Underage amalgamations

[The boardman]

I believe he is one of the trainers for the minors, they dont seem to have many up to the age of minor this year maybe 3 or 4 with most of their minors being their 1st year u17. Few players being discouraged from playing hurling by football. I would nearly think that the decision to go with Mountmellick this year for minor was strategic to help with gaining permission for adult players to play with Mountmellick until they have their own team.
They wont have enough numbers for an adult team for another 2 years at least. But when they do emo should be made play hurling with them as it makes more sense than them just wandering around to different clubs, and if they could get big dan from odempseys who plays hurling with clonad it would help sustain their adult team and ensure its survival.

[Laois man]

Harps look very strong in the U17 A again this year overall underage there strong. Hard to see any team beating them in U17 grade.

[The boardman]

Harps look very strong in the U17 A again this year overall underage there strong. Hard to see any team beating them in U17 grade.

Ye there doesnt even seem to be a team that you could say well they might have a chance of beating them which is a great testament to them and the work they put in at underage

[Downtheroad]

Ballyfin and Mountrath are together for under 20 hurling and will be for the foreseeable future as neither have the numbers. I imagine Rosenallis don't want to be with Clonaslee but they have no choice as they no longer have the numbers. Looking at under 15 hurling, Clough Ballacolla, Rathdowney Errill and  Abbeyleix are all in the B which doesn't bode well. Clough Ballacolla are in the C in under 13 which is hard to credit.       

[ottoman]

Ballyfin and Mountrath are together for under 20 hurling and will be for the foreseeable future as neither have the numbers. I imagine Rosenallis don't want to be with Clonaslee but they have no choice as they no longer have the numbers. Looking at under 15 hurling, Clough Ballacolla, Rathdowney Errill and  Abbeyleix are all in the B which doesn't bode well. Clough Ballacolla are in the C in under 13 which is hard to credit.       

I can't speak for RE and Abbeyleix, but the problem for Clough Ballacolla, is numbers and always will be. They do produce strong teams every now and then underage, but they would never have huge panels. My nephews are involved with the u7's and u9's and they're struggling with numbers. But the u11's are quite strong, so they will hopefully form a decent underage team in the next few years with a few of the younger lads thrown. That's always been the way.

From my own experience, many moons ago now! But I played u12 and u14 B with Clough Ballacolla, but yet won 2 minor A finals. So lots can happen if you can keep your groups together, develop them and not get carried away heading straight for the amalgamation route. 

[Laois man]

Castletown have big numbers at U17 grade and are by themselves.

[clonadmad]

Harps look very strong in the U17 A again this year overall underage there strong. Hard to see any team beating them in U17 grade.

Castletown beat the Harps in the u15 A Final two years ago and it's looking like the same 2 in the minor A final this year with the winners reversed

Ballacolla would be dark horses to win it they have already beaten Castletown and should have home advantage in a semi if they were to meet again

Final semifinal slot is between Portlaoise and PRT

The Minor B semifinalist are already known

Camross R/E Mountrath and Mountmellick

Camross have a young team many of whom will be in the mix to win the u15 A Final this year probably against Borris Kilcotton

Mountmellick have numbers but might need a home semi final to progress

Rathdowney were in the u15A grade 2 years ago but seem to have been hit by a transfer of a very good hurler to Ballacolla this year

Mountrath were beaten AET in the u15B final by PRT 2 years ago and have a couple of this years Laois minors on board including a lad who will be hurling adult for Trumera next year

Gun to the head

I'd say a final of

Rathdowney v Mountrath

But any 4 of them could win it

[The boardman]

Harps look very strong in the U17 A again this year overall underage there strong. Hard to see any team beating them in U17 grade.

