Laois Club SHC 2020

Started by TheGiantSquid, July 02, 2020, 08:07:33 PM

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blueandwhite1

Quote from: burdizzo on September 01, 2020, 04:07:56 PM
Probably being a dual club will be a big hinderance in that regard. It's not so bad in a short year like this, but imagine playing week in week out over a whole season, league and championship. Hard to do.

For sure. May damage them this year yet. Maybe they are planning to be the next Slaughtneil!

Ogie

Huge result for Rosenallis the last day out, shows they are capable hurlers, but also reflects on a very poor Camross performance, and may have shown how things were not right in camp when no response or life was shown to Rosenallis start.
Rosenallis hurler to a smart system that suited them carrying out ball & everything Fitzpatrick touched on the day turned to gold, but Camross were shockingly poor.
Borris Kilcottons dismantling of Ballinakill May have broken Ballinakill enough to drop down, hard to come back from that.
Castletown have parted ways with their manager Martin Carey, with native Patrick Mullaney taking over, their doing a lot of work as a club on facilities and juvenile they will give it their all to survive at senior, I feel they may well improve and put in an improved performance this weekend & give them head to defeat Ballinakill in relegation

The top 3 all seem to be in good form, Rathdowney Errill yer to fully hit top gear but motoring nicely, Abbeyleix will be a step up again from the last day but they'll have enough

Clough Ballacolla and particular Picky were flying it the last day, they'll be trying to shoot a big score ( as will Rathdowney Errill) to get Rosenallis in the semi

Borris Kilcotton have a tricky outing Saturday, should have enough to get home ahead of Rosenallis, At the back and up front hard to see Rosenallis hitting 2-20 again, or maybe they are the coming team that's not getting our credit yet

Camross
Borris Kilcotton
Clough Ballacolla
Rathdowney Errill

Relegation Castletown v Ballinakill
Semis Borris Kilcotton V Clough Ballacolla
          Rathdowney Errill v Rosenallis

merman

Agree with all that Ogie.

I suspect Castletown will be more competitive under internal management and might make things awkward for a Clough/Ballacolla side who can be poor if not fully engaged.
Can't see anything other than a CB win but I don't think they'll even threaten RE's score difference superiority.
CB by 10.

Rosenallis are a breath of fresh air and I was delighted for them. They are only going to get stronger with a couple of really fine prospects at juvenile grade too. They exploited a Camross team who looked slow and a long way short of their physical best. BK are anything but slow. They have pace and power in crucial areas and I just can't see them being denied a third win from three.
BK by 7. The team to beat.

RE will beat Abbeyleix. Abbeyleix might be competitive but I don't think they are anywhere near the top teams. I thought they looked a little rudderless against CB the last time and a more ruthless team would have really hammered them.
RE will know that a win will see them into a semi-final against Rosenallis and will be guarded in knowing a loss will likely see them knocked-out.
I could be mad but I reckon RE will have this one over early.
RE by 18.

I do think Camross will beat Ballinakill. Mightn't be a classic but could be the closest game of the weekend. Ballinakill have brought through a couple of decent young players but they are still too reliant on too few.
I reckon Camross will be happy enough that their annus horribilis will be over this weekend.
Camross by 5.


Keyser Söze

Fairly straightforward weekend ahead.


Clough/Ballacolla should put 12+ points on Castletown. There may well be some early resistance from the newly managed outfit, but they appear to be lacking in all areas (ability, confidence, leadership, fitness). You can't rectify all of that too easily.

Borris Kilcotton will certainly see off Rosenallis, but I think this could be the closest of the 3 obvious ones. Rosenallis have the youth, fitness and spirit to hang in there. BK's ability to score from long distance may ultimately see them post a 7 or 8 point victory.

Camross will beat Ballìnakill. I don't think Ballinakill will approach this as if they can win, and it will be a single digit score line. Ballinakill's eyes firmly fixed on two weeks time.

