Laois Club SHC 2020

[Keyser Söze]

I haven’t been too successful with the predictions, but I might as well stay going!

Rathdowney Errill v Borris Kilcotton
The battle of the two successful amalgamations generally guarantees high scoring and highly skilled affairs. As much as their attacks impress, I think both defences are particularly strong. Both managements are blessed with options when it comes to assigning match ups. I think that’s where teams struggle against RE in particular. They simply run out of suitable options to pick guys up.
Stevie Finan (King) Jim Fitz (McCane) Stephen Phelan (Ryan), Paddy Whelan (Thep??) are capable of holding firm enough. Kilbane is also very much an option here.  Will they detail guys or hold their positions?
Matthew will have to break even with Shane Dollard, no easy task.
At the other end I think RE will hurl their positions.
But Keane, Delaney, Corrigan and Purcell are again perfect for tracking good hurlers. Killeen will fancy his chances of breaking even with Aaron Dunphy. Will Kelly hurl midfield?

I had been swaying towards BK. I do think Scully is a better free taker than King. But, I’d question the work rate of at least two of the BK forwards. I think Rosenallis showed this up big time.
Very hesitantly, BK by 3/4 points.


Clough Ballacolla v Rosenallis
As was pointed out during the week in the local media, Clough Ballacolla haven’t slipped up against a team from outside the Big 4 in a long time. Possibly the 2008 semi final v Portlaoise (who were then very much amongst the top 3/4).
They play a very tactical game over the last 2 or 3 years, and seem to have really fine tuned it this year. It creates huge space up front and their movement into and around this space is very very impressive. Aidan Corby is a big player in this regard- picks up a lot of ball himself and is always an outlet for the 6 behind him. Carries very well, delivers great ball and generally pops up for a few scores from play himself.
Their forward options are very strong and it will be interesting to see if anyone gets called upon from the intermediate team to make an impact late on.
Rosenallis have been a breath of fresh air, but all insurgencies have their limitations . I do think it’s relevant that they struggled more with Ballinakill’s highly thought out approach more than the Camross and Borris Kilcotton’s off the cuff style.
It will be interesting how they handle the retreat of the Clough Ballacolla half forwards out the field. They have Lennon and John Maher who have performed excellently in free roles, and Cosgrove and the C Fennell’s don’t get dragged out of position too easily. Particularly impressed with Conor Cosgrove’s composure in this regard for a chap. However, I think this is different. CB retreat and come at you in waves, they don’t tend to puck ball away to the free men left behind.
As much as you’d love to see Rosenallis in a county final, I think Clough Ballacolla will take this by as much as 7 or 8 points.

[redsetanta]

Two big semi final wins.

Two well matched teams. The final could be a cracker.

[burdizzo]

I take it the final's not under lights this weekend, after all?

[merman]

Saturday week at 7pm I believe. Wonder will it be on tv? I think one of the local media outlets jumped the gun slightly and thought it was coming forward a week rather than just a day.
I'm not really sure why one of the two biggest games in our GAA calendar is being played on a Saturday evening rather than a Sunday afternoon.

Impressed with Clough/Ballacolla. I didn't really agree with the commentators who felt the score-line flattered them; they missed a couple of frees, hit a few wides and spurned at least 3 goal chances. I like Rosenallis and they've been a great story but I felt CB kept them at arms-length and apart from a 10 minute spell in the first half, looked a level above.
Picky Maher is getting all the plaudits but I thought Aidan Corby (well-called Keyser) was exceptional. He covered a serious amount of ground and gets on an awful lot of ball. I thought he was wasteful against RE but he has improved steadily since and provides a good foil for the more disciplined Willie Hyland beside him. Their defence has improved with the addition of Diarmuid Conway and Brian Corby. Both lads have speed and hurl with confidence and crucially, they hurl from the front. Their speed coupled with county panelists Cleere and Broderick mean that Darren Maher and Michael McEvoy are protected and provide a very physical spine. I thought Cathal Dunne was excellent in the goal and he has improved them very quickly. He might just be the heir apparent to Enda Rowland.
Up front, they have a nice mix of finishers and work-horses. Robbie Phelan hurls very deep but gets forward to good effect. They don't bring their other half-forwards as deep but they compete physically in that half line. Inside, John Dwyer started very well but I think we saw his limitations. No other team had a forward as capable as Stephen Bergin to call on and he'll push very hard to start the final. BK have shown they can shackle Picky and Willie Dunphy before; CB need both to fire, one won’t be enough.

I've had a good feeling about BK from the start. They are a complete hurling team and their forwards, midfielders and even a couple of their defenders can interchange and pop up in different positions with ease. They are relentless and their energy levels were really good on Sunday. They can hurt you in different ways because if you drop off them, they will score from range. If you push up on them; they will fire the ball into space and have the forwards to hurt you.
I thought Stephen Dunphy was really impressive and Paddy Whelan and Stephen Finan are excellent club-defenders.
I actually think five of their forwards are of inter-county standard and (Rosenallis aside) they look a little fitter and more athletic than the rest of the teams.
RE were severely blunted without Kavanagh and McCane. They have honest workers in the likes of Dollard, Darren King and Ryan but they didn’t carry the same potency. BK were able to get their match-ups right and were able to create much more threat at the other end. RE have limitations after their first 15 and though I think they’ll win an Intermediate Championship, I’m not sure they have the depth to replace a couple of ageing players.


