Laois Senior Football Championship 2016

[Don Draper]

I'd bet Zach togs, and is only used in case of emergency, as has been the case for quite a few years now.

[Usedtobeafootballer]

Surely stradbally have to go with the St. Joe's blueprint? While they don't have the same mobility as Joe's have i would argue that they carry a greater scoring threat. I reckon they will leave 2 up top (Kelly & Ram) perhaps, everyone else drops back and then they have a couple of runner, begley, comerford, Delaney's x2 that are going to be asked to carry a lot of ball.

As a Portlaoise man I am nervous about the game, which makes a change from many county finals. This is a good thing for Portlaoise, one thing is for certain Portlaoise do not treat Stradbally with complacency. Both teams are where they want to be mentally i would imagine which will make for an enthralling encounter. Tight game with Portlaoise to get over the line by 3/4 points.

The reason portlaoise play better in leinster is due to the fact that its generally man on man possibly 1 sweeper. People have to remember that a that stage of the competition you are playing champions who in their own right feel justifiably so that they can beat anyone. in most games i would back portlaoise man on man to be beat any team. As would be proven by the fact that the team that has generally beaten portlaoise in club championship over the past decade has either won or come very close to All Ireland success. if only Dublin was in Ulster!!!!!

[Ballyroan Abbey]

Cant see portlaoise been bet, i dont think stradbally are that good being honest, struggled big time against a limited cretty team in the first half in the semi, stradbally are probably the worst team they have faced so far in the championship, in terms of stradbally beating portlaoise in finals i dont think it counts for much, you have to remember that all bar healy, rodgers and bruno have never lost to stradbally in championship, I cant see portlaoise being complacent either after emo nearly catching them last year

[town1980]

strad could only beat what is in front of them in fairness,,,my view on the contenders in the years to come to beat portlaoise is the joes who look very strong physically and are very youg,,portarlington who if they train and get there actogether and ballyroan abbey who have made a great impact with a very young side,,excellentprogress  made by joes and broanabbey to date

[redsetanta]

I can see Stradbally pushing the Town all the way. Think there'll only be a kick of a ball in it.

[redsetanta]

Some finish to the game today. The GAA cliche of cliche's 'goals win games' was apt today. Well done Stradbally.

[Downtheroad]

I can see Stradbally pushing the Town all the way. Think there'll only be a kick of a ball in it.

Well said

[Saint75]

Well done Stradbally. Badly needed for Laois football.
Nothing against Portlaoise they've been great champions.
Both St. Josephs and Stradbally now have shown there's more than 1 team in Laois.

[Bueller]

Karma for Portlaoise. Maybe they'll appeal it to the DRA.

[the sash]

Roy of the rovers stuff there today. Congrats to stradbally, have they opened up the championship for everybody for the years ahead.?By the way, anybody else think that a stradbally point in the first half was definitely wide

[Junior Ex Laoistalk]

Best game of the year, in fact best game of the last few years. Stradbally are not extraordinary but they have great belief and fighting spirit and that can bring you a long way. The loss of Bruno was huge for Portlaoise and but for Cahillane they really had no go to forward. Dillon was very good but I was very disappointed with Craig Rodgers today. I was surprised they didn't have Zack togged out as he probably would have won it for them but it would have been a shame to see Stradbally lose after the way they played.

The goal in the last minute was as good a goal as has been seen anywhere this year but was even better as it left Portlaoise with no time to get back into it. Well referred by Eddie even if he gave a few handy frees to Portlaoise but it didn't deter Stradbally and they fought man for man till the end when they got their just reward. I didn't see any controversial point as has been mentioned above. 

Stradbally could have a good run in Leinster if they put their minds to it , hopefully they will. Well done all concerned.

[Keyser Söze]

Best game of the year, in fact best game of the last few years. Stradbally are not extraordinary but they have great belief and fighting spirit and that can bring you a long way. The loss of Bruno was huge for Portlaoise and but for Cahillane they really had no go to forward. Dillon was very good but I was very disappointed with Craig Rodgers today. I was surprised they didn't have Zack togged out as he probably would have won it for them but it would have been a shame to see Stradbally lose after the way they played.

The goal in the last minute was as good a goal as has been seen anywhere this year but was even better as it left Portlaoise with no time to get back into it. Well referred by Eddie even if he gave a few handy frees to Portlaoise but it didn't deter Stradbally and they fought man for man till the end when they got their just reward. I didn't see any controversial point as has been mentioned above. 

Stradbally could have a good run in Leinster if they put their minds to it , hopefully they will. Well done all concerned.

Not having a go at you at all, but isn't it amazing how we all flip flop from one extreme to the other.
At times we are only a stumble from saying that Portlaoise have the best 15 in the county and then we flip to the idea that one player going off changes the game.

We are all guilty of over doing both the positives and negatives in Laois GAA. Not too many would have been brave enough to put their neck out and call a Stradbally win but isn't that what makes GAA and sport fantastic.
The Stradbally team are heroes now and although it's not possible, every hurler and footballer in Laois should get to experience what they are feeling right now once in their careers.

Portlaoise have been fantastic ambassadors. Bad teams don't get to county finals and to come for nine years in a row to county final day and see off the teams they did is an unbelievable achievement that isn't based on pick or resources. It had to have been based on hard work and ability. It had to happen eventually.

Nothing against Portlaoise but Up the Little Town!

[High Fielder]

Most committed team won. Portlaoise weakened by loss of Bruno and in general, carrying two to three ordinary enough players. I'd be amazed if Stradbally did anything in Leinster but good luck to them. Eddie lost all control of the game in the first half and his umpires and linesmen might as well not have been there. I saw enough from the stands to see why Tommy Conroy was getting upset, but Eddie, the linesmen and umpires were oblivious. Great work fellas. I hope Bruno is ok.

[the sash]

Thought the game lacked quality to be honest ,however it was exciting for the fact it was so close the whole way through which gave it a little bit of edge. Stradbally deserved their bit of luck at the end of the game because of the way they worked so hard ( typical of Martin Murphy teams). Amazing the way things pan out , jody dillon could have counted himself lucky not too been takin off n then pulls a finish right out of the top drawer. Very few county players on show today really with the exception of begley, cahilanne at times n comerford at centre forward for stradbally who I thought took lillis to d cleaners. Who would have thought that the team that should have been relegated two years ago, lucky to avoid relegation last year would be the ones to topple portlaoise

[The Rover]

Portlaoise had an easy victory and were never in trouble, the Arles Killeen Player sending off (deservedly so) really finished the game as a contest. Portlaoise a long way off what they are capable of producing maybe they have an eye on the Leinster Club Championship. Stradbally will improve in sharpness between now and the final their forwards were wasteful during the first half playing with a strong breeze. the second have Stradbally completely Dominated, Begley was completely in charge. I expect that ]Stradbally will give Portlaoise a stern test and if they hit it right on the Day could spring a surprise. 

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Good Fortune favors the brave, Stradbally were the braver, more determined team and the never say die attitude deserved the victory. I hope they give the Leinster a
good rattle and do the county proud. WELL DONE STRADBALLY A GREAT TRADITIONAL FOOTBALL CLUB ONCE AGAIN SITS ON TOP.