The future of laois hurling

[blueandwhite1]

The Minor hurling set up appears to be a very positive and professional set up, led by Manager Paul O Shea from Abbeyleix, hurling coach James Carroll, Physical/Strength & conditioning Michael Boyhan Mountrath & Carlow IT,
Each player following a personilised programme since December, Training schedule given to each player outlining plans, dates etc from January to May.
Best of luck to all involved

They had 50 lads training hard before Christmas! Some effort, commitment and another indicator of how far we have come. A long way from getting a few lads together in April and we'll see what happens. No shortage of serious young talent.

When is the last time something like this happened with a Laois minor hurling team?

Not for about 10 years now thankfully. I think it is fair to say that there is about a decade of sustained underage work at this point. It will probably need another 10 if we are going to be winning senior honours but at least the journey is underway. I remember too well despairing at watching Laois minor teams and U21 teams who were cobbled together and got awful hidings through the 90s and early 2000s and a couple of humiliations including a beating by Meath (no disrespect).

[Keyser Söze]

Tobias- you missed my point.

Blue & White- I think you are perhaps thinking of 30 years ago as opposed to 10 years ago. I would separate minor from U21.
U21 is a "pain in the arse" grade at both club and county level from a preparation point of view. It can be impossible to prepare properly.

Back to the main point.
In the past 25 years the following people (and others who I cannot think of) have been in charge of Laois minors;

Christy Jones
Pat Delaney
Mick Scully
John Taylor/PJ Cuddy
Martin Cashin (I think??)
Tom Hassett
Vincent McKenna
Mattie Collier
Tony Ryan
Seamus Plunkett
Pat Critchely

I am definitely missing a few in there.

A right variety of characters but I don't think any of them could be accused of "cobbling teams together".

That is nonsense talk. Some of the set ups were not great but very few lacked effort or good intentions.

For at least the last 10-15 years serious "pre-season" work has gone into the minors.
Before that preparation would have been of its time and in line with what was happening in other counties.
Our problems were

1) A lack of technical work done at younger ages
2) A lack of interest among players
3) The attraction of being a Laois Minor Footballer from about 1995-2005.
4) An insistance (where players would comply and weren't replaceable) that players would not play both codes from football managements.

It is fantastic that the minor management are putting work in.
Let's hope they are not just working hard, but working clever. Players at this age have a lot going on. Training and preparation should be aimed at having them ready, fresh AND enthusiastic for championship hurling.
The previous management managed this in 2013, but failed badly in this regard in 2014 & 2015.

You cannot underestimate the importance of freshness and enthusiasm approaching the targeted peak time of your season.

[blueandwhite1]

Blue & White- I think you are perhaps thinking of 30 years ago as opposed to 10 years ago. I would separate minor from U21.

LMHC 2008:

KK 6-18, LS 1-08
WX 5-19, LS 2-11
MH 0-13, LS 1-07

Not 30 years ago.

My general point was a positive one, huge improvement in standards, interest levels, coaching hours and coaching standards. Some great results over recent years too and ambitions have improved. For it to sustain we really need to be winning a Leinster minor or U-21 in the next 5 years or so or there is a danger that momentum will be lost. We shouldn't forget the odd hammering we have gotten from KK in the last few years either. 

[Keyser Söze]

Blue & White- I think you are perhaps thinking of 30 years ago as opposed to 10 years ago. I would separate minor from U21.

LMHC 2008:

KK 6-18, LS 1-08
WX 5-19, LS 2-11
MH 0-13, LS 1-07

Not 30 years ago.

My general point was a positive one, huge improvement in standards, interest levels, coaching hours and coaching standards. Some great results over recent years too and ambitions have improved. For it to sustain we really need to be winning a Leinster minor or U-21 in the next 5 years or so or there is a danger that momentum will be lost. We shouldn't forget the odd hammering we have gotten from KK in the last few years either.

But your talking about two different things.
Preparation and results

Length of preparation time was your original point?
The & results were terrible almost every year for a 20 year period. Doesn't mean they didn't put time into it.

[blueandwhite1]

Blue & White- I think you are perhaps thinking of 30 years ago as opposed to 10 years ago. I would separate minor from U21.

LMHC 2008:

KK 6-18, LS 1-08
WX 5-19, LS 2-11
MH 0-13, LS 1-07

Not 30 years ago.

