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I feel like I've been b*tching and moaning about it for years but anyways, here goes.

The madness of having 16 teams at Senior and 8 at Intermediate was really exposed over the weekend. At the very least, the Senior should be trimmed down to 12. We could have a system whereby our Senior, Intermediate and Junior Championships each have 12 sides and follow an identical format. Simple, straightforward and easy to implement in theory.

Personally, I would be in favour of even more radical change. For example, we could have 8 clubs operating at Senior alongside 4 divisional sides representing the North, South, East and West as per the Divisional Championship run under Sugrue a few years ago. Every player would have access to Senior football and the championship quality would be greatly improved instantly.

We could then have another 12 sides in the Intermediate which would mean 4 current Intermediate sides would be relegated to Junior, a fair compromise in my eyes given how poor the quality is among the weaker Intermediate sides at the moment.

I think Steven Miller and LaoisToday proposed something similar a while back. I don't remember much reaction to it at the time but either way concessions will have to be made if we are to improve the standard and quality of football in this county. Of course, if people are happy with the status quo, then by all means leave the current format in place.

That result today was a decade in the making. Portlaoise's decline as a force at underage level since the move to Rathleague has been absolutely terrifying and nobody in the county even seems to bat an eyelid at it. Portlaoise will always be up there or thereabouts at the business end of the championship given the population of the town but my god I hope today serves as a wake-up call that things need to change or the rot will just sink in deeper.

Fair play to Portarlington. The level of talent in their ranks is insane by Laois standards. The fact that they can leave fine young players like Colin Slevin and Jordan Fitzpatrick, who would otherwise walk into every other team in the county, on the bench is a real testament to the way the club is running right now. They won't be beaten in Laois for a while. 

The debate around championship restructuring in Laois is an important one, but I wouldn't hold my breath on something being done to address the systemic problems that have been staring us in the face for years now.

The truth is that there is zero appetite for change. People are happy with the championship being s***. Clubs like Killeen and The Heath, who haven't produced anything in years, retain their senior tag every year thanks to a s*** championship. Why would they want to change that?

Portlaoise out at the quarter final stage. Unprecedented really, but very much in tune with their constant, agonisingly pitiful decline over the past while. Nobody seems to give a damn in the town anymore. Awful championship overall but at least we'll have a drought ended to bring this clusterf**k of a year to an end. Something very tangible on the line for every team left.

Here's a list of 5 things that I would like to see happen this championship:

1. The relegation of one of Arles clubs - Just so I can sneer a good old-fashioned I told you so in their direction, to be honest. I have no time for their small-minded, parish loyalties trump what's good for our players and county mentality. Ideally both clubs would suffer the trapdoor fate but, as this unfortunately an impossibility, I'd still smugly settle to see one go (preferably Killeen). A very realistic possibility given both teams have a median age of about 47. This is nothing personal. Both clubs have great people involved and fantastic player commitment but they continue to hurt themselves and Laois so...

2. Stradbally struggle - This one speaks for itself. A club that fluked their way to a poor championship a few years ago and who seem quite content to just trot along as a run of the mill club, resting on former glories as being historically the second football club in the county after Portlaoise, while offering nothing other really than comic relief when they fall to a supposedly hurling club such as Ballyfin. Not entirely specific to Stradbally; could easily slap The Heath etc in there.

3. Rosenallis & Ballyfin go far - Hopefully neither club lose any of their key men. Two well run clubs thriving at both codes (a relative rarity in the country) and especially in Ballyfin's case, playing a nice brand of football. Take notes Stradbally, Mountmellick and co.

4. Portlaoise 2 - The debate of Portlaoise having a second club needs to be reignited as a necessity. The current club are cash-strapped as we all well know and, whether anyone actually wants to admit it, they tend to fish exclusively in certain parts of the town. A second club could be easily based on the Mountrath Road at the current Portlaoise College site, with the school used as a potential feeder, and serve a part of town that is not only neglected by Portlaoise, but by the county as a whole.

5. Credible challenge to Portlaoise - Only Port can realistically do this (although they might be a little preoccupied if you know what I am saying...) Nevertheless, Port have a good team and are well capable of challenging Portlaoise.

Anyways that's some of my thoughts, would be interested in hearing others.

