Messages

No Laois supporter should be termed delusional if he believes, as I do, that the following modest targets are achievable by our senior footballers :
- promotion to Division 3 in next 1-2 years
- promotion to Division 2 in following 2-3 years
- winning the Tailteann Cup within the next 5 years.

Obviously a huge effort would have to be made at underage to achieve some success at Minor and Under-20 level that might someday lead to Laois being competitive in the Sam Maguire championship.

Donald Trump is the man that would make Laois great again. 

Judging by the standard of the senior championship matches last weekend not even God almighty can save us let alone Trump , Mary , Joseph , Jesus , Kinsella , Martin Murphy and whoever else's name gets linked to the managerial vacancy

This kind of negative, hopeless commentary must stop. With a good set up and the best 30/40 players fully committed to Laois football then we could progress to div 3 or maybe 2. People making doomsday statements only serves to make our county football team less attractive to management and players.

We know where we are. It's not good but it's definitely salvageable.

Good post SpeculativeEffort - I couldn't agree more.
I can't understand why posters would come on here to pile on the doom and gloom - it's helps nobody.
We all know Laois GAA is in a bad place at the moment.

Northern Ireland: The Orange State by Michael Farrell
First published in 1976 - quite expensive to buy nowadays (if available) so might be best look for it in a library.
I used to have a copy but can't lay my hands on it now.

Michael Farrell was leader of People's Democracy in late 1960's, early 1970's.

England plays Australia in a sport most people don't care about. The competition (the ashes) is about keeping the colonies sub servant to their masters. That Irish people pay it any attention is a measure of how much England still dictate what we should care about.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2012/jan/25/martin-mcguinness-love-of-cricket

I wouldn't be a regular cricket follower myself but I do keep an eye on The Ashes series when it comes around.
I'm was hoping the weather would hold and allow England win the 4th test so that the final test would be a showdown.

The Bodyline TV Series about England's controversial 1932-33 Ashes tour of Australia triggered my interest in The Ashes.

War of Independence
https://www.rte.ie/player/series/the-irish-revolution/SI0000004888?epguid=IP000064890

Civil War
https://www.rte.ie/player/series/the-irish-civil-war/10001232-00-0000?epguid=IP000067397

The RTE Commercial Director (now retired) claimed that the RTE Director General (now resigned) told her that RTE was under pressure to pay the two €75k invoices for "Consultancy" through the barter account as payment for Ryan Tubridy. Though he denies it, the pressure was obviously coming from Ryan Tubridy's agent, Noel Kelly, who would get a handsome cut. Yesterday it became quite clear that there was no contract other that a supposed verbal commitment.

I believe there were three €75k payments in total. Ryan Tubridy provided 3 "Late Late Road Shows" for Renault in 2022 as per the "agreement". The other 2 years' roadshows (3 per year) are outstanding – Ryan Tubridy was paid for these via the two dodgy invoices through the barter account. This cost a 35% commission to the barter company on each invoice – all for the purposes of hiding these payments . There was no mention of paying back this money until yesterday – Ryan Tubridy has committed to return the €150k if these outstanding roadshows don't happen. I'm sure Patrick Kielty won't do them !

I believe that Noel Kelly was less than honest yesterday and that he was the instigator of these two seemingly fraudulent payments. His company issued the two seemingly fraudulent invoices for "consultancy". His excuse – "RTE told me to do it ". RTE were obviously complicit. At best Ryan Tubridy was very naive in this whole matter. I don't believe he set out to deceive but he is still standing by his agent Noel Kelly. Unless he publicly apologies for the actions of his agent he should not be allowed back into RTE.

Tomorrow's committee hearings will probably hear RTE rebut some of Noel Kelly's evidence – it brings to mind the saying "there is no honour among thieves".

[AID BACK]

While you can say what you like about Tubridy, it seems to me he didnt do a lot wrong. He was promised X amount of money to do his job and it was RTE shitehawking with payments that is the scandal here. Theyve been badly caught out today. Its also an amazing coincidence that Coveney's brother resigned just before the whole board were let go. Its almost like he knew it was coming, but how?

Today brought things on a lot.
The Renault money will be paid if the  shows are done. So no public money involved.

The previous CFO has a lot of responsibility.  But it's probably  not conspiracy, rather incompetence.

