2024 Joe McDonagh Cup

[bluespower]

That was a game Laois could easily have won it was almost like the players subconsciously thought we do not want to meet Cork next weekend so lets not win this. I know that's not the case as every team goes out to win, but by golly how could a team be so unlucky, goals missed, missed passes and 18 wides
As yer man said on the TV Offaly played more as a team while Laois played more as individuals, that was kind of evident too in a few instances.

I don't know what this team needs to push on and make the breakthrough its hard to know, I do know its frustrating when you look at Offaly similar county to ours and the success they are having. Something needs to change badly or we keep on getting the same results.

[Chrimtain]

How could we hand them a goal start in each half? Talk anout shooting yourself in the foot! It's pretty obvious, I suppose,  but it was those goals that killed us.

[The Boy Wonder]

The pre-eminent feeling at the end was desolation.
Laois were clearly the better team but left it behind.

[burdizzo]

The pre-eminent feeling at the end was desolation.
Laois were clearly the better team but left it behind.

That is absolutely the case: the better team lost. The call against Lennon for over-carrying near the end was very, very harsh, and was the losing of the game. Complete sickener. Yes, the goals gifted to Offaly, the wides - but still and all, we should have won that. I know we beat Offaly earlier in the competition when they should have won, so maybe it balances out. I don't believe it's because they were poorly coached. As was said, they were the better team. I assume Maher will get the gig again next year, because the CB won't have the imagination to find someone else. I also assume there'll a few of the older lads step away. We don't have pucks of talent coming through, though.

Again - a sickener.

[Laois man]

We had 4 goal chances and took none of them we gave them 2 handy goals that was the difference. Pity hard luck lads.

[Mad Mentor]

Absolutely sickened to lose that. The only positive for me was the ability to fight back they showed. In previous times we would have thrown in the towel and lost by 10 or 12 points. I think the management have improved us a lot but it came down to poor decision making on the field. Hopefully exposure to a higher level in the league will improve that.

[Walt Jabsco]

Fair play to the Laois management with having a bit of ingenuity it getting the whole panel onto the pitch yesterday   Never seen it done before but 3 players with 29 on their backs  

[Verbal]

I disagree with those saying that Laois, Offaly & Carlow should all be allowed play in Leinster next year.

The competitiveness of the Joe Mc is based on their being 2-3 teams there capable of challenging.
It's important to win it.
Ditto- it's important to finish 5th rather than 6th in Leinster.

People should be careful what they wish for!

[imtommygunn]

I agree. You would end up with what the Christy ring used to be of one team hammering all round them.

[ardtole]

I think the way things are in the hurling are as good as they are going to get. The Joe McDonagh is very competitive, and is not easy won.

The more teams you have in Leinster, the more mismatches you will have throughout the season.

Neil McManus was saying a promoted team should have a minimum of 2 years in the Leinster without the threat of relegation, if that was the case, Carlow v Antrim would have been a dead rubber this year. There would have been no jeopardy for Carlow.

Offaly slipped as far as the Christy Ring in recent years, so the current structures show imo, that there are systems in place to let teams progress.

Time will tell if Offaly are competitive at leinster in the next 3-5 years but for the first time in a while, a team coming out of Joe McDonagh have a strong underage set up to compliment their seniors. This is where county's like westmeath, Laois Antrim, Carlow Kerry etc probably need to follow the same template.

Obviously, easier said than done, but for sustained progress I don't think a bonus year will help the likes of Carlow or Antrim and at the same time will weaken the Joe McDonagh cup which has been very competitive since it started and would only increase the gap between Joe McDonagh and Liam McCarthy.

[zoner]

Gutted, sickened etc. But watching back on it I think there's a load of positives to be taken.
They worked like absolute dogs, they didn't sh!t the pants like the Dubs. They gave a great account of themselves but just disappointing the decision making & shooting wasn't that bit better to give them a deserved win.
It'll be hard but Wexford are absolutely there for the taking. The clubs coming out of Wexford the last few years have been chronic, nothing to fear. They should give them a good rattle to finish the year on a high to reward the work they put in.

Lots of complaints about the manager, but sure isn't there always! With club and county, the nature of it. When Cody's golden generation went he wasn't a cut above many other managers out there. Have to play beyond the manager.

It's how we react now and leave on a good note for next year.

[Joeythelips]

That was a game Laois could easily have won it was almost like the players subconsciously thought we do not want to meet Cork next weekend so lets not win this. I know that's not the case as every team goes out to win, but by golly how could a team be so unlucky, goals missed, missed passes and 18 wides
As yer man said on the TV Offaly played more as a team while Laois played more as individuals, that was kind of evident too in a few instances.

I don't know what this team needs to push on and make the breakthrough its hard to know, I do know its frustrating when you look at Offaly similar county to ours and the success they are having. Something needs to change badly or we keep on getting the same results.

This was what I meant about looking like the poorer coached side (not saying they actually are btw), they did seem to play more like individuals compared to Offaly. It was impressive to come from 7 down  in the second half but those goals  they conceded in first few minutes for each half in unacceptable for any level.

[on the hop]

hard to watch that back again, should had really won it. I thought at the game with 15 minutes to go Offaly were looking tired and we were going to push on and win it especially as we had a lot of our finishers on the field. For whatever reasons we kept making dreadful errors and sloppy mistakes which was a feature throughout the game and Offaly punished us. Even more of a surprise that it was our more experienced players that were doing it. There were a few very strange managerial and  tactical decisions, were we too cautious ? the conceding of the puckout especially when they were struggling for an out ball near the end allowing them to work it through the lines. Kiely there centre back is a noted puc fada champion, how did they think standing off him wasn't going to be a problem, could they have switched Ryan Mullaney onto Duignan or tried someone else as the free man? maybe been a bit more ruthless with the subs introduced into the forwards, some players just weren't going well. doesn't matter now but it was a glorious chance to get one finally over Offaly in Croke Park.

[marty34]

A few things:

1. Sleeping in the first 5 mins of both halves. I think it was the full-back who was rounded far too easily for the goal right after half-time.

2. Shooting 18 wides was brutal. No excuses. Some of the shooting from easy positions was crazy.

3. A few people blaming the manager. He didn't shoot 18 wides or make bad decisions on the ball.

Laois have only themselves to blame. Game was there for the taking in the 2nd half.

[Joeythelips]

A few things:

1. Sleeping in the first 5 mins of both halves. I think it was the full-back who was rounded far too easily for the goal right after half-time.

2. Shooting 18 wides was brutal. No excuses. Some of the shooting from easy positions was crazy.

3. A few people blaming the manager. He didn't shoot 18 wides or make bad decisions on the ball.

Laois have only themselves to blame. Game was there for the taking in the 2nd half.

Not blaming the manager, just thought it came across the Offaly were the better coached side where as Laois seemed more like a group of individuals. Either way 18 wides is what cost them which as you said was not the managers fault. But it is the managers job to prepare the team, have a tactical plan for different eventualities to get the best out of them and based on what I saw on Saturday that was not the case, in my opinion.