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We are clearly struggling from numbers 5-12. Our midfield pairing struggles at this level against stronger counties while we do not have any really outstanding half-backs or half-forward at our disposal- the fact that any one of 7/8 lads could start in the half back line the next day proves this point.

Westmeath have got their house in order this season and last. The team that they have now has developed nicely in that time and have proved themselves capable of putting it up to the tops teams e.g. competed well with Meath, Cork and Mayo in the league this year and challenged Dublin as well as any team in the championship last year. They were very unfortunate to lose to Cork and get relegated to division 3 because they were better team for large parts of that game. I see Westmeath running out comfortable 5-6 point winners.

On the flip side, all going well we can then look forward to two potentially exciting county semi-finals (hopefully none of the remaining teams have gone off the boil since last year).   

This year was always about survival in the Leinster championship and league. What I couldn't get my head around was the fact that we had so many players back and yet Wexford always had a man over or coming through to take a simple hand pass before popping the ball over the bar. Laois needed to meet Wexford with intensity in the first fifteen minutes of the game and challenge them high up the field. Instead we let them walk the ball up the field, pick their passes and nonchalantly tap over points at will. It was embarrassing stuff from beginning to end. The only consolation after such a poor performance at the weekend you would imagine that there will be a reaction by the players for the Antrim game. Our players who have only returned from injury will be the better for having a run out and getting another two weeks training under their belts before Antrim game. 

Can posters be realistic here please. Laois have been seriously hampered by injuries this year and with such a short period of contact time for the new management what more could Cheddar have been expected to get out of this Laois team. Even with a number of players returning from injury for tomorrow's game, they realistically cannot be expected to be fully match sharp. It's unfortunate how things have played out. However, Cheddar has got Cha and Scully back on board. It will take another season I reckon before we will see the best of them at intercounty level. With Kavanagh hopefully back next year, along with the likes of Comerford who is developing all the time and stalwarts like Dunphy, Purcell and King staying onboard it's going to be 2022 before we see the true potential of this Laois side.   

Avoiding relegation would be a massive achievement. It feels like 'normal service resumed'. But we shall see.

From the last two under 20 teams that made it to leinster finals you could argue that the teams were made up of a collective of good footballers as opposed to a team that was driven by 2/3 star or standout footballers. Ultimately, it is only the 'star' footballers from the underage grade that will realistically step up to the senior team and add to things at that level. Those Laois U20 sides of last two years full of fine players, however if we are expecting 7/8 of them to step up to senior in the next 12/24 months and make Laois a competitive division 2 team again I cannot see that happening.

I hear people giving out about Quirke not blooding more youth and annoyed regarding his reliance on the old guard. Unfortunately, I don't see those young footballers in the county who are really challenging or should be in the team ahead of the likes of Timmons, O'Loughlin, Begley, Kingston or Lillis.

My fear in that in the next 3/4 years we will have an abundance of good footballers to pick from- as in there will be little between about 50-60 footballers within the county. However, we wont have that star quality-those 5 or 6 top, top footballers who are a cut above the rest (e.g. Beano, Conway, Kevin Fitz, Tom Kelly of yester year) who can drive things within an intercounty set-up and which a good, truly competitive team can be built around.

This argument that Kildare and Meath should be doing better than they are is slightly unfair. It is exceptionally hard to maintain positively, motivate players, develop a team long term when you are coming up against Dublin season after season in the Leinster championship. Having to try overcome them year in, year out to win a provincial title would take the wind out of any teams sails. Take the Kildare team of 2017 that lost to Dublin by 8/9 points in a Leinster final with nearly a full compliment of their best players available at the time and playing some fantastic football- I think they scored 1-17 on the day. That Kildare team was at its peak and still fell well short ultimately of the Dubs. Very hard to come back the following year with the same enthusiasm and dedication knowing that even if you do everything right again you are still going to fall short. In other provinces you still have that carrot of if you get things right you could challenge for a provincial title- that what keeps players motivated and returning year on year with some enthusiasm for playing intercounty football e.g. counties like Roscommon, Cavan, Monaghan, Cork who can realistically target provincial titles. Counties like Laois, Westmeath and Meath who would be of a similar standard to some of these counties cannot.

