Senior Hurlers 2022

[burdizzo]

Not much point being in the gym and bulked up and only one player that started scoring from play. What's the story with Corby not starting he was the best club player in laois this year. Podge Delaney had a fine game.

What did he do when he came on? Same with Jordan Walshe?!
Obviously it's not good that only one of the starters could score from play, but we've been saying for years that Laois don't have the physique other teams have. I think spending time in the gym early in the year would be a good idea!

[blueandwhite1]

The gym had very little to do with all the terrible wides and missing an open goal chance in the first half. The shooting was shocking. I thought Laois looked well bulked up to be honest. Hurling skills in the forwards was the only difference between the two teams.

[Robbo]

Even with Tipp in transition, their team tonight was packed with talented hurlers who have been competing and training at a high level for a number of years.
We've a long way to go and we know it.

Think Conway was a big loss. He's a great man-marker and carries the ball well.
Unfortunately, our forwards don't win enough 50/50 balls so we need ball carriers bringing the ball into the middle third. Long and direct isn't an option for us. Cha back will help somewhat.

Just not convinced by our half-back line. Fine hurlers individually but they're all centre-backs and I think one will need to make way as our left-half back spot is a concern.

Bench looked light to be fair.
I said weeks ago I thought Keyes was worth his place and I still think he is. Easy to be smart and say it after he scored 3 points but one of his best strengths is that his touch is good and he gets a strike away quickly. Think we need that. We've enough runners around him.

Waterford is another tough one next weekend.

[town1980]

Some people here look at yourselves and the shoreline we did super these are not too long all Ireland champions and yes they deserve respect players and management well done working off a small pool 🙂👍

[ottoman]

Not much point being in the gym and bulked up and only one player that started scoring from play. What's the story with Corby not starting he was the best club player in laois this year. Podge Delaney had a fine game.

What did he do when he came on? Same with Jordan Walshe?!
Obviously it's not good that only one of the starters could score from play, but we've been saying for years that Laois don't have the physique other teams have. I think spending time in the gym early in the year would be a good idea!

Didn't Corby not get on until the 69 minute. I'm not sure how he could influence the game with that cameo.

[Giovanni]

I know the conditions were atrocious but I thought that too many of our lads didn’t really reach the levels of intensity needed to win a game like that. At least 6 or 7 were well below what we know they’re capable of. I thought the substitutions were a bit slow in coming too.

Having said that, there were some real standout performances - Podge Delaney was probably the best player on the field. Sean Downey and Hartnett were really good. Jack Kelly did ok and Picky was very good. In this league though, we’ll need all 15 to be going well.

It’s a shame - I didn’t think Tipperary were up to much really.

[Laois Rising]

Laois showed promise and definite progression from last season. However, still plenty to work on- shooting was poor at times, lost too many of the physical battles for possession and some of the starting 15 didn't hit the standards you would normally expect of them. I would say that defensively, Cheddar will be somewhat happy-Tipperary are a side who score plenty of goals and that didn't happen at the weekend. Also when we were down to 14 players, Tipperary were unable to open the floodgates-Laois continued to battle and matched up well right to the final whistle. You can see though why Cheddar opened the door for Cha to return last season. His ability to win 50/50 battles and strike from distance was badly missed on Saturday. There are about 10 players realistically vying for 6 starting berths in the forward line. I would imagine Cheddar will rotate over the next couple of games and each player will have the opportunity to stake a claim for starting position come the start of the championship. Outside of Maher, those who started in the forwards on Saturday will know they need to put in a much improved performance the next day out.

[redsetanta]

Any word on MArk Kavanagh and how he's doing recovery wise?

[blueandwhite1]

I know the conditions were atrocious but I thought that too many of our lads didn’t really reach the levels of intensity needed to win a game like that. At least 6 or 7 were well below what we know they’re capable of. I thought the substitutions were a bit slow in coming too.

Having said that, there were some real standout performances - Podge Delaney was probably the best player on the field. Sean Downey and Hartnett were really good. Jack Kelly did ok and Picky was very good. In this league though, we’ll need all 15 to be going well.

It’s a shame - I didn’t think Tipperary were up to much really.

I agree 100%. We had the hurlers on the field and quite a few performed well below their own standards, especially in the forwards. We probably gave them a bit too much respect. I thought Tipp were pretty poor by their own standards and quite a few of their hurlers won't make it to be Tipp senior hurlers come summer time. The key difference was the scores they got when they got the chances. They took them, we didn't. Both teams created about the same across the match.

3 savage points from James Keyes when it mattered from way out the field against the wind. Has to slot in the next day.

[burdizzo]

Seemingly he's recovering from surgery and probably isn't ready for a full game. Keyes, that is.
P.J. Scully broke a finger in training, and ought to be back soon.

[redsetanta]

Any word on a team for Sunday?

Hopefully our forwards are a bit sharper. Waterford came through a very tough test last week and at home in Walsh Park they will be formidable.

Will Keyes start I wonder?

[G@@]

According to https://www.laoistoday.ie/2022/02/13/your-guide-to-the-game-as-laois-hurlers-travel-to-waterford-for-latest-national-league-action/

Our team today is: Enda Rowland; Diarmuid Conway, Sean Downey, Donnchadh Hartnett; Podge Delaney, Liam O’Connell, Ryan Mullaney; Fiachra C Fennell, Jack Kelly; Stephen Bergin, John Lennon, Ross King; Ben Conroy, Willie Dunphy, Stephen Maher.

Patrick Purcell out on suspension.

No shortage of big hitters on the Deise side: WATERFORD: Billy Nolan; Conor Gleeson, Conor Prunty, Iarlaith Daly; Jack Fagan, Tadhg de Burca, Tom Barron; Carthach Daly, Jack Prendergast; Patrick Curran, Austin Gleeson, DJ Foran; Stephen Bennett, Ciaran Kirwan, Colin Dunford.

Hopefully we'll be competitive at least - hard to see a draw or a victory for us.

Pity there is no live-stream anywhere. Unable to travel so will be scanning the radio-waves looking for commentary. I doubt the Sunday Game will have highlights.

Antrim were close enough to Dublin last night - four points in it, coming on the back of a good performance against the Cats last week. If we are hunting down a win in this division, it ain't gonna be easy got.

[Laois man]

O Lord jesus this is shocking performance down here in waterford worst than when cork scored 10.20 again them.

[Smellyball]

Got their anuses handed to them today, ah sure summer might be different.

[G@@]

Jesus, it was us who were crucified, not the Good Lord himself.

Terrible result. That black card shite should be got rid of also.