Castletown beat the Harps in the u15 A Final two years ago and it's looking like the same 2 in the minor A final this year with the winners reversed

Ballacolla would be dark horses to win it they have already beaten Castletown and should have home advantage in a semi if they were to meet again

Final semifinal slot is between Portlaoise and PRT

The Minor B semifinalist are already known

Camross R/E Mountrath and Mountmellick

Camross have a young team many of whom will be in the mix to win the u15 A Final this year probably against Borris Kilcotton

Mountmellick have numbers but might need a home semi final to progress

Rathdowney were in the u15A grade 2 years ago but seem to have been hit by a transfer of a very good hurler to Ballacolla this year

Mountrath were beaten AET in the u15B final by PRT 2 years ago and have a couple of this years Laois minors on board including a lad who will be hurling adult for Trumera next year

Gun to the head

I'd say a final of

Rathdowney v Mountrath

But any 4 of them could win it

The U17A final will probably be the same finalists as u15A 2 years ago

For the u17B it will be interesting to see the last few group matches Mountmellick still have to play Mountrath and Rathdowney Errill in the last 2 group matches wonder how they will go considering semi finalsists already decided and could still meet both of them later on. Mountmellick seem to have the potential but dont always put out a performance as good as they should they beat clan na gael by 12 points then played camross and got bet by about 30 and then clan na gael played camross and only lost by 2.

Mountmellick dont seem to be doing to bad in the u15B aswell

[SCFC]

As someone said above, there needs to be an adult team in the Portarlington area. And it should include the O'Dempseys area too. Not so sure about Emo area - they seem to have a bit of an affiliation with Mountmellick through secondary school, then Hosey won't be leaving Trumera to hurl junior C.

But what will probably happen will be a repeat of Slieve Margy with the strongest young lads from Port moving to bigger hurling clubs and the rest will pack it in disheartened.

[clonadmad]

As someone said above, there needs to be an adult team in the Portarlington area. And it should include the O'Dempseys area too. Not so sure about Emo area - they seem to have a bit of an affiliation with Mountmellick through secondary school, then Hosey won't be leaving Trumera to hurl junior C.

But what will probably happen will be a repeat of Slieve Margy with the strongest young lads from Port moving to bigger hurling clubs and the rest will pack it in disheartened.

Margy is broken up 5/6 years at this stage

When they were killed off they had 60 Juvenile Hurlers on their books

Of that 60 Gearoid Lynch and Ian Shanahan are with Ballinakill at adult and there's 2 members of one family with PRT at U17 and U15,that are still hurling, their older brother stopped hurling this year.

A good few reasons for the massive drop out rate but the one consistent one would be the pressure put on them to play just Football.

Portarlington given its size and more importantly the number of blow in Hurling People in the area should be well capable of hurling at intermediate on their own in the next 4/5 years

[The boardman]

As someone said above, there needs to be an adult team in the Portarlington area. And it should include the O'Dempseys area too. Not so sure about Emo area - they seem to have a bit of an affiliation with Mountmellick through secondary school, then Hosey won't be leaving Trumera to hurl junior C.

But what will probably happen will be a repeat of Slieve Margy with the strongest young lads from Port moving to bigger hurling clubs and the rest will pack it in disheartened.

The port lads that came up from minor are currently playing with Mountmellick which Mountmellick are happy enough to have for a couple of years untill they have enough for their own adult team but luckily there's enough people in Mountmellick that would stop it from continuing long term which should be a help in them succeeding in having their own adult team,there players aren't bad and when they get going would see them easily getting to junior at least and since odempseys are in port parish they should hurl with them which would be a help aswell, but overall for its success laois gaa have to give them the support needed

[burdizzo]