Agree Blue and White. Covid and injuries have really deprived Cheddar of valuable time in the development of this Laois team. He is implementing a new style of hurling that will take time to embed. If Laois could survive in division 1 and championship for next year it is only then we will be able to see the fruits of Cheddar's labour. The likes of Cha, Scully etc. I feel will need a full year or so back training and playing intercounty hurling before they can truly reach full potential of their undoubted talents. If Kavanagh can make a successful recovery and Roddy, Dunphy stay motoring the nucleus of a talented forward line for 2022. I just hope Laois have the opportunity to showcase this at the top table in 2022.

Down are poor side who still play a defensive brand of football. The win against Westmeath might give them some confidence but Laois are capable of going to Newry and getting a win. Kingston and Begley should be back which will be of help. Hopefully Laois can reduce the error count and move the ball much quicker and play more directly into O'Carroll and Kingston. If we do we have a chance.

I know this may sound extreme but the Leinster Championship is a dead duck and with no back door I would nearly rather see the Laois team pulled from the championship and put priority on finishing the 2020 championship in July and starting the 2021 club championship in early August. I know I'd much rather watch two potentially exciting club semi-finals and county final on my tv than a Leinster championship game that is ultimately meaningless with Dublin over the horizon if you do win. 

Lillis and O'Loughlin's strengths lie in their ability on the ball. However, neither of them would be fantastic fielders of the ball around the middle or great to win the 'dirty' ball compared to other intercounty sides. With both of them into their 30s now-pace to keep with the 20 somethings will also be more of an issue for an entire 70minutes. It has been a problem of Laois for last 15 years that we don't have those kind of footballers around the middle (from numbers 5-12) who win the 50/50 or even 40/60 duels when the ball is there to be won. Every good team needs a balance in type of players they have on the field. I think Laois are too lob sided towards an abundance of nice, ball playing half backs and half forwards. 

Smart move by Cheddar and the boys not showing their true potential yesterday. Have Wexford lulled into a false sense of security for the championship encounter later in the year.

Very little time really between the return to training and opening round of league games for Cheddar to put his stamp on things. I just hope Laois can retain their current league and championship status for next year as that will afford him requisite time and a platform to develop things and hopefully continue the upward trajectory Laois hurling has been on in recent years.   

Don't forget we could get Galway potentially in the final as well Zooming Around.

As per Edwin McGreal on Twitter:

The number of current players with All-Ireland medals outside Dublin is now down to 14, from 17 last month, following the three Kerry retirements. So not even enough to pull a team together.

https://twitter.com/edmcgreal/status/1346754909824286722

And only one active player in Leinster with a Leinster championship medal and that is a 38 year old Ross Munnelly who incredibly looks like they will be still be there come 2021. His commitment is all the more commendable considering Laois have not had a team that is capable of matching Dublin since McNulty was manager.

Excellent idea to group clubs together in Laois to raise necessary funds for a GDO. Need to show some out of the box thinking on this to maximize resources. If Abbeyleix, Ballypickas and Ballinkill  (maybe one other) clubs pooled together they potentially could afford the cost of a GDO that would then rotate between the schools and club training. If I had a choice I would much rather put my money here (long-term pay off) than on paying the cost of an outside manager.

Strategic Priority:

Urbanisation - Portlaoise
A second club (specifically for juvenile
players only) should be established in
Portlaoise at the Knockmay/Mountmellick
Road side of the town. This club would be
feeder unit (in time) to the adult clubs in
Portlaoise and environs.

To be established
in 2018 with
a view to
participating
in 2019
competitions


Three years down the line and we have made no inroads whatsoever to revitalise GAA in our urban areas. I honestly don't care about this talk of needing to be careful of creating a super monster like Dublin intercounty team if we invest in Portlaoise. The more kids getting to play GAA the better-ultimately it is about participation.

If Portlaoise do begin to clean up at underage level, then we can face that problem when the time arises. Something tells me with the glacial rate of progress currently it is not a problem we are going to have to face for at least the next decade.