2015 Laois Senior Hurling

[redsetanta]

Lot of good points but Galway winning the toss and playing with the wind also contributed big time. There's no way they would have built up such a score if they were hitting into that wind. I think it would have been a much different outcome had we won the toss. It might be simplifying things but it was a huge factor.

[Teo Lurley]

Galway have far better hurlers than us. It's hard to come up with any system that can overcome this fact.

[Mossy Bruce]

Where would we the best place to buy Laois gear (flags, jerseys, etc.) that would ship to The States?

Thanks.

[Helix]

Colgans of Portlaoise do all Laois gear providing you cover postage as well. Great selection in there and good for buying local. Otherwise the oneills website.

[Mossy Bruce]

Colgans of Portlaoise do all Laois gear providing you cover postage as well. Great selection in there and good for buying local. Otherwise the oneills website.

Thanks, Helix!

[redsetanta]

A link to Colgans store for official Laois gear.

http://colgansports.com/gaa-store/club-laois-gear/?p=2

This site has a great selection of Laois tops, jerseys, hoodies etc not official but you'll definately find something there. Some flags etc on second page.

http://www.thegaastore.com/en/County-Laois/psg-22.aspx

[Mossy Bruce]

A link to Colgans store for official Laois gear.

http://colgansports.com/gaa-store/club-laois-gear/?p=2

This site has a great selection of Laois tops, jerseys, hoodies etc not official but you'll definately find something there. Some flags etc on second page.

http://www.thegaastore.com/en/County-Laois/psg-22.aspx

Thanks, redsetanta. I appreciate it!

[Jimmy P]

O Neills site currently selling some Laois gear at very reasonable rates. A lot cheaper than Colgans!

https://www.oneills.com/sale/gaa-sale.html#/sale/gaa-sale.html?p=5

[finbar o tool]

Elverys have a good selection too but dont know if there is a price difference?
just an FYI i was in supervalue in the square portlaoise this morning, there is Laois iphone cases, mini jerseys for the car window, little flags etc there too.

[TheGreatGame]

A tough weekend for Laois supporters to put it mildly!  Laois actually got off to a great start but we needed everything to go right for us and it didn't.  Paddy Purcell could just as easily scored a goal after his surging run, and then to concede such a soft one ourselves just sapped the team of drive and energy.  The goal also gave Galway the breathing space they needed, and efforts that were going wide before the goal all went over after it.

I agree with Finbar on a lot of his points.  Playing with a sweeper is one thing and it was the correct call against such a strong wind, but when a team plays without a full forward line it's going to be a case of death by a thousand cuts.  There is a balance that needs to be reached.  For years we were naive beyond belief, going out man for man, letting our half back line be pulled out and time and again our full back line would be torn asunder.  No team, not even Kilkenny, leaves it's six backs to deal with the opposition six forwards man to man.  There are numerous examples in the recent KK v Wex game of Eoin Larkin, Walter Walsh etc., back on their own 40`or further turning over possession or getting in hooks and blocks.  If Eoin Larkin is fit enough to do that at this stage of his career (and still pose a massive attacking threat) I don't see why our more athletic guys like Picky and Joe Campion couldn't perform such a role.  I understand of course that Larkin is arguably the best wing forward of his generation, but the role he plays needs to be really examined. 

We have Dublin up next and just like Laois some of their players, particularly the full back line, will have serious confidence issues after their Galway game.  Are we going to test them and see if they crack?  Or are we going to let Mark Schutte who conceded 3 goals in ten mins against Galway pop over a few points from corner back to get his confidence back on track?  Why not at least try putting in Cha or Picky in on him and target him for the opening ten mins.  Similarly if Peter Kelly is out they don't have a full back.  Why not throw Hyland in full forward and land in high ball and see where it takes us?  However the game pans out I'll be very disappointed if we don't go out and at least have a right go at Dublin.  We're no world beaters but we're better than we showed against Galway.

Ps. Any word on Foyle?

[CruiseCigar]

Both laois and Dublin got hammered by a good Galway team. Recken Kilkenny v Galway will be some encou ter. Nevertheless think laois still have an opportunity against Dublin. Think sweeper will be kept but as some have said we need to be adaptable as the games progresses if we do and we let forwards be forwards we may achieve something

[CruiseCigar]

O Neills site currently selling some Laois gear at very reasonable rates. A lot cheaper than Colgans!

https://www.oneills.com/sale/gaa-sale.html#/sale/gaa-sale.html?p=5

Note that oneill overseas cannot sell the laois kit with three stripes check out site first to ensure they are not different. This happened when I tried to but somthing based in London.

Also try lifestyle sports

[finbar o tool]

For what its worth, i reckon Galway get beat by 10 points in the leinster final...
Dublin were very poor against them, and we were worse. those 2 soft games will have done nothing only give false hope! Dublin will be improved a lot for our game, no doubt about that but they are not world beaters either and hopefully we can change things up a bit and give them a rattle. especially with a strong home crowd behind them.
just a side note to that, nearly all of our players have never hurled in Croke Park. i was involved with the county underage set up before women and drink took over!  and thats the age we all start dreaming of hurling in Croker, that dream doesn't go away though and i thought it a bit,... struggling to find the right word here, but maybe, harsh/unfair? i think the GAA should accommodate all counties so that they get a game in Croke park, at least once every 2 years or so, for the experience of it if nothing else. just for talks sake we beat Galway in that semi, most if not all of our players would have been playing in Croke park for the first time. which would probably knock some about mentally. i just think the likes of Willie Hyland and Tommy Fitzgerald etc, with the set up for 10 years or so, they deserve a game in HQ.

[G@@]

...i think the GAA should accommodate all counties so that they get a game in Croke park, at least once every 2 years or so, for the experience of it if nothing else...

No way, Croke Park should be a reward for hard work, not some fluffy feeling about "being there".

In other news, a good workout against a Munster powerhouse last night I believe.

[Don Draper]

For what its worth, i reckon Galway get beat by 10 points in the leinster final...
Dublin were very poor against them, and we were worse. those 2 soft games will have done nothing only give false hope! Dublin will be improved a lot for our game, no doubt about that but they are not world beaters either and hopefully we can change things up a bit and give them a rattle. especially with a strong home crowd behind them.
just a side note to that, nearly all of our players have never hurled in Croke Park. i was involved with the county underage set up before women and drink took over!  and thats the age we all start dreaming of hurling in Croker, that dream doesn't go away though and i thought it a bit,... struggling to find the right word here, but maybe, harsh/unfair? i think the GAA should accommodate all counties so that they get a game in Croke park, at least once every 2 years or so, for the experience of it if nothing else. just for talks sake we beat Galway in that semi, most if not all of our players would have been playing in Croke park for the first time. which would probably knock some about mentally. i just think the likes of Willie Hyland and Tommy Fitzgerald etc, with the set up for 10 years or so, they deserve a game in HQ.

Provincial Semi Finals should be held in Croke Park. They are in the football, and should be in the hurling also.