The future of laois hurling

[clonadmad]

Portarlington's minor hurling resuls are very impressive. Fair play to the people involved. And they seem to be doing OK at under 15 and under 13 too. It would be great if an adult club got going in that corner of the county rather than seeing the young lads either give it up or get siphoned off by the more traditional clubs.

Just had a look at Port's Juvenile Hurling Results

In the Minor B they are top of the league table and headed for a Minor B league Hurling Final

In the u15 B, they are 5 from 5 and will top their group

In the u13 B, They are 5 from 6 and will finish second in that league

Potentially they will be in all 3 underage B Hurling League finals

just goes to show what committed hurling people, good parents and young lads willing to work at the game can do in any "football" club

Well done Portarlington

they should be an inspiration for others

[mcwregor]

Portarlington's minor hurling resuls are very impressive. Fair play to the people involved. And they seem to be doing OK at under 15 and under 13 too. It would be great if an adult club got going in that corner of the county rather than seeing the young lads either give it up or get siphoned off by the more traditional clubs.

Some great hurling people in Port doing a great job. Fair play to them.

On a worrying note, i see our U15s were beaten by Kildare at the weekend.

I read on another thread that laois u15s beat limerick at the weekend. 2 different squads? Was it the second team lost narrowly to kildare?

[Zooming around]

Portarlington's minor hurling resuls are very impressive. Fair play to the people involved. And they seem to be doing OK at under 15 and under 13 too. It would be great if an adult club got going in that corner of the county rather than seeing the young lads either give it up or get siphoned off by the more traditional clubs.

Some great hurling people in Port doing a great job. Fair play to them.

On a worrying note, i see our U15s were beaten by Kildare at the weekend.

I read on another thread that laois u15s beat limerick at the weekend. 2 different squads? Was it the second team lost narrowly to kildare?

Possibly ... hopefully.

That Limerick result is a good one but what squad did Limerick send out against us.

[Laois Rising]

I think Laois had two squads divided evenly play against two Limerick sides- I don't know the standard of the sides Limerick sent out. Won one and lost one but both games close. Good for morale. The Laois U20 side of this year defeated Limerick at U15 level in the Arrabawn five years ago. It is a pity that team did not progress as they might have been expected to- seeing Offaly in an All-Ireland U20 final shows what is possible with a bit of luck, S&C and good coaching all the way up. Hopefully these lads get the support they need over the next few years to develop.

[clonadmad]

Limerick played Laois u15 in the Centre of Excellence back in early April,they brought 2 teams and handed out 2 unmerciful beatings to both Laois teams that day
So its had to know if Laois have improved or Limerick rejigged their team to face them in Limerick last week

Laois had 2 teams out last weekend

One beaten by Kildare and One who beat Limerick

From what I seen of those Laois u15's Id have major worries for that group going forward, the Coaching and General Set Up just doesn't seem up to it, in comparison to what they are facing in other Counties.

We will find out where they are at,when the Arrabawn Tournament is played in July

[Jd]

Ive heard decent reports of the Setanta programme with regards to numbers and effort being put in by both mentors and Players. Seems to be a very clear and well setup pathway to Co development squads. The goodwill is there if there's a proper plan in place. Apparently every player is being assessed over a number of skills and this recorded and dealt with over a 3/ 4 year period till they're ready for development squads. Credit to whoever is driving it

[Blow-in]

This is currently done and ran by volunteers.... Not full time staff. It's fine now but the volunteers will get fed up, changes to work etc and it'll all fall down again. The actual structures are not coming from the County Board. They are coming from a man who has decided in his own head enoigh is enough. Unfortunately it's a short term option

[Jd]

I'd say fair play to them. It'll require a huge amount of volunteers to run it anyway long term but there will have to be a paid fella or lady put in there full time to oversee the thing cos as you say people will get tired after a few years of it

[Laois man]

I Was at a lot of U15 games this year so far between league and the feile some fine hurlers from a lot of clubs. Castletown are back strong again harps strong plus a lot more. Would now be the time to pull 30 plus of these lads together get a top management team in place and plan for the minor leinster championship in 2 years time.

[clonadmad]

I Was at a lot of U15 games this year so far between league and the feile some fine hurlers from a lot of clubs. Castletown are back strong again harps strong plus a lot more. Would now be the time to pull 30 plus of these lads together get a top management team in place and plan for the minor leinster championship in 2 years time.

Looking in at that u15 grade this year there's the potential to turn that age group into something similar to the minor team of 2022 in 2 years time

But I feel the opposite will happen

Firstly it took nearly 7 months of begging last year from the County board before any sign of a management team was put in place

It was May last year when that happened every other county was up and running since October/November

I'm loathe to criticise the lads that stuck their heads above the parapet but from what I'm hearing is there are struggles with basic organisation

The training that I've seen taking place consists of 15 v 15 games and hurl away yourselves lads and backs v forwards

Nothing in the way of direction and/or spot and fix

No goalkeeper training

And lads hurling corner backs with their clubs now hurling corner forwards with the county,I have the suspicion that the lads over them don't actually watch too many club u15 games.

I've watched probably 10/12 sessions in passing in the last 12 months

I'd definitely retain the lads that are there currently but they need a top class coach and manger to come in and put a structure on things and provide direction

Otherwise this will be another group of lads who won't fulfill their obvious potential


The u14 group by comparison don't seem to have the organisational issues but in another year they will need similar specialist coaching assistance.

[Giovanni]

Roughly how much do you think it would cost for a really decent coach for these lads?

[clonadmad]

Roughly how much do you think it would cost for a really decent coach for these lads?

It's one thing finding and  paying a top end coach but your also looking at a support staff also

Top end Minor teams could have anything from 6 to 14 people who are also excellent in their areas of expertise

[Giovanni]

But wouldn't most of these 6-14 people be volunteers at this level? Maybe the County Board could run some courses to build up skills for these volunteers? I'm still not really understanding why we're so far behind or why our volunteers are of lower quality than other counties?

[clonadmad]

But wouldn't most of these 6-14 people be volunteers at this level? Maybe the County Board could run some courses to build up skills for these volunteers? I'm still not really understanding why we're so far behind or why our volunteers are of lower quality than other counties?

Of course many would be voluntary but it's a big commitment on their part and is the enthusiasm there at the minute ?

Is the budget or support there either ?

You made an excellent point about training up people,Is the forward planning on the part of the county board there to do this in evidence?

I know a father of a lad who will be playing in the minor final this weekend and the level of planning attention to detail and player development for the past 2 years would stun you.

And this is one age grade

You have u14/15/16/celtic challenge plus all the schools pulling their weight and then minors being put up into an even higher level of excellence with an u20 set up

[Giovanni]

If you say that there is a good crop of kids at u15 level this year, I would absolutely believe it.

You'd hope that this fact would increase the level of enthusiasm and the support of the county board and others. If not, then we're really going nowhere at all.