Senior Hurlers 2022

[Moregroundhurling]

Relegation is best possible scenario. Rebuild, freshen it up.

[Joeythelips]

If westmeath can beat us by 18points do we deserve to stay up.?

No. This fantasy that we will improve by playing the better counties is nonsense. We have gotten worse under cheddar. Westmeath outfought us, outhurled us, outpaced us and out thought us. They were much better. This system is awful. If Kerry win they have to beat Tipp to play in the provincial championship and we will stay up! The first year after winning the MacDonagh is usually a decent one. The subsequent ones less so (e.g, Carlow and now Laois). The weaker counties should get a shot at the stronger counties but should only have to be exposed to a couple of hammerings a year. That does not help anyone to get better.

For Laois, we need more top class hurlers. When we are missing a few of our better hurlers as we were for large parts of this year we are not competitive.

Good luck to Westmeath. They looked the part tonight.

I don't agree, at some stage they have to face top opposition, and Joe McD is a decent standard as Offaly found out at their expense today. The teams need exposure, Laois had a poor set up this year and shipped some bad beatings but under Brennan they showed what is possible. Just last week Westmeath drew with Wexford, maybe nothing to write home about but tonight Wexford beat the Cats in their own back yard in a cracking game.

Our own lads showed the value of JMcD cup when we won it then beat the Dubs and gave Tipp a game in Croker. Good standard games in the league and Joe McD can really help a coming team before they go take on the bigger fish. I think Laois deserve to go down in all honesty and hopefully we can get a decent set up in place for next year. There are good hurlers in the county and we need to give them the set up they need to get the very best out of them.

[Keyser Söze]

Is Tom Mullaney still with Carlow? We are training still before Xmas and still look unfit or is it only me?

I genuinely think it's disinterested the players are rather than unfit/uncommitted etc.

[Giovanni]

Unfortunately, the tactics that were employed could only logically produce one outcome. Cheddar had an inherent belief that there was a "gap" and set the team up accordingly. It's very hard to win if you're trying not to lose.

We have good players but we need high intensity and a positive attitude.

[Helix.]

Unfortunately, the tactics that were employed could only logically produce one outcome. Cheddar had an inherent belief that there was a "gap" and set the team up accordingly. It's very hard to win if you're trying not to lose.

We have good players but we need high intensity and a positive attitude.

Should never been let back in Laois hurling as much as passion as Cheddar has towards Laois hurling. We have regressed and even with injuries players still have a lot to answer for nonetheless. Next appointment will be critical. A straight promotion from Joe McDonagh and nothing less. Thankfully we still have division 1 hurling next year.
Niall Corcoran for the manager gig if we've any chance. Was the cog in the wheel in Eddie Brennan set up and would be a progressive addition.
Regardless of result today Antrim should beat Kerry next day out. Shouldn't be reliant on Kerry to do us favours. Come back up as champions.

[bluespower]

Unfortunately, the tactics that were employed could only logically produce one outcome. Cheddar had an inherent belief that there was a "gap" and set the team up accordingly. It's very hard to win if you're trying not to lose.

We have good players but we need high intensity and a positive attitude.

I totally agree with this you get out of it the belief you have going into it and that goes mostly for everything in life sports been no exception.

You could see todays result coming for the last 2 years unfortunately we were getting worse with every game played with the exception of the Antrim game.

I realise we had lots of injuries and non committals and that is challenging for sure but at the end of the day they are only excuses to make you feel better.

[High Fielder]

I'm not familiar with a lot of the hurlers, but on the football side, we're giving jerseys to lads who are average club players. As a county, our reputation expects us to be competitive with certain teams, but we're nowhere near that any more. We absolutely need our best players on the pitch.

Look, Brennan leaving was a blow and we knew it. Cheddar was an appointment to calm things down. Our bad decisions seem to be biting us harder these days and all the while, standards are slipping. Unless someone can tell me otherwise, I believe we should be looking to win the Joe McDonagh if we can get our best lads involved. Therefore, the next appointment is critical. There is zero chance of the footballers doing anything any time soon, and this county is crying out for momentum from somewhere. I know the majority of you would prefer to stay up and I respect that opinion too.

[Andy06]

I wasn't at the game but how did we set up tactically? If Cheddar decided to go out and play a very defensive sweeper based system against Westmeath then we were doomed from the start.

[Joeythelips]

Unfortunately, the tactics that were employed could only logically produce one outcome. Cheddar had an inherent belief that there was a "gap" and set the team up accordingly. It's very hard to win if you're trying not to lose.

We have good players but we need high intensity and a positive attitude.