Rathdowney Errill can do whatever they want in the final game. They will be through to an Intermediate semi final at this stage, and so unlikely to expand their panel just yet. I don't think Abbeyleix will lie down as badly as Castletown did, but it should be 15 points +.

Portlaoise should have enough for Slieve Bloom, but it will be a close run affair.
I think Colt Shanahoe should beat Ballyfin. Hurling seems at a really low ebb down there. Really playing second fiddle for the last few years, and it's hard to see it changing. They are missing a few important players, but are heavily reliant on older guys outside of the few Connollys and Lyons.

Like Ballyfin, Clonaslee will probably lean towards prioritizing football given how the last few weekends have gone. Camross to prevail there. All eyes on this crew to keep an abject season alive.
The Harps will comfortably steam roll a Mountrath side who have been headed for the trap door for a long time. Like Offaly of a few years back, there is no obvious end point in site for this decline.

Clough Ballacolla and Borris Kilcotton to prevail in the Intermediate Group A. Scoring difference to come into this to see who joins Ballacolla in a semi final. I'd fancy BK to post a bigger win against PRT than CB can against Mountmellick. It will be very tight! Good to see some drama.

Rathdowney Errill and a Trumera side who have received yet another last minute infusion to take them off life support to prevail in Intermediate Group B.
Family planning seems to be a specialty out there!
The greatest trick the devil ever pulled.......

Ogie

Are we not able to get a couple of decent knowledgeable hurling men to do a bit of commentating & bring a little bit of life, surely someone that can know names, describe set up, understand what teams are trying to do, & know the hurling clubs / scene ?? 🙄

SCFC

Quote from: Ogie on September 12, 2020, 03:20:52 PM
Are we not able to get a couple of decent knowledgeable hurling men to do a bit of commentating & bring a little bit of life, surely someone that can know names, describe set up, understand what teams are trying to do, & know the hurling clubs / scene ?? 🙄
Who's doing it Ogie? The quality on the football side is very mixed. Some good, some terrible.

redsetanta

The real glory is being knocked to your knees and then coming back. That's real glory. VinceLombardi

Blow-in

Who was on commentry today? Christ it was woeful

merman

Is there a reason Killian Whelan doesn't commentate on the hurling? I know he's a football man but having him commentate and supplement him with a couple of revently retired hurlers would make a world of difference.

Anyway, it's still a great service.

My apologies again to Rosenallis. I've fallen into the trap of underestimating them again.
They were excellent yesterday. They work so hard; they're so athletic but such compliments may actually detract from their technical ability. They may lack a little punch up front but they  make up for it with incredible technique in the tackle and massive composure on the ball. When BK reverted to a sweeper in the first half, John Maher was immense and his distribution just excellent. They have the option of going long and straight to O' Loughlin, Fitzpatrick or Keating but can also carry the ball through the lines so it makes them a difficult team to play against. If they go long, they're a nightmare because a few times, BK won possessuon cleanly but were turned over for scores. Their tackling is relentless but crucially, they don't concede needless fouls. It's an underappreciated skill.
And next year, they really will bring in a top-class forward who could help elevate them further. These are the real deal and I'd give them a chance the next day.

For BK, it was a poor performance from a team who couldn't get going at all. In reality, it matters little in terms of the overall plan as a semi-final against RE or CB both bring varied challenges and opportunities. I like most of their forwards individually but something wasn't right yesterday and I think they're carrying a forward who just isn't up to it. That happens with a lot of club teams but they have alternatives and I think we'll see a reshuffle for the next day.

They're still in this championship but I think they'll go in as underdogs the next day. Maybe they'll like that. I still believe there's something in them and we might see it in two weeks.

Didn't watch the first game but it went as many predicted. I thought there'd be more in Castletown but it was always going to be a struggle. CB, on paper, look to have a nice blend and they'll be very confident in a semi-final. I suspect they'll end up facing Rosenallis which would be a story in itself as their second team lost a Junior A final to Rosenallis a few years ago.