It would be nice to see Port. graduating to having an adult hurling team, but it's not going to be easy. Actually, I'd be amazed if it happened at all. For a start, I'm not sure the Port. football club would be too thrilled with it. Don't think they made life too easy for the juvenile hurling end of things. Secondly, they'd need EVERYONE from Port. and probably Emo. Now, Port. and St. Paul's were joined at juvenile a good few years ago, but seemingly fell out - so probably a few bridges to be built. Furthermore, St. Paul's (Emo and Curtwood) are currently in an u17 juvenile set-up w/ Clonad/ Colt-Shanahoe/ Trumera (Clan na Gael). They're not pulling up trees this year, but last year won the minor 'B', and a couple of the Emo boys transferred to Clonad. Furthermore, I don't even know how many of last year's Port. minors are still hurling? Certainly their county minor hasn't been showing too much interest. They have one lad, out of a possible seven, going over to Mountmellick, so that doesn't show huge enthusiasm. How easy will it be to get them back in a couple of years? As for O'Dempsey's - they have a couple of footballers hurling with Clonad, but I don't know that they'd be lured away to a fledgling Port. hurling club? Also, I don't get the impression the county board is really thinking along the lines of developing a hurling club in Portarlington, more trying to find a tidy way of allocating the hurlers from the football areas.

[The boardman]

It would be nice to see Port. graduating to having an adult hurling team, but it's not going to be easy. Actually, I'd be amazed if it happened at all. For a start, I'm not sure the Port. football club would be too thrilled with it. Don't think they made life too easy for the juvenile hurling end of things. Secondly, they'd need EVERYONE from Port. and probably Emo. Now, Port. and St. Paul's were joined at juvenile a good few years ago, but seemingly fell out - so probably a few bridges to be built. Furthermore, St. Paul's (Emo and Curtwood) are currently in an u17 juvenile set-up w/ Clonad/ Colt-Shanahoe/ Trumera (Clan na Gael). They're not pulling up trees this year, but last year won the minor 'B', and a couple of the Emo boys transferred to Clonad. Furthermore, I don't even know how many of last year's Port. minors are still hurling? Certainly their county minor hasn't been showing too much interest. They have one lad, out of a possible seven, going over to Mountmellick, so that doesn't show huge enthusiasm. How easy will it be to get them back in a couple of years? As for O'Dempsey's - they have a couple of footballers hurling with Clonad, but I don't know that they'd be lured away to a fledgling Port. hurling club? Also, I don't get the impression the county board is really thinking along the lines of developing a hurling club in Portarlington, more trying to find a tidy way of allocating the hurlers from the football areas.

There was theoreticaly 7 port hurlers going adult this year only 4 or 5 have played for Mountmellick Finn lyons being the only one near the Intermediate team the others are on the junior team and seem to be concentrating on football.

The port football definitely didnt make it easy for them starting the hurling up and they are having some problems this year with the football stopping some of the minors playing hurling of the ones playing hurling with Mountmellick at minor only 2 or 3 of them still play football the others told then they could go f**k themselves(some quite literally did) when they tried stop them hurling. The morans who were supposed to be good hurlers are only playing football this year.
The setting up of an adult hurling team i say will almost definitely cause a few rows within port but i say it will happen.

As for Emo there needs to be a decision made were emo play hurling with because currently they lay under 13 with st pauls then u15 and u17 with clan na gael and then split off at adult some to Mountmellick some to Clonad and some elsewhere if it was decided who they play with they could play with them from underage and then by adult would know who there playing with instead of currently where they spilt off between clubs

[clonadmad]

It would be nice to see Port. graduating to having an adult hurling team, but it's not going to be easy. Actually, I'd be amazed if it happened at all. For a start, I'm not sure the Port. football club would be too thrilled with it. Don't think they made life too easy for the juvenile hurling end of things. Secondly, they'd need EVERYONE from Port. and probably Emo. Now, Port. and St. Paul's were joined at juvenile a good few years ago, but seemingly fell out - so probably a few bridges to be built. Furthermore, St. Paul's (Emo and Curtwood) are currently in an u17 juvenile set-up w/ Clonad/ Colt-Shanahoe/ Trumera (Clan na Gael). They're not pulling up trees this year, but last year won the minor 'B', and a couple of the Emo boys transferred to Clonad. Furthermore, I don't even know how many of last year's Port. minors are still hurling? Certainly their county minor hasn't been showing too much interest. They have one lad, out of a possible seven, going over to Mountmellick, so that doesn't show huge enthusiasm. How easy will it be to get them back in a couple of years? As for O'Dempsey's - they have a couple of footballers hurling with Clonad, but I don't know that they'd be lured away to a fledgling Port. hurling club? Also, I don't get the impression the county board is really thinking along the lines of developing a hurling club in Portarlington, more trying to find a tidy way of allocating the hurlers from the football areas.

