Tailteann Cup 2023

[on the hop]

Heading into injury time yesterday two points down the thought crossed my mind that it would be better if this ended today. a treasonous thought in a way but they dug out a draw which keeps things alive for another week, the draw for the next round will decide a lot and the attitude of the squad going forward, you have to fear any draw up north, that game in 2009 in Newry and the horrible vibe afterwards is still a memory. its hard to believe that from the start of the year where we were expecting promotion and a good run in this competition to now where we were suffering an eight point turn around and fighting for our lives against one of the poorest teams in the county. Maybe we got ahead of ourselves or over estimated how good the team was but that delusion should be gone now as we are clearly in the bottom three/ four counties in the country.

The big fear now is a bad defeat to end the year, which leads to a number of the older players retiring and a weak enough squad getting further hollowed out. As has happened in other counties and even at club level if your main adult team does not become an attractive proposition for younger players then they won't commit and you eventually stagnant at a level.

[High Fielder]

I'm surprised by your post OTH. 2 things. Did you not see this coming? And, with all due respect to any player, I don't think it matters who isn't there next year. What we need to fix won't be done so this year or next. In fact based on our current standing it's meaningless. We don't have the players (now) to fix this. Hopefully we will in the future, but things need to change

[on the hop]

I'm surprised by your post OTH. 2 things. Did you not see this coming? And, with all due respect to any player, I don't think it matters who isn't there next year. What we need to fix won't be done so this year or next. In fact based on our current standing it's meaningless. We don't have the players (now) to fix this. Hopefully we will in the future, but things need to change

i was trying to be positive after a few of the comments here after the offaly match !!!!! in fairness we were playing a team that had finished bottom of division four having conceded 117 points against scoring 82 points and i see on Laois Today they had lost 14 out of their last 15 games. so i wasn't expecting them especially as they play a heavily defensive game to notch up 2-14. i listened to the podcast on Laois Today and in fairness it was commented that this could be a banana skin, so maybe i was naïve in thinking with four of the better scoring forwards in the county playing that we could knock up a reasonable score. we had a goal to play for and a target which again i hoped would be the more than a motivation to see things through.

As for the other point, i am worried about next year and going forward into the future because its not just the football but it seems there are issues in a number of codes. Your senior adult teams are your flag ship teams that usually when going well generate interest, investment and opportunism in a county. when its over i hope there is a proper debate on whats happened.

[High Fielder]

No harm in being positive. But as someone whose opinion interests me, I'm sure you've seen the drop off in standards, particularly at club level. We're at a seriously low ebb here, and I accept your point about your Seniors being your flagship. That is why what's happening now isn't healthy for us. We're doing a lot of harm. It's counter productive to send out teams for this sort of humiliation. Supporters won't buy into that. Neither will the players or in fact future players. We need to get our house in order before we have the humiliation of not being able to field a team at short notice.

[Chrimtain]

Stupid question, probably, but do members of the CB read this forum? Are they aware of the low esteem they are held in? Do they care? Are they worried about the state of the games in the county? Do they have a plan / a vision? What is their motivation for being on the CB?

These are just a few of the questions I'd like someone (e.g. a local journalist) to pose to the CB on our behalf

I dont pay to listen to Laois Today podcasts, but I would happily pay to listen to a podcast where the chairman of the CB was challenged on issues such as the above.

[Countyminor]

Stupid question, probably, but do members of the CB read this forum? Are they aware of the low esteem they are held in? Do they care? Are they worried about the state of the games in the county? Do they have a plan / a vision? What is their motivation for being on the CB?

These are just a few of the questions I'd like someone (e.g. a local journalist) to pose to the CB on our behalf

I dont pay to listen to Laois Today podcasts, but I would happily pay to listen to a podcast where the chairman of the CB was challenged on issues such as the above.

I genuinely believe Laois Today provide a great service, which incidentally we're lucky to have comparative to other small counties, but they rest their whole structure on a friendly relationship with players and officials in this county to the detriment of anything beyond a fairly superficial analysis of events. Every player involved on the club scene is a great lad, every club official is a great official... you'd get very little sense that things are actually cracking behind the scenes listening to Laois Today.

They probably don't see it in their interest to be more critical of the state of affairs in this county because they don't want to upset anyone. And they're probably right to a certain extent. Everyone involved is just an ordinary, decent person. I genuinely believe the people involved within the squad right up to the county board level care do about Laois, I just think they're just falling short on practically every front in terms of delivering a cohesive project.

[High Fielder]

We'll never get answers. In fact we're not even supposed to ask the questions. That's how we operate in Laois, and that in itself is pitiful. The lads in LT offer a great service, but they're hamstrung by everyone's inertia and their close friendships. I won't pay for the LT service because as good as it is, they might as well be talking or writing about 10 great things to do in Spink. No disrespect to Spink. First place that I could think of. It's just not worth paying for. There's not enough going on and the serious questions never get asked, particularly of those in the CB. We just need to flip the whole thing on its head. Be more transparent and run Laois games for the people of Laois and not just the chosen few. Just my opinion

[Jd]

We have a good few here calling for a complete change of county board. I'll play devil's advocate and ask who do these people suggest take over. A full executive top to bottom. Not too many legends sticking their heads above the parapet to take on any jobs in there. The chairman's position for instance requires them to be in OMP 6 days a week and that's with trying to hold down a job too. That's just one position. Have a scout around and see how many people you can get to do the various jobs. And before anyone says it I am not nor never have been on the Co board I've helped out with a few thins and see what a struggle it is to get people in

[Downtheroad]

We have a good few here calling for a complete change of county board. I'll play devil's advocate and ask who do these people suggest take over. A full executive top to bottom. Not too many legends sticking their heads above the parapet to take on any jobs in there. The chairman's position for instance requires them to be in OMP 6 days a week and that's with trying to hold down a job too. That's just one position. Have a scout around and see how many people you can get to do the various jobs. And before anyone says it I am not nor never have been on the Co board I've helped out with a few thins and see what a struggle it is to get people in

The county board personnel has changed quite a bit in the last couple of years apart from the Secretary which is a full time position so blaming the Co Board is a bit like blaming the government who take the hit irrespective of who is in power.  Before someone takes a pot shot at the Secretary, he has raised the thorny issue of restructuring our senior football championship for a few years but the clubs aren't interested. Therein lies the core problem in that our clubs put their own narrow interests ahead of the greater good.  Furthermore, small counties tend to get a good group of players once in a generation and the reality is we just don't have the players.   

