Messages

I don't really see that we have that many options for centre-back to be honest; plenty for the wing but with the possible exception of Conor Phelan, no natural 6. Dinny Cahill did ok against Wexford but he hurls a little from behind and doesn't dominate the way Aaron potentially could, Stephen Phelan would have regularly hurled there for B/K but he's doing very well further forward, Lee Cleere and Liam O' Connell are just born wing-backs and I don't really see any of the subs parachuting into such a crucial position.
I agree that Aaron is a loss from the forwards but we still have plenty of fire-power to give this Leinster championship a good rattle.

Best of luck to Laois today.

I fully expect them to blitz Meath and get their year back on track.

I wouldn't think for a second that's a dummy team.
Aaron Dunphy has been tried fleetingly at 6 and but for injury, probably would have had a sustained run there before the Wexford game. There is an element of risk in dropping him back with no championship/serious experience but like the last day, he has two serious men beside him and he certainly has the ability to have a huge impact there!

I'd also disagree with dropping Robbie Phelan back as I thought he was our most dangerous forward last year. I'm glad to see him at 14 am he could do some serious damage there...

The first thing that jumps out at me is that we have real and genuine ball-winners in that middle 8.
Cahill and O' Connell are big strong minors and Cleere, though not as tall, togs out big and is very able in the air.
I'd have question marks over Cahill at centre-back but only because I've not seen much of him; he certainly has the physicality to nail the position and his lieutenants either side are of the very highest quality.

Downey and Dunphy look a good midfield partnership, mobile and both have an eye for a score. Downey is a big player for us I feel; not as heralded as others but gets through a lot of work and is a selfless foil for a serious forward-line.

The Phelan-line looks formidable and could prove very hard to handle.
Martin can sometimes look awkward but that unorthodox style makes him hard to stop, he can be very direct and takes punishment/hardship that is vital in that central role. Stephen has a great hand and brings good physicality and whilst Robbie will be a marked-man after last year;  it'll take a fair minor to hold him for 60 mins.

Conor Phelan is an excellent defender and looks a good pick at full-back; Geaney and Connolly are both very quick and tigerish full-backs.

I'm excited to see Conroy, Kavanagh and especially Aaron Dunphy having a real go at the Wexford full-back line. They have a lovely blend of pace, guile and power and I see goals in this team that I don't see in our seniors at present.

Best of luck to the team on Saturday.
Wexford Park has been a graveyard for a lot of good Laois teams over the last few years and this will be a massive challenge.
I do have a very good feeling about this bunch though....

Ballinakill 1.13 - 0.13 The Harps
Camross 0.16 - 0.15 Castletown
Clough/Ballacolla 2.17 - 0.19 Borris/Kilcotton
Rathdowney/Errill 2.29 - 0.10 Colt

Poor start to the year from The Harps with back to back losses against Portlaoise and Ballinakill.
It's hard to see anything but a very difficult Spring for Colt. R/E won this at their ease minus a host of probable first-team players.
Seems like good close games between CB and BK and Camross-Castletown.

Round 2 Fixtures:
12/04/2015
12:00   Castletown vs Rathdowney/Errill
12:00   Colt vs Ballinakill
15/04/2015
18:00   Borris in Ossory/Kilcotton vs Camross
18:00   The Harps vs Clough-Ballacolla

Not sure if county players are available.

Cork team and panel named for Monday:

1. Patrick Collins (Ballinhassig)
2. Conor O'Sullivan (Sarsfields)
3. Damien Cahalane (St. Finbarr's)
4. Stephen McDonnell (Glen Rovers)
5. Brian O'Sullivan (Fermoy)
6. Aiden Ryan (Midleton)
7. Killian Burke (Midleton)
8. Brian Lawton (Castlemartyr)
9. Andy Walsh (Killeagh)
10. John Cronin (Lisgoold)
11. Bill Cooper (Youghal)
12. Jamie Coughlan (Newtownshandrum)
13. Darren McCarthy (Ballymartle)
14. Paudie O'Sullivan (Cloyne)
15. Stephen Moylan (Douglas)
Subs:
16. Anthony Nash (Kanturk)
17. William Kearney (Sarsfields)
18. Cormac Murphy (Mallow)
19. Darren Browne (Kanturk)
20. Darren Casey (Charleville)
21. Luke Meade (Newcestown)
22. Dayne Lee (Na Piarsaigh)
23. Rob O'Shea (Carrigaline)
24. Luke O'Farrell (Midleton)

An incredible spread of clubs represented; it shows the challenge a county like ours has to compete at this level.

[and]

Failure to beat Antrim would constitute definite regression for this group of players!

Antrim will improve before the Round Robin because quite honestly, they couldn't be as bad as they looked Saturday. Their come-back in the second-half was completely out own doing and if we can iron out these tendencies to retreat into a defensive shell then we should be well-equipped to top the group.

To be honest, I think we are at the stage in our development where we need to actually go on and top the group and beat Offaly to judge this year a success.

I believe we are eminently capable of doing both...

Good point re Rowland.
There was one ball in the second half that was really 'heart-in-the-mouth' stuff but he nailed a brilliant catch and relieved pressure.
I'd have concerns with the way the goalkeeping situation has been handled; I think we need to stick with either Reilly or Rowland and back him for the rest of the year.

I must also commend Conor Dunne who came in and acquitted himself well yesterday. He's a great example of a squad player who has been marginalised at different times over the last few years but has stuck with it and must feel like he has a legitimate shot at a starting-berth for the round-robin.

Does anyone know if Tom Delaney is injured or has he just fallen out of favour?
I had heard he was starting yesterday and then for Dwayne Palmer, Joe Campion and, somewhat, inexplicably Ben Conroy all coming into defensive-minded roles, it seems he is down the pecking-order. I'd have brought him in at about 50 minutes yesterday as his strength and aggression would have given us a fresh impetus when things were slipping away.

It is promising to see genuine competition for places and hopefully more people will put their hands up over the next 3/4 weeks.
For me, the definite starters are Delaney (J.A), Healy, Fitzpatrick, Walsh, Purcell, Hyland, Cha, Keenan, King and Foyle. Add a keeper and Matthew Whelan/Picky Maher if they regain form/fitness and we have some fierce competition for the remaining places.
I think there are a round of club fixtures down for next weekend; it would be great to see our county players going back and dominating/setting the standards. If we have club players who step up to the mark then maybe Cheddar might look at freshening up the panel with a few new faces.

Great result. Laois 2-18 v 1-13 Antrim. Division 1B preserved. Cha is becoming a great player for us, Keenan coming good too.

I agree completely re Cha but I saw no evidence that Keenan is coming good.
I believe his goal, although very-well taken, masked a distinctly underwhelming performance.

As a whole, I'm delighted to see the team secure their position in 1B but I'm nervous before the championship. That was an abysmal Antrim team, as bad as I've seen from them in years, and we nearly let them back into a game we should have buried!
I worry that we have, at best, stood still from last season and arguably have regressed....