A week and a half out, I am still inclined to back BK. I think we know how they will perform and there are more question-marks around CB. The bookies have BK favourites and I think that’s fair.

[redsetanta]

Good report there Merman.

[redsetanta]

Just watched the highlights of the BK v RE game. PJ Scully was on fire. CAn anyone explain why PJ has struggled when playing for Laois because in the club scene he is one of the best.

[merman]

Just watched the highlights of the BK v RE game. PJ Scully was on fire. CAn anyone explain why PJ has struggled when playing for Laois because in the club scene he is one of the best.

I think he might have suffered with playing with a sweeper. He is an exceptional forward but physicality can be an issue at inter-county level and when our forwards are outnumbered, it's often players like him who are squeezed out.

I'd love to see him back in though. He clearly has a lot to offer.

[Keyser Söze]

I think the timing of his run for the first BK goal was exceptional. Looks really simple, but takes great awareness, composure and patience.
From about 5:35 in this video https://www.facebook.com/244913002295773/posts/3290438041076572/?vh=e&extid=LTDKiEHtazlBop0X&d=n

He held and held and only came forward at the last minute. As a result he gathered the ball about 20m from goal rather than what most players would do, coming forward earlier and gathering about 30m from goal.
One to show juveniles.

[Keyser Söze]

Was listening to a Anthony Daly’s podcast driving to work this morning & a thought struck me.
You’d have to really feel for the club officers and team managements of Portlaoise, The Harps, CB & BK. Nightmare stuff. There are fantastic people involved in all 4 clubs, it must be gutting!
The players will get people’s sympathies (and rightly so!) but the reality these days is that they are fairly sheltered when it comes to big days like this. Huge thought, time & military level planning goes into it all, at much cost (both emotional & financial!). Some might think I’m exaggerating this, but I really don’t think I am.
To have navigated everything thus far in a crazy year successfully, have everything ready to go for Sunday.....and then, bang!
And the first thing players and supporters will naturally do is look to the club officers & team management! No doubt many will be quick to retrospectively point out what should have been done & how! Particularly on whichever side ends up without Bob!
Volunteers are hard to get for both areas (and 99.9% involved are volunteers). It’s hard to comprehend the pressure some of them must be under these days (personally & in their full time profession) while dealing with this at the same time.
You’d hope those at CB & National level in the full time employment of the GAA are pulling out all of the stops to assist.

[Ogie]

Can’t play County Final on Saturday but the hurlers of The Harps, Portlaoise, Clough Ballacolla & Borris Kilcotton can go to Carlow tonight put on a Laois Jersey & hurl a practice game 🙃🤪🙃🤪

[ottoman]

Can’t play County Final on Saturday but the hurlers of The Harps, Portlaoise, Clough Ballacolla & Borris Kilcotton can go to Carlow tonight put on a Laois Jersey & hurl a practice game 🙃🤪🙃🤪

I know but John Horan openly said the games are not the issue, its the scenes that have follow the recent county final wins where the problem lies. And unfortunately some counties also took the biscuit with their allowance of numbers into the ground, especially when most off these games are being televised or stream for all to see! I do agree though that if they were going to pull the plug it should have been for all, this just creates more club v county debate that is not needed now!!!

[Ogie]

I am as we all are here huge Gaa people, but the only reason the plug was pulled so early by the Gaa was to save more bad press to save the inter county season & the money it brings from tv rights 💰.

On another previous point, Keyzer, agree, I’ve watched PJ Scullys goal, brilliant goal, brilliant ball from Foyle, most would have knocked it over the bar,
I was watching one of the BK coaches who was outside the barrier telling Scully & Dunphy to keep deep, obviously something they have worked on, as do Ballacolla

Feel it would have been a good final.

[ottoman]

I am as we all are here huge Gaa people, but the only reason the plug was pulled so early by the Gaa was to save more bad press to save the inter county season & the money it brings from tv rights 💰.

On another previous point, Keyzer, agree, I’ve watched PJ Scullys goal, brilliant goal, brilliant ball from Foyle, most would have knocked it over the bar,
I was watching one of the BK coaches who was outside the barrier telling Scully & Dunphy to keep deep, obviously something they have worked on, as do Ballacolla

Feel it would have been a good final.

I agree, this was the point I was trying to make. Horan made it clear that the games weren't the issue which allows him to go ahead with the inter county scene. I do think something had to be done though as we have all seen some people were starting to take advantage of the allowances and it wasn't looking good for the GAA as a whole. I don't agree with his decision to go with inter county at the expense of the club, what happened to all in this together? What will the scenes be like if Mayo or Wexford win an All Ireland? 

Anyway enough on that. I was really looking forward to this county final. I felt the last few weren't hectic as a spectacle but I had a good feeling about this one! Thought BK would take it by 2/3 points in the end in a high scoring affair.

[Ogie]

Much quieter build up to a usual county final, awfully pity it couldn’t have been hurled when it was originally fixed

Borris Kilcotton should have the greater fire power overall if they hurl to abilities
But Clough Ballacolla have been here before have plenty of experience and quality, and will be desperate to eek out one more final, while BK need to establish themselves with their golden crop

Hopefully a good game,
Borris Kilcotton by 4

[Giovanni]

I assume attendance is still heavily restricted or what’s the story?