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Think they were using it as the U17 trials too

Over 80 players in last night for the Minor trials. Played 2 games simultaneously, bringing them back next week for another 2 games

Heard there might be some truth to the Heath/Timahoe rumours. Supposedly The Heath are losing a number of players who are going abroad, all starters from this year

There was a lad Comerford playing centre forward for Stradbally, looked very good

Heard on Sunday that it was down to money, county board thought what he was doing was costing too much. Don't know how true that is

Nobody is debating that at all, it should've been stopped

Nobody is questioning Bruno's character nor does anyone want to see him or anyone else lying injured on the field. Yes the game should've been stopped but the extent of the injury obviously wasn't known by the referee nor anyone else for that matter. You're nearly implying that Eddie left him lying there out of spite or something which is crazy

Yes he should definitely have stopped the game, that's dead right but what I'm saying is that no one on the pitch saw it or argued about what happened so maybe it was an innocent collision. Is a poster here said he saw it clear as day then there's your eye witness, no reason to doubt him.
I think Eddie missed a few things alright but definitely needed more support from his officials. In fairness he did let the game flow as much as possible which made for entertaining viewing. He was dead right to send Conroy to the stand, just because he himself got away with it in the minor final doesn't mean he should leave Conroy there. That was up to the referee that day to look after, he looked after this game as he should with the Conroy decision

[At the very least, an inquiry needs to be held into the incident.]

I'm hearing otherwise but even allowing for that very innocent explanation, why was the game not stopped? A man is lying flat on the pitch. Stop the game. Simple.

If that's what you saw Ballyroan, then I have no reason to doubt you. I thought Kinsella was awful yesterday. No control at all. He sent Conroy to the stand but his own antics in the Minor final were ten times worse against your own team.

At the very least, an inquiry needs to be held into the incident.

Seriously? Ballyroan just said above that he saw it and it was an innocent collision. When has an enquiry ever been held into an incident like that? No one argued with the referee over the incident, no one claimed at the time that he got a box etc so maybe it was just as described already

[. The first game today was pitiful to watch, and proof that our underage coaching is terrible.]

Agree with that. It's easy to confuse excitement with quality, but the proof will come when Stradbally and Laois take on teams from other counties. We are guilty in Laois at times of living in our own little bubble, and marking players out because they excel in poor company. The first game today was pitiful to watch, and proof that our underage coaching is terrible. The basic skills at times were way below an acceptable level, and so many lads were physically weak. Good hard tackling and strength in possession were particularly poor, but that wouldn't worry me as much at that age as the crazy amount of wayward passes. All in all, Stradbally winning a title aside, a bad day for football.

You're judging this on one match, if you'd see either of these two teams during the year both at U16 & U17 level you'd know they're both far better than they showed yesterday. Big game with an unusually big crowd for them to play in front of, have to cut them some slack. A good majority of them are part of the Laois U16 side that's probably the best underage side the county has at the minute. Bad game yes but not a fair reflection on either side

One bad performance doesn't make them bad players. Like I said in the other thread, it was as bad a performance as they've put in in years. Not quite as bad as the first half of the U16 final v Portlaoise but at least in that one they came out and scored 1-10 in the second half. Never looked like doing anything similar yesterday. Port were worthy winners, had some fine players themselves

There was a lot of off-the-ball stuff going on especially in the first half but very unfair to say that Eddie lost control of the game. Impossible to see everything but could've definitely done with more support from his officials. He did let the game flow in fairness which added to the excitement
Not the highest standard game every but a great watch and a fairytale ending for Stradbally. Portlaoise looked the better side in the second half and never looked like losing it until the goal. Never seen a team & management in as much shock at the final whistle. Fair play to Stradbally, they kept themselves in it even when Portlaoise stepped things up and never let the gap get too wide. The chap Comerford had a smashing game. Jody Dillon didn't do much in the game and looked knackered with 10 minutes to go but some finish from him.
Been some year of finals in O'Moore Park

Port were certainly the better team and deserved the victory. They'd lost 5 finals v St Paul's over the last few years so they were due one. In saying that, it was St Paul's worst performance in a long time and as said above it certainly wasn't helped by the sideline. Some very poor and baffling decisions made.

Every team on the opposite side of the draw to Dublin will be targeting the Leinster Final but considering how bad Laois have done in the last few years can you really see them beating Kildare & Meath to get there? Have to target it of course but going to be very tough. Getting out of Division 3 has to be the main priority

If it's Kinsella he'll be at them anyway, his young lads on it