The Renault money will be paid PAID BACK if the  shows are NOT done. So no public money involved.

https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2020/0201/1112404-laois-make-impressive-statement-with-win-over-armagh/

Looking back to 2020 our last decent win was the opening Division 2 game versus Armagh. In the meantime we lost John O'Loughlin, a great servant to Laois, and Ross Munnelly who was at the end of a great career at that stage. Twelve of that panel are still involved so we cannot blame player turnover for our current situation. Armagh was now a Division 1 team and in All-Ireland quarter-finals while we're at our lowest ebb in living memory – so what has happened since 01-Feb-2020 ?

I read an article in today's Sindo about former Clare manager, Colm Collins. Clare were a Division 4 team when Collins was appointed and at his first meeting with the players he made them very aware that Clare football was punching unacceptably below its weight. This is where Laois are now. Let's look and learn at what Colm Collins achieved with Clare in his 10-year stint.

I've been watching Laois football since the early 70's – Johnny Lawlor was our star forward in those days !  In the decade since we've produced top class footballers and until the last couple of years we were always a proud footballing county.

To my mind there are 3 things that contribute to our current situation
1.    Either we are not producing the talent any more or our talent is not nurtured properly
2.   The change in the nature of the game – we've not mastered the possession football game
3.   Lack of vision and ambition in the county

I gather that the Laois SFC format does not help but, living in Dublin, I don't know. However, we're reached 2 Under-20 Leinster Finals in recent years so there is obviously some talent in the county.
There is no point in any sour grapes with Billy Sheehan and I certainly would not criticise the players – I had great sympathy for them yesterday as they gave their all. It's was always a long shot but we will all wonder how we might have performed with a better gameplan.

Yes, we're at a very low ebb at the moment but let's hold fire until this campaign is over just out of respect for the players. Lads like Mark Timmons and Kiernan Lillis deserve at least that.
After this Tailteann Cup we do need a new manager to come in and try to lift us off the floor. If we get the next appointment right (and the best possible resources provided) we just might see some light at the end of this tunnel.

Who said anything about celebrating? No one, particularly Laois people, gave us any chance tonight. Fitness cost us in the end, but I still think it was a creditable performance.

It certainly wasn't error free, but the Laois team and management deserve some credit.

Although we threw away a big lead, I saw a Laois team play with great spirit tonight.

I hope they can build on it.

Well said

[Fixtures for Sat-Sun 15-16 April]

I was looking for game(s) to attend or watch on TV this weekend.

Fixtures for Sat-Sun 15-16 April
1 Ulster SFC game on Sat
1 Ulster SFC game on Sun

Fixtures for Sat-Sun 22-23 April
1 Connacht SFC game on Sat
2 Munster SFC games on Sat
1 Ulster SFC game on Sat
3 Leinster SHC games on Sat
1 Connacht SFC game on Sun
4 Leinster SFC games on Sun
1 Ulster SFC game on Sun
2 Munster SHC games on Sun

Above doesn't include games in Joe McDonagh, Christy Ring and Lory Meagher hurling cups.

Wouldn't you think the GAA might have fixed some more Provincial SFC and SHC games for this weekend 

[Sligo]

Sligo v Wicklow      Sligo by 4
Fermanagh v Cavan      Cavan by 2

Derry v Dublin      Derry by 1
Mayo v Galway     Galway by 1

[Draw]

Galway v Kerry   Draw
Roscommon v Donegal   
Tyrone v Armagh
Mayo v Monaghan

Clare v Limerick
Dublin v Louth
Kildare v Meath
Cork v Derry

Cavan v Fermanagh   Draw
Westmeath v Tipperary
Offaly v Down
Longford v Antrim

Wexford v Carlow
London v Laois
Waterford v Wicklow
Leitrim v Sligo

[Armagh]

Armagh v Galway
Kerry v Roscommon
Monaghan v Tyrone   Draw
Donegal v Mayo

Meath v Dublin
Derry v Clare
Louth v Cork
Limerick v Kildare

Antrim v Cavan
Down v Longford
Fermanagh v Westmeath
Tipperary v Offaly

Carlow v Sligo
Waterford v London
Wexford v Wicklow
Leitrim v Laois

[Armagh]

Armagh v Donegal
Galway v Monaghan
Tyrone v Kerry
Roscommon v Mayo

Derry v Dublin
Clare v Cork
Louth v Kildare
Limerick v Meath

Fermanagh v Tipperary
Cavan v Down
Westmeath v Antrim
Longford v Offaly

Laois v Waterford
London v Carlow   Draw
Wicklow v Leitrim
Sligo v Wexford