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http://leinstergaa.ie/competitions/electric-ireland-leinster-minor-hurling-championship-2017/

Laois are now in a quarter final and will be drawn against one of the teams who finished in the bottom two places of Tier 1 either Offaly or Wexford. The top 2 in tier 1 go straight to the semi finals.

Round 2 (2 games)
Winners of A, B, C and 1st in Tier 2

They actually play one of the teams who come through Round 1 I think

Round 1
A. 1st in Tier 3 v 4th in Tier 2
B. 2nd in Tier 3 v 3rd in Tier 2
c. 3rd in Tier 3 v 2nd in Tier 2
1st in Tier 2 (bye)

This is the draw:

24/07/2017
(A) Ballyroan Abbey   -   vs   -   Emo Courtwood The Rock      More
(B) Portarlington   -   vs   -   Portlaoise GAA      More
(C) Sarsfields   -   vs   -   Stradbally Parish Gaels      More
(D) St Joseph's   -   vs   -   The Harps

And it is pre-determined that A plays B and C plays D in the semis. Meaning the four big hitters, B/A, Port, Plaois and Paul's will play each other before the final. No back door either.

Is there definitely no back door? Jaysus, the county board do as little as possible to give chaps games.

No straight knock-out. The same with the U-17 championship.

This is the draw:

24/07/2017
(A) Ballyroan Abbey   -   vs   -   Emo Courtwood The Rock      More
(B) Portarlington   -   vs   -   Portlaoise GAA      More
(C) Sarsfields   -   vs   -   Stradbally Parish Gaels      More
(D) St Joseph's   -   vs   -   The Harps

And it is pre-determined that A plays B and C plays D in the semis. Meaning the four big hitters, B/A, Port, Plaois and Paul's will play each other before the final. No back door either.

Could have won by more

Jazes - the Stradbally boys would not seem to agree. I heard there were all sorts of shenanigans at the full time whistle with the Stradbally management going for the linesman and the ref. Linesman may have got a belt from a Stradbally selector.

There's the quote from Longford forum, judging by the report in the Leinster Express,  they might have some logic to be angry.

Shambolic refereeing alright. Their goal should've been a free out as a Stradbally player was fouled going down on the ball. The red card came directly after a late tackle on Liam Knowles had been waved away. And then later in the game, a Longford player was black carded for an identical tackle which Barney had been sent off for.

Anyone at the Match in Longford ? Longford radio reporting scenes after the match ended ?

The Longford forum of this saying possible stricking by Stradbally.

Not true. Few words exchanged with the referee as he was escorted off the field (unnecessarily) by stewards. That was it. 

Brilliant win last night. Great interviews with manager Mark Rooney, centre forward Adam Deering and captain Sean Byrne on Midlands this morning: https://soundcloud.com/midlandssport/mark-rooney-adam-deering-and-sean-byrne-post-offaly

Byrne sounds like and plays like someone who really means business.

Clonad/ Ratheniska beat Portlaoise 7-16 to 0-3 in the u14 A hurling league last night. Why would anyone in Clonad would WANT to go to Portlaoise to hurl??!

I think that's the part people are missing. Players have to WANT to move. In the case that Portlaoise took, the individual WANTED to move. It's all well and good Portlaoise allegedly 'wanting' all these lads, but they themselves will actually have to want to go as well.

Any chance of the team that started Unlaoised !? Where was it played ?

Laois Played Wexford Tuesday night up here....

It was an easy win Wexford were terrible ...Laois were short a load of players not playing for one reason or another...

No Quigley,Brody, O'Carroll, Donie,C Begley,Timmons,Kehoe,the list goes on some of these guys haven't trained since the Meath game either which is worrying. ....Not sure of the score but I think they won by about 10-12 points...

I hope things improve regarding the set up and injuries!

It was something like:
McDonald,
S Murphy,
P O'Sullivan,
Seale
Dillon
Strong
D O'Connor
J Farrell
Meaney
Donoher
O'Loughlin
Meredith
Keane
Walsh
Munnelly

Game was in O'Moore Park.

