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Good luck to the Down hurlers in Portlaoise today. 70 minutes away from Division One hurling next year.

Good to see Paul Sheehan named to start. Great that he's stuck around for another year. Strong looking bench, too, which is great to see.

Down went toe to toe with Laois when they met in the first round of the league, until Laois won it right at the end. If Down can produce a similar performance, there's every chance they come out on top today.

One area I think Down have struggled in this year is they have simply been giving away too many frees. Hopefully we see minimal frees, and 15 men staying on the field.

Pressure will very much be on Laois today. Laois will feel like they need to be in Division One, and don't think many people will be giving Down much of a chance. Could give Down the opportunity to play a good brand of free flowing hurling, and sure then, who knows?

Down have really come a long way in the past couple years. Couldn't get out of Division 2B for ten years, and now they're playing their second Divison 2A promotion deciders in 3 years. It's been great to see. Onwards and upwards, hopefully.


Also, good luck to Glenn today with the opening of their new facilities and their match against Slaughtneil. Always good to see good facilities in the county, and Glenn look like a club with great potential.

Glenn had a bit of a hurling team back years and years ago. Who knows, maybe the Slaughtneil lads will bring the hurls and reignite a bit of interest in stick-ball about the place 

In the end, Laois won handily enough - and, indeed, wasted quite a few chances, too. Down had a good start, and were leading for, I dunno, the first ten or fifteen minutes, but Laois hit their stride and were clear at half-time. A goal early in the second half killed it off. Down seemed to get tired, and could barely score with the wind. In fact, they scored more against it in the first half. There was one great point from one of the wing backs late on, who stormed up the field, and put it over from about 50 out. Other than that, Laois seemed crisper and cuter in their hurling, and a little bit fitter.
One thing I did notice - not all the Down team are from Ards anymore. Has the game spread a bit in the county?

What or who are these NGOs that a lot of people are complaining about?
The GAA?
FAI?
Credit Unions?
??

Yeah, right. Acting stupid, are we?

Good performance no great fear of going to carlow next week for the final slot of lads done well today I taught Martin Phelan was outstanding got 2 scores and made 5 or 6 more.

You're right, great performance from Phelan. He's an awkward hurler, but works like a dog and wins ball he's not entitled to. As the young lad said, he could have the ball, lose it for nothing, and then win it again from 10 lads around him!

Yes, some good hurling, all right. However, even though they scored 1-24, they surely left another 3-20 behind them. Need to be a lot more clinical - and need a proper free-taker, too. Surprised King didn't step up to them, but his first game back was only middling. Impressed by Quinlan, Dooley, and Mossy Keyes, who was fouled plenty. Liam O'Connell caught some good ball, and Purcell was much better. However, Down got very tired in the second half, and were no match for our lads in terms of fitness, or touch. The Carlow game will be a good barometer of how much they've actually improved.

They must have inside info.!

The hurlers are a far more gentleman-y lot!

Yeah, it's a bit messy bringing in head-to-head results for this. One question though, how did we get Portlaoise as the semi-final venue? Surely we should have to travel to Down considering they played us in Portlaoise already, or failing that a neutral venue for the Semi?

I suppose it's a reward for finishing second, just like Carlow's home venue for the final is their reward for finishing top.

Hmmm. Carlow lost to Kildare last night, after - does that mean a good win over Kerry could put Laois straight into the final, or does it come down to head-to-head still?

Top two teams will be in the new Div 1b league with 5 other teams who will come down from the current Div 1a and 1b. Bottom two in each and the worst placed 4th placed team.

Likely to be Dublin, Waterford, Westmeath, Offaly and Westmeath.

Laois can't be caught now as they are 3 points clear in 2nd place with one game to go. My understanding is that the top two go up. Where did the 2nd playing 3rd come from?

It's been the case since the start of the league and IIRC it's been in this league for a few years.

Semi-final on the 23/24th of March.


If we beat Meath on Saturday, you lads better beat Kildare on Friday night.

Ye'll beat Meath. Laois already beat Kildare. Have Kerry Saturday night. Does that affect ye?

Missed a couple of conversions, lost a couple of important lineouts and never hit the heights. A recipe for being pipped at the post.

England, I think, missed way more off the tee, no? Also, what's wrong w/ y'r man, Farrell, that he's not playing?

Owen Farrell is playing in France now which means England won't pick him.

I see. Are they the only ones with such a policy? Ireland used to do it a bit, too, but not when it came to Johnny Sexton?

Missed a couple of conversions, lost a couple of important lineouts and never hit the heights. A recipe for being pipped at the post.

England, I think, missed way more off the tee, no? Also, what's wrong w/ y'r man, Farrell, that he's not playing?

More didn't vote at all than voted.

I think that's pretty normal in referendums.

And Portlaoise, I believe.

Are Ross King and James Keyes injured/dropped/gone?

Thought I saw Ross there? However, James Keyes is in America, and I don't think he's scheduled to come back.

Are you sure about Keyes. I think he's back around.

Amazing to think that we could have 5 better forwards starting than what played Saturday. 2 x Keyes, W Dunphy, Cillian Dunne and Roddy.

Is Fionan Mahony on the panel.

No, not 100% sure, but that's what I heard on Saturday night. Also heard it's not an entirely happy camp, but who knows? I agree, it was strange having Phelan on the wing. He's not suited to there, and nor in Dunphy suited to ff. I think he got one point, and that's all, before coming off?

Are Ross King and James Keyes injured/dropped/gone?

Thought I saw Ross there? However, James Keyes is in America, and I don't think he's scheduled to come back.