Kildare tomorrow (weather permitting) is the ultimate acid test. Cast your minds back to the gentle May sunshine in 2017. They had just been promoted to D1, us relegated to D4. They were better than us in every way. Faster. Better conditioned. Played like an actual team. Lower age profile. In comparison we looked slow. Unfit. Disorganised. Our performance was insipid.

Tomorrow the playing field is much more level. In all honesty we haven't taken a backward step since 2017. We've climbed up two divisions, gotten to the last round of qualifiers in consecutive years and are in with a real shot of promotion to D1.

Seems like the perfect opportunity to avenge that painful loss of 2017.

Some win for Port tonight, absolutely ripped Graigue to shreds at one end but struggled to kill them off at the other. Whisper it but I'd have them as favourites to beat the town in 10 days time.

Incredible first half from Joseph's. To manage 2 whole points in 30 minutes is some going. Love their attacking, free flowing football.

Courtwood Ballylinan was one of the best club games I've seen in a while. Gary Walsh was left to do what he wanted and he did untold. Ballylinan are so much more dangerous now with him back, you wouldn't rule them out of reaching the county final. Niall Dunne's performance for Courtwood was absolutely brilliant. Such a class act, his fielding is unreal for a lad his age.

Based on what I've seen so far I'd go with
1. Portlaoise
2. O'Dempseys
3. Port
4. Killeshin
5. Graigue
6. Courtwood
7. Ballyroan
8. Emo

You could throw a blanket over Killeen, Ballylinan, Joseph's and Ballyfin who I could easily see beating Killeen. Hard to pick who'll go down but I suppose the popular pick would be Crettyard, but given how bad Stradbally and The Heath have been I'd give them a chance.

Based on current evidence so far I'd say O'Dempsey's are still a bit ahead of Port but Port have a higher ceiling. We'll see Port win county titles in the next few years but it won't be this year. Definitely a coming team and one to watch out for going forward.

Lots of insiders were happy to see Sugrue go. That's the reality. There will be no going back begging for him to come back. A man with his intelligence, demeanour and nous was a threat to them. John's the kind of person who will be successful wherever he goes. It doesn't matter who we appoint next because whoever it is will not give to Laois what John Sugrue did.

I find this unbelievable. Are you taking the piss?

Pretty much, yes. Thought I'd spin a devious CB vs Sugrue plot because clearly the idea Sugrue left first and foremost for family and work reasons isn't enough for some.

Lots of insiders were happy to see Sugrue go. That's the reality. There will be no going back begging for him to come back. A man with his intelligence, demeanour and nous was a threat to them. John's the kind of person who will be successful wherever he goes. It doesn't matter who we appoint next because whoever it is will not give to Laois what John Sugrue did.

Which club decided to break up the Crettyard/Killeshin setup? I've heard conflicting reports on this...

Billy Sheehan is not an insider pick,  he is merely serving his own C.V as he did when he played for Emo and Laois.  Be he a success or failure he adds nothing long term to Laois.  Sugrue long term even now will benefit Laois.  Whatever reasons he left I doubt it's to manage another county. Billy is an outsider the same as Micko (utterly useless long term) and all the others we choose to waste our money on for short term success.  Give it to someone in Laois,  good or bad he will be better for the experience.  I am for Malachy, Clancy, Kearns or Cotter all are risky but all will be giving back to Laois football in 50 years.  If Billy wants to come down live in Laois train a club, I have no objection.  But it's high time, we copped on to ourselves improve our own coaching rather than waste time on what are high risk outsiders anyway.  No objection to paying outsiders to help our management but the top job must remain within.

We need to make our own coaches better.

Billy played the bulk of his senior career with Emo and involved in the Laois set up. To essentially say the only reason he played with Laois was self serving is somewhat derogatory. He was of intercounty standard and he knew it, he was a valuable addition to our county and always gave his best. Like it or loath it he gave serious service to both his adopted club and county. Ask any of his former intercounty teammates what they think of Billy having played with him and you'll get as close to unanimously positive feedback as possible. What more does he have to do to prove his Laoisness? Sing Lovely Laois on main street Portlaoise wearing the 1986 replica jersey?

Malachy is probably a non contender. Our choices are slim pickings at best. I've a feeling our next manager is someone not even on our radar at the moment but Billy wouldn't be the worst choice.