The PRO

Quote from: merman on September 13, 2020, 09:39:47 AM
Is there a reason Killian Whelan doesn't commentate on the hurling? I know he's a football man but having him commentate and supplement him with a couple of revently retired hurlers would make a world of difference.

Anyway, it's still a great service.
Killian isn't doing the football games anymore either. You're right though, he would be excellent if available.

clonadmad

Quote from: merman on September 13, 2020, 09:39:47 AM
Is there a reason Killian Whelan doesn't commentate on the hurling? I know he's a football man but having him commentate and supplement him with a couple of revently retired hurlers would make a world of difference.

Anyway, it's still a great service.

My apologies again to Rosenallis. I've fallen into the trap of underestimating them again.
They were excellent yesterday. They work so hard; they're so athletic but such compliments may actually detract from their technical ability. They may lack a little punch up front but they  make up for it with incredible technique in the tackle and massive composure on the ball. When BK reverted to a sweeper in the first half, John Maher was immense and his distribution just excellent. They have the option of going long and straight to O' Loughlin, Fitzpatrick or Keating but can also carry the ball through the lines so it makes them a difficult team to play against. If they go long, they're a nightmare because a few times, BK won possessuon cleanly but were turned over for scores. Their tackling is relentless but crucially, they don't concede needless fouls. It's an underappreciated skill.
And next year, they really will bring in a top-class forward who could help elevate them further. These are the real deal and I'd give them a chance the next day.

For BK, it was a poor performance from a team who couldn't get going at all. In reality, it matters little in terms of the overall plan as a semi-final against RE or CB both bring varied challenges and opportunities. I like most of their forwards individually but something wasn't right yesterday and I think they're carrying a forward who just isn't up to it. That happens with a lot of club teams but they have alternatives and I think we'll see a reshuffle for the next day.

They're still in this championship but I think they'll go in as underdogs the next day. Maybe they'll like that. I still believe there's something in them and we might see it in two weeks.

Didn't watch the first game but it went as many predicted. I thought there'd be more in Castletown but it was always going to be a struggle. CB, on paper, look to have a nice blend and they'll be very confident in a semi-final. I suspect they'll end up facing Rosenallis which would be a story in itself as their second team lost a Junior A final to Rosenallis a few years ago.

Who is the top class forward that Rosenallis are bringing in next year?

merman


Keyser Söze

Fair play Rosenallis (again). There is still the possibility of tough days ahead trying to firmly establish as a top half of the top tier team. It is only a few weeks since Ballinakill controlled them well for 50 odd minutes. Not trying to detract at all. And in fairness it's rare to see an emerging team put two big performances back to back in such a composed manner.
But hard to see them being anything but a senior team for the foreseeable.
Great to see.

The commentary situation is a bit farcical. I actually think Carter does a good job and is far superior to Killian Whelan. Whelan was very poor at spotting who was who in Round 1 of the hurling, and some of his musings on tackles/cards etc was way off.
The co- commentary situation yesterday was a joke.
And it was advertised in advance, so it's not like he was a last minute replacement when they were stuck. His sole job seemed to be to point out who was on the county panel and how much of a stalwart they were. Don't get me wrong, if I was asked to co-commentate on a SFC game I'd struggle to offer much. But then again....I'd have the awareness to decline the offer!

One other point. I can't for the life of me see the benefit that the reversion to group stages has brought.
For the likes of RE, CB & BK most games are a procession.
For the likes of AB, BL & CT most games are a hammering.
I think the previous structure was excellent. You had one game ahead of you to prepare for, not the prospects of facing the likes of CB & RE in succession.
The draws and permutations in themselves brought great excitement.
I don't understand why the change was made, or who it has benefitted. It certainly hasn't improved the standards in the earlier rounds in any way.
The greatest trick the devil ever pulled.......

Blow-in


Keyser Söze

The greatest trick the devil ever pulled.......