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At that age group where selectors etc are from has huge influence on who/who doesn't make these panels. Is there no portlaoise input mentor wise into hese squads.

Laois won the challenge game with kerry. Very experimental
Kerry team though so hard to gauge. Laois team seems to be in good physical shape a week out from start of league.

Definite merits in that idea and would make for exciting championship games in 2019 and 2020 for very different reasons. Fight to stay up next year would be huge and the following year Portlaoise would be seriously tested. Couldn't imagine a number of clubs supporting such a proposal however as they will always put their own self interests and preservation as a "senior" club first.

Laois are evens at +15 on the handicap with the bookies. Might be worth a punt.

Mannion is absolutely flying again this year. I worry that we have no one in the full back line who can match his blistering pace. Dillon might be our best bet to try hold him but it will be a tough task. Attride's absence could be sorely noted in the opening ten/fifteen minutes of the game.

While our midfield has been decent at times this year, neither O'Loughlin or Lillis would be noted high fielders. I expect Dublin to push up on our kick outs, forcing Brody to go long where MDM and Fenton would fancy themselves to win the lions share of possession. We will need to be smart with our kick out strategy.

I wouldn't be surprised to see one or two changes in Laois forward line. O'Carroll and Walsh bring ball winning strengths and their attributes might be more suited when matched up against Cooper, McMahon etc. I would fear that the likes of Ross, Paul Kingston will struggle to find room and get on the ball with such tough and tenacious man markers picking them up.

In the qualifiers you could potentially have a combination of Tyrone, Monaghan, Mayo and Kildare coming through from round three. Making the Super 8s won't be easy. Best option is to simply go and win Leinster.     

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcdNumgT8m0

The first half against Dublin in 2014 was some of the best football played by a Laois team in the last decade and had the likes of Conway been more accurate with shooting could have built up a greater lead. Munnelly kicked some great scores and Kingston was at his peak that year fitness wise. It was probably the last time Dublin were losing at half time in a Leinster championship game. 

Very unpredictable how rest of league will play out. If Laois win their remaining two games and shoot the lights out scoring wise they might sneak into the final of the Joe McDonagh. With Westmeath still to play Antrim there is every chance that that two losses will not prove fatal.

I am finding it very frustrating that the Sunday Game is playing lip service to the teams in Joe McDonagh. 30 second sound bite stating how its a great competition and the players are loving the opportunity to play counties at their own level. GAA should be promoting this competition by giving TG4 rights to show a game per week in the Joe McDonagh-therefore providing the competition with real exposure and real media coverage. The standard of the second tier teams is of a high level and deserves more recognition than it is currently receiving. I couldn't see how this competition being shown on TG4 would impact on their championship coverage. Technically it is a qualifier competition-with winners progressing to play in the championship. 

Can you tell me any team in the last 10 years came back from a half time scoreline like that away from home in a championship game and went on to win??

Antrim in Portlaoise about three years ago. They were hockeyed next day out.

While it was a thrilling comeback, Wexford losing their best defender to injury helped swing that game hugely. Donie ran riot in the full forward line there after. I wouldn't be too critical of lads who were substituted off as as a collective Laois misfired badly in the opening half. Any one of about 10 lads could have justifiably been substituted. I also wouldn't get carried away praising lads that came on as momentum had shifted and much easier impress when you have the run of things. 

The game will certainly stand to Laois and they will learn from this. Westmeath will be a tough test as they have proved capable of beating every team in Leinster (bar Dublin) in championship these last few years. Egan, Martin, Heslin as already highlighted are excellent players so improving our defensively frailties will be crucial. We cannot afford to offer up the simple scores Wexford were given in that opening half.