My general point was a positive one, huge improvement in standards, interest levels, coaching hours and coaching standards. Some great results over recent years too and ambitions have improved. For it to sustain we really need to be winning a Leinster minor or U-21 in the next 5 years or so or there is a danger that momentum will be lost. We shouldn't forget the odd hammering we have gotten from KK in the last few years either.

But your talking about two different things.
Preparation and results

Length of preparation time was your original point?
The & results were terrible almost every year for a 20 year period. Doesn't mean they didn't put time into it.

Depends what you mean by preparation. 10 years ago, preparation started with getting lads together at 17 or 18 and forming a minor team in the spring to play that summer. Now, they are together at U14 consistently up to Minor with a huge amount of coaching and competition. This happened in patches before, now it is routine. That was my secondary point. My main point is that there is huge work, interest and commitment which needs to be built upon year after year. Preparing a minor team starts at Cumman na mBunscoil / U8s / U12s etc. and by building a brand and an identity with Laois hurling (setanta etc.). 50 lads pushing for a minor team in December is a strong indicator of all that coming together. If we keep that going the results will come.

[Giovanni]

Would fully agree with BlueandWhite 1 on this. It's great to see the effort and interest that's there at the moment.

That's not to suggest of course that previous regimes didn't put in the time and effort. I'm sure they made their contributions to get us to where we are now. Still, to have 50 lads involved in a minor hurling team in Laois is a fantastic achievement for all current and past mentors.

[Keyser Söze]

Blue & White we are on two different wave lengths - I give up!

I applaud the effort of the current minor squad (whilst also preaching caution re freshness!)

[Keyser Söze]

Came across this. How times have changed!

15 years ago this Summer we seemed to be on the brink of a breakthrough. Then the CB Chairman went a bit crazy late in the year and all that had been built up was destroyed.

Still that day in Nowlan Park was a brilliant experience. The first time in 15 or so years that Laois had recorded a significant Leinster Championship win. Leaving Kilkenny that day I never expected to wait another 14 years for another one.

I can still remember reacting to the Declan Conroy fist pump (long before Waterford starting doing it!!!) and Paul Cuddy's goal.

Watch here (from 32 mins) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7y1VpQxfco

[Helix]

Came across this. How times have changed!

15 years ago this Summer we seemed to be on the brink of a breakthrough. Then the CB Chairman went a bit crazy late in the year and all that had been built up was destroyed.

Still that day in Nowlan Park was a brilliant experience. The first time in 15 or so years that Laois had recorded a significant Leinster Championship win. Leaving Kilkenny that day I never expected to wait another 14 years for another one.

I can still remember reacting to the Declan Conroy fist pump (long before Waterford starting doing it!!!) and Paul Cuddy's goal.

Watch here (from 32 mins) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7y1VpQxfco

My first memory watching Laois senior hurlers as a chap. The cadet bottles were hit hard that day! 😃👍🏻

[redsetanta]

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/it-carlow-121-dcu-18-34406144.html

It's great to see some of our lads leading the line in a comprehensive win for IT Carlow.

Roddy King playing for UCD yesterday aswell.

[redsetanta]

Highlights of the Celtic championship under 17 game v Waterford City.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL4RAFa1AwtRYn-227-neUfPhKNNeWp_Gn&v=rLjJ89rE8s4

[finbar o tool]

Carlow have announced Colm Bonnar as their new hurling manager. Offaly have announced Brian Carroll as Director of hurling coaching. Suppose our County Board have been sitting on their hands since our championship exit?! Probably hoping Cheddar stays on again so they dont have to do anything.

[Don Draper]

Carlow have announced Colm Bonnar as their new hurling manager. Offaly have announced Brian Carroll as Director of hurling coaching. Suppose our County Board have been sitting on their hands since our championship exit?! Probably hoping Cheddar stays on again so they dont have to do anything.

You want them to kick down Cheddars door and demand an answer?

[finbar o tool]

Carlow have announced Colm Bonnar as their new hurling manager. Offaly have announced Brian Carroll as Director of hurling coaching. Suppose our County Board have been sitting on their hands since our championship exit?! Probably hoping Cheddar stays on again so they dont have to do anything.

You want them to kick down Cheddars door and demand an answer?

Kicking down the door is a bit much, a knock would do!

[Tobias]

Whether Cheddar stays on is irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Hurling at county level needs to be completely overhauled from the setanta programme up to senior. Similar to what is happening in offaly. What's happening in laois to change things....