheddar has a word with him. Maybe the fact that he finished second only to Canning in the scoring charts this year would convince him to stay involved. He won't have as many games this year without the round robin games however he could have a right go at the league.

Would Darren Maher come back to the county fold?

It would also be a great boost for the county if C/B could get to a Leinster club final and give a good account of themselves in the competition.

[crow]

The wexford champs at home the first week in November

[blueandwhite1]

Good to see Portlaoise back at senior so soon. They seemed to have almost no supporters there yesterday. Maybe if they can keep their senior status for a few years they might start attracting more interest. They really are like a rural club in a big town. I wonder is there much being done in the town to get more families, schools and kids involved at grass roots level?

The Senior game was very entertaining, some of the point scoring from Zane and Picky was incredible. Camross hurled like demons and played some great stuff but seemed to fade a little early. C/B couldn't match their intensity and the quality of their hurling for most of the game. I thought that Gearoid Burke was very strong at centre back, especially given the quality of the C/B half forward line. Don't suppose he is interested in returning to the county along with Darren Maher and Willie Dunphy??

[Uisce]

Enjoyed the Senior game at the weekend, i'm sure Camross will be disappointed they were leading the whole game but C/B fought hard and just had that bit extra in the end. Picky and Darren Maher were the standout players from C/M with Zane doing well for Camross. He started off like he was going to beat them on his own!! Good atmosphere at the game I felt, especially in the last 10 mins when things got frantic! Would love to see C/B win a Leinster championship game or two.. Would be a real sign of improvement for Laois hurling.

Thought the first game was a dour enough affair. Portlaoise just doing enough, the difference in quality was very evident in the two games. But well done to Portlaoise, they'll need to improve but with very few dual players, only 1 starting I believe? They will give it a good go..

[zoner]

Here's a link to the highlights of the county final on TG4, first game on the program. http://www.tg4.ie/en/player/home/?pid=4515572087001

[redsetanta]

Keenan really did score some fantastic points on Sunday. Hyland chipped in with a couple of long range scores himself. There are definatey one or two men that would be an addition to the squad if Cheddar can get them in.

[Unlaoised]

Zane Keenan was superb and you've got to feel for him being on the loosing team...

Highlights make it look an thriller which it wasn't but it was a decent game of hurling with some fantastic scores and well refereed by Dj Broc.

[merman]

Broughan was excellent I must say. He really let the game flow and I can't really think of any call that was anyway contentious. I've seen worse performances on the inter-county scene (and far far worse in Kilkenny for example) and if he can maintain these standards then he could pick up a few games in the year ahead.

I'd hope Cheddar would give the following a call ahead of next year;

Willie Dunphy
Darren Maher
Gearoid Burke
Joe Phelan
Ciaran Collier
Mark Kavanagh
Liam O' Connell

There are one or two others that could come into consideration if players won't commit...

[Keyser Söze]

Fair play to a Clough Ballacolla 'team' on their win last week. Personally I couldn't envisage them hurling as a team after the first round and wrote them off, but fair play to them.
In the end it was all about the scoring respective point scoring threat!