Anyone at the Meath game on Saturday?

Very poor scoring from Laois. Were the conditions bad or was it just down to bad football?

It was an odd game. Laois led until the 55th minute. Both sides kicked a lot of wides but they got a run on us at the end and probably deserved to win really. We seem to lack depth off the bench as the subs made little or no impact really.

Have a great chance to get back into it though. Play Carlow Wednesday week and if they win that they play Kilkenny for a quarter final place.

Must be the first time there's someone from the 'other side' of the county on a Laoise team.

Or, at least, the first time in quite a while...

Ciaran Comerford plays football for Ballylinan so you could make that two from that side. The footballers have Robert Tyrell from Camross playing midfield too.

Times are changing?

The prognosis on Kieran Lillis is better than first thought. Out for 5-6 weeks with a fracture. No break luckily.

Isn't a fracture a break?

Hairline fracture to be exact.

Great win - Wicklow up next who beat Carlow by 5-11 to 3-13 in a crazy game. Wicklow were 4-10 to 1-10 up with ten minutes to go, Carlow levelled it at 3-13 to 4-10 as it went into injury time before Wicklow came back to win it.

You'd have to fancy us at home anyway.

Here's a report for those who asked: http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/lowry-plays-captains-role-as-laois-u21s-power-past-louth-34483672.html

Evin Keane,  Paddy O'Sullivan and Tom Shields injured? All 3 have senior experience and was expecting them to start og available

Evin and Paddy are injured, Tom is on the bench.

Suprising there is Only one Sarsfields man on it as they were very unlucky to loose to Portlaoise in the Semi in rathenskia last year I thought them and Portlaoise would offer more players

I didnt see the Sarsfield/Portlaise semi but i did see the final and Portlaoise were totally trounced by that Josephs/Barrowhouse combination and no Portlaoise player stood out. Then again are those portlaoise players you might alude to be over age for this year. I dont really know the Sarsfield players that could have been considered.. One big surprise for me is the omission of the Joes/BH full forward Michael Keogh. He completely destroyed anyone who tried to mark him in last years u21 local championship. Also i am worried about our goalkeeper as he is a small (in height) keeper. Is that goalie from Mountmellick who played sigerson with UCD still u21.....


Is that Joe walsh from the heath??

He is a decent Keeper alright plays in goals for abbeyleix A team in soccer!

I understand Dean Cullen and Ciaran McEvoy (from Portlaoise) both declined to be part of the panel.

I completely agree re Michael Keogh - but then it's great to have a player like that off the bench.

Eoghan Keogh is overage. The sub keeper Joe Walsh is of a similar stature to Cooney though so there isn't much option and he certainly will need protection.

Yes Unloaised, that's him alright! Played in goal for The Heath seniors this year too.

Suprising there is Only one Sarsfields man on it as they were very unlucky to loose to Portlaoise in the Semi in rathenskia last year I thought them and Portlaoise would offer more players

I didnt see the Sarsfield/Portlaise semi but i did see the final and Portlaoise were totally trounced by that Josephs/Barrowhouse combination and no Portlaoise player stood out. Then again are those portlaoise players you might alude to be over age for this year. I dont really know the Sarsfield players that could have been considered.. One big surprise for me is the omission of the Joes/BH full forward Michael Keogh. He completely destroyed anyone who tried to mark him in last years u21 local championship. Also i am worried about our goalkeeper as he is a small (in height) keeper. Is that goalie from Mountmellick who played sigerson with UCD still u21.....

I understand Dean Cullen and Ciaran McEvoy (from Portlaoise) both declined to be part of the panel.

I completely agree re Michael Keogh - but then it's great to have a player like that off the bench.

Eoghan Keogh is overage. The sub keeper Joe Walsh is of a similar stature to Cooney though so there isn't much option and he certainly will need protection.