I feel a number of the 'old guard' have responded positively to the challenge put down by the younger players- you can't ask anymore than that. They also seem to be playing to a gameplan and there seems to be more honesty to tackle, defend and turn over the ball. My biggest gripe with Laois the last number of years was the inability to defend with lads marking space without real attempts being made to do the hard work of tracking runners, putting in tackles and sacrificing your own attacking game for the good of the team. Sugru is demanding this of the players this year. If they don't step up then they will be shipped out as a number of younger players are putting their hands up to play. Even if the younger players don't break into the starting team over the next few weeks they will have benefitted hugely from training and being involved in a positive set-up-this will stand to Laois football over the next 12-24 months. 

The biggest weakness to this Laois side is a lack of physical strength. This concern was noted by many after the Offaly league game. This current Laois team will always be bullied by other teams with physically bigger, more aggressive players. Westmeath contained more players able to win 50/50 battles and many of their scores came from being able to claim the sliotar in the air, break tackles easier and physically being able to dominate their direct opponent. The loss of players like Healy, Hyland, fitzpatrick, stapleton and Delaney to name a few is still being felt within the county-it is a pity that the current squad hadn't a couple of more years playing with the likes of the named players at county level. Each of them were leaders on the field and would have matched the physical challenge put down to them by any opponent. They would have added greatly to the development of the lads now coming through. The majority of Laois' starting team have lost at under 21 level to Carlow and Westmeath over the last number of years. Losing at the weekend to Westmeath should not be viewed as a shock result. With two teams relegated from the Joe McDonagh this year we will need to get our act together quickly. Meath will be favourites for the chop but anyone of the remaining teams could join them. Playing Christy Ring against Down, Mayo and Kildare in 2019 is not a proposition I want to consider.   

I would like to see Laois explore a system similar to that in Kerry for county championship. Having 16 senior clubs in the county of our size is pure madness. Reduce championship to 10 teams with tops 6 clubs staying senior and then 4 regional sides. strengthen the level of competition at intermediate and junior championship level as a consequence. You could still play a club championship earlier in the year (present the Kelly Cup to the winners of that competition and if a regional side were to win the county championship then the club champions would move forward into Leinster).   

Would the system being trailed in Monaghan for their own county league be worth experimenting with. Has added a championship feel to those designated 5 pointer league games in Monaghan and county players, clubs and supporters all seem to have responded very positively to it. A couple of intensive league games surely beneficial to players in lead up to championship- develop match sharpness and raise intensity levels.   

I think BallyroanAbu hit nail on head with the way we sometimes talk about young players in Laois. Big fish in small pond sums it up quite nicely. The standard of our underage teams the last few years has dropped so significantly that the few players that show any sort of talent/potential have too much expectation placed on their shoulders.   

If Leinster team wins the Joe McDonagh then they are guaranteed place in Leinster championship for 2019. It kills me to say it but I would love to see Offaly avoid relegation this year and see if the structures as currently outlined are maintained. Be very interesting if a team like Wexford, Kilkenny or Dublin end up finishing bottom of the pile-would they be relegated to the Joe McDonagh for 2019.

Kerry if they will the Joe McDonagh would have to play-off against bottom side in Munster to earn a place in the Munster championship. Again if they did manage to pull off such a feat I'd be very surprised if a team like Waterford, Clare or Cork would accept being placed in second tier competition.

Every county in the country prepares to a high level these days. To say we should be beating other counties in division 4 by large margins is unrealistic. Waterford and Limerick consistently acquit themselves well in the Munster championship. Last year both Limerick and Waterford lost by a single point to Clare and Cork respectively. If we beat either a Clare or Cork side in this year's championship everyone will be talking of terrific progress made by the team. The reality is that with teams modernising their training efforts, commitment levels etc. there is in reality not a huge amount between most teams from division 2 to division 4.

It's great to see Sugrue ring the changes again for this important game-he is giving a number of players an opportunity to stake a claim for a starting jersey come championship in what should be a competitive encounter with Carlow.  The message is clear-championship starting places have to be earned. Looking forward to the game at the weekend and seeing how our new look half forward line operate. Hopefully they will each deliver a performance on the day.