[County Man]

Don't want to delve much into Laois football structures here except to say that the full system needs to be looked at openly, honestly and urgently if we're to try to steer the ship in the right direction again and become properly competitive again like we have traditionally been overall down through the years. A full long term plan needs to be drawn up obviously with a particular focus on developing underage talent. I get that we will never be world beaters but we as a county can certainly do better.

We only have to look at our neighbours Offaly who are very much back on the right track with the under 20 football All Ireland in 2021 and today competing in the under 20 hurling final. A dual county like ourselves with a small population. What a talent Adam Screeney is! We could do with a boy wonder ourselves like we have had in the past with the likes of Michael Lawlor, Beano McDonald, Tom Kelly and Donie Kingston.

On the London game, it truly was a shock to the nerves. It reminded me of the first round qualifier against Antrim in 2015 where we were cruising at half time, Antrim got a goal back, built momentum, and ended up getting a second goal late in the game to beat us by 2 points. Thankfully this time and to start with a positive, we got the 2 points at the end in injury time to force a draw and keep ourselves alive in the Tailteann cup.

Of course, we should never have found ourselves in this position having started so well, 0-7 to 0-0 ahead after 19 minutes and fully deserving of a 6 point lead at half time. In fairness to London they were very accurate in the second half, build momentum and took their goals well.

After the Dublin game, we responded well with decent performances against Cavan and Offaly. We now have a chance to respond against Fermanagh next weekend in Enniskillen. A tough task no doubt but we have a chance. Wexford went there and got a draw in their Tailteann cup game and Offaly beat Fermanagh in the league. Wexford drew with London in the league. In many ways, there is not much between a lot of the teams in division 3 and division 4. Carlow have went from a mediocre national league to now finishing 2nd in their group beating Wicklow and Longford.

[High Fielder]

We have a good few here calling for a complete change of county board. I'll play devil's advocate and ask who do these people suggest take over. A full executive top to bottom. Not too many legends sticking their heads above the parapet to take on any jobs in there. The chairman's position for instance requires them to be in OMP 6 days a week and that's with trying to hold down a job too. That's just one position. Have a scout around and see how many people you can get to do the various jobs. And before anyone says it I am not nor never have been on the Co board I've helped out with a few thins and see what a struggle it is to get people in

People tend to be inspired by leaders. You're right; we don't appear to have a Duignan type figure amongst us. But Offaly are not struggling any more, and they were, just like us. There's a reason for that, a very clear and obvious reason.

People will donate their time and money when they believe in the cause. Not many have faith in what we're doing at the moment. It's gone stale. In fact it's hard to imagine how much worse it could be. If that's not a reason to change, I don't know what is. We're not talking about change for changes sake or because we don't like the people. This isn't personal. We're talking about change because we are in brutal condition and we badly need leadership. It probably should have happened years ago because let's face it, our current mess is a long time in the making.

[Joeythelips]

There are very good GAA people in Laois, we should be able to get the best people around a table to drive through change. If Im not mistaken Niall Rigney had changes he thought should be implemented when he was in charge and nothing happened, Eddie Brennen was suggesting some changes also in his talk to Wolly, Cheddar also. How many former players are a success at business level, the likes of Seamus Dooley who run their own companies etc. Could we get the best brains involved even at some consultancy level to at least draw up a plan.

Also Nicky Brennan did a 3 year plan in 2018, what happened with that? Was it properly implemented?

Like posters on here are saying we have not suddenly found ourselves in this position, its been a steady slide downwards.

[redsetanta]

Delegates need to stand up at county board meetings and demand change, push proposals etc

The clubs have the power to make change but as somebody said it's up to individuals to put themselves forward to inspire the change.

[High Fielder]

Delegates need to stand up at county board meetings and demand change, push proposals etc

The clubs have the power to make change but as somebody said it's up to individuals to put themselves forward to inspire the change.

These are the reasons preventing change from happening. If a delegate goes against the grain, they get outvoted. In time they get black balled and eventually walk away. The process is as outdated as it is ridiculous. It'd be easier to overthrow Putin

[clonadmad]

There are very good GAA people in Laois, we should be able to get the best people around a table to drive through change. If Im not mistaken Niall Rigney had changes he thought should be implemented when he was in charge and nothing happened, Eddie Brennen was suggesting some changes also in his talk to Wolly, Cheddar also. How many former players are a success at business level, the likes of Seamus Dooley who run their own companies etc. Could we get the best brains involved even at some consultancy level to at least draw up a plan.

Also Nicky Brennan did a 3 year plan in 2018, what happened with that? Was it properly implemented?

Like posters on here are saying we have not suddenly found ourselves in this position, its been a steady slide downwards.

The last thing we need is another plan to be drawn up

There's at least 4 plans gathering dust in the County Board offices

Get them down and dust them off

They are even more relevant now because we are in an even bigger hole than what we were when they were drawn up 

Here's another small example in terms of organisation of where Offaly are miles ahead of us

https://offaly.gaa.ie/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2023/02/2023-Underage-Fixtures-Pack-2.pdf