There was theoreticaly 7 port hurlers going adult this year only 4 or 5 have played for Mountmellick Finn lyons being the only one near the Intermediate team the others are on the junior team and seem to be concentrating on football.

The port football definitely didnt make it easy for them starting the hurling up and they are having some problems this year with the football stopping some of the minors playing hurling of the ones playing hurling with Mountmellick at minor only 2 or 3 of them still play football the others told then they could go f**k themselves(some quite literally did) when they tried stop them hurling. The morans who were supposed to be good hurlers are only playing football this year.
The setting up of an adult hurling team i say will almost definitely cause a few rows within port but i say it will happen.

As for Emo there needs to be a decision made were emo play hurling with because currently they lay under 13 with st pauls then u15 and u17 with clan na gael and then split off at adult some to Mountmellick some to Clonad and some elsewhere if it was decided who they play with they could play with them from underage and then by adult would know who there playing with instead of currently where they spilt off between clubs

This is where the County Board and especially the Hurling Board need to be proactive to step in and develop another Hurling area in the County

but Good Luck with that.

[The boardman]

It would be nice to see Port. graduating to having an adult hurling team, but it's not going to be easy. Actually, I'd be amazed if it happened at all. For a start, I'm not sure the Port. football club would be too thrilled with it. Don't think they made life too easy for the juvenile hurling end of things. Secondly, they'd need EVERYONE from Port. and probably Emo. Now, Port. and St. Paul's were joined at juvenile a good few years ago, but seemingly fell out - so probably a few bridges to be built. Furthermore, St. Paul's (Emo and Curtwood) are currently in an u17 juvenile set-up w/ Clonad/ Colt-Shanahoe/ Trumera (Clan na Gael). They're not pulling up trees this year, but last year won the minor 'B', and a couple of the Emo boys transferred to Clonad. Furthermore, I don't even know how many of last year's Port. minors are still hurling? Certainly their county minor hasn't been showing too much interest. They have one lad, out of a possible seven, going over to Mountmellick, so that doesn't show huge enthusiasm. How easy will it be to get them back in a couple of years? As for O'Dempsey's - they have a couple of footballers hurling with Clonad, but I don't know that they'd be lured away to a fledgling Port. hurling club? Also, I don't get the impression the county board is really thinking along the lines of developing a hurling club in Portarlington, more trying to find a tidy way of allocating the hurlers from the football areas.

There was theoreticaly 7 port hurlers going adult this year only 4 or 5 have played for Mountmellick Finn lyons being the only one near the Intermediate team the others are on the junior team and seem to be concentrating on football.

The port football definitely didnt make it easy for them starting the hurling up and they are having some problems this year with the football stopping some of the minors playing hurling of the ones playing hurling with Mountmellick at minor only 2 or 3 of them still play football the others told then they could go f**k themselves(some quite literally did) when they tried stop them hurling. The morans who were supposed to be good hurlers are only playing football this year.
The setting up of an adult hurling team i say will almost definitely cause a few rows within port but i say it will happen.

As for Emo there needs to be a decision made were emo play hurling with because currently they lay under 13 with st pauls then u15 and u17 with clan na gael and then split off at adult some to Mountmellick some to Clonad and some elsewhere if it was decided who they play with they could play with them from underage and then by adult would know who there playing with instead of currently where they spilt off between clubs

This is where the County Board and especially the Hurling Board need to be proactive to step in and develop another Hurling area in the County

but Good Luck with that.

Not gonna get much help from them sadly, just going to take the drive and determination of those who got it up and running in the first place then hopefully get a few motions in to laois gaa to define what football clubs have to play hurling with them