Yep, I think that was the difference under Eddie Brennan, he had that winning attitude and the set up such and player obviously responded to that. He was able to get the best out of the players, they bought into that and we played our best hurling in years. We could be playing with a hurricane at our backs and Cheddar would still play a sweeper.

At both codes Laois need to search out and create a management/coaching set up that will get the players to buy into it. It cant be easy for players slogging their guts out at training sessions when deep down they know they are going no where.

[marty34]

Unfortunately, the tactics that were employed could only logically produce one outcome. Cheddar had an inherent belief that there was a "gap" and set the team up accordingly. It's very hard to win if you're trying not to lose.

We have good players but we need high intensity and a positive attitude.

Yep, I think that was the difference under Eddie Brennan, he had that winning attitude and the set up such and player obviously responded to that. He was able to get the best out of the players, they bought into that and we played our best hurling in years. We could be playing with a hurricane at our backs and Cheddar would still play a sweeper.

At both codes Laois need to search out and create a management/coaching set up that will get the players to buy into it. It cant be easy for players slogging their guts out at training sessions when deep down they know they are going no where.

What was so good about Eddie apart from beating Dublin?

[Spiritof86]

I'm baffled sometimes about the constant harrowing on about Eddie Brennan and his tactics . We scraped by the Westmeath in the Joe McDonagh final and then a Great one off performance against Dublin that hasn't been replicated since .

In his second year we lost all our league matches apart from one . Failed to win any championship matches  .. the euphoria of that Dublin match needs to be put to bed . A lot of lads living off there reputation from that day .
Brennan isn't all that and that has been clearly proven in his recent spell with Cuala that ended less than harmonious .

Yesterday was difficult to watch . Cheddar will do the right thing now but that man owes Laois nothing. 

[blueandwhite1]

Unfortunately, the tactics that were employed could only logically produce one outcome. Cheddar had an inherent belief that there was a "gap" and set the team up accordingly. It's very hard to win if you're trying not to lose.

We have good players but we need high intensity and a positive attitude.

Yep, I think that was the difference under Eddie Brennan, he had that winning attitude and the set up such and player obviously responded to that. He was able to get the best out of the players, they bought into that and we played our best hurling in years. We could be playing with a hurricane at our backs and Cheddar would still play a sweeper.

At both codes Laois need to search out and create a management/coaching set up that will get the players to buy into it. It cant be easy for players slogging their guts out at training sessions when deep down they know they are going no where.

What was so good about Eddie apart from beating Dublin?

The way we hurled. Our touch and tactical setup was better. We were far more positive and looked to be improving. Cheddar is no tactician and his teams always look low on energy and sharpness. He is a great man and would love to see him involved with hurling development in Laois. He also took the job which few others were willing to do.

[blueandwhite1]

I'm baffled sometimes about the constant harrowing on about Eddie Brennan and his tactics . We scraped by the Westmeath in the Joe McDonagh final and then a Great one off performance against Dublin that hasn't been replicated since .

In his second year we lost all our league matches apart from one . Failed to win any championship matches  .. the euphoria of that Dublin match needs to be put to bed . A lot of lads living off there reputation from that day .
Brennan isn't all that and that has been clearly proven in his recent spell with Cuala that ended less than harmonious .

Yesterday was difficult to watch . Cheddar will do the right thing now but that man owes Laois nothing.

You have to be joking? Laois walked the Joe McDonagh the year we won it and played great hurling in every game. You clearly don't remember the final:

https://www.gaa.ie/hurling/news/laois-claim-joe-mcdonagh-cup/

[Spiritof86]

I remember it very clearly yes . I attended a large  majority of the games starting from the Walsh cup right up to his final game in Ennis .
We looked to be improving against inferior opposition the first year . He definitely brought air of professionalism to the set-up ,  I'm not denying that and granted we were organised supremely against Dublin etc .
Can anyone remember the second year and the league matches ? The championship was a complete write off .

Apologies i mean didn't  that we scraped by Westmeath in the final . We played them in the league that year and we scraped a draw . The final was a different completely yes

[burdizzo]

I'm not one for eulogising Brennan, but some of what you say is wrong. We didn't lose all our second year league matches except for one - we got to a quarter final, I'm pretty sure? Against Limerick. Our final game of the Brennan years was in Nowlan Park, and we very nearly beat Clare in it.

Look, I reckon Brennan knew he'd done as much as he could with Laois, and he was probably looking for a way out. He had us going well in the first year, especially, but he can't work miracles. Nevertheless, lads bought into it - and, sadly, they didn't really do that this year.

I fear we'll get bogged down in the McDonagh Cup now for a few years. All the teams in it are at around the same level, and there'll be no easy games. This idea that we can go down and bounce straight back up is wishful thinking.