Laois Club SHC 2020

[marty34]

Eddie loves Eddie,  doubt he will get Kilkenny job after the U21’s.  They don’t rate the Joe McDonagh down there.   LCB were upfront in the way they planned the club calendar,  Eddie started dictating through the press, I’d say Ned Quinn In Kilkenny “would love that” !

Is Eddie still doing a lot of media work?

I'd say his win against Dublin last year evens up his U21 loss with Kilkenny a few years ago.

I think also e's not 'modest' enough to be KK manager if he's always in the media...if that makes sense.

[blueandwhite1]

Eddie is no different from any good manager in fighting with the LCB. It’s not as if they are superstars and more often than not they have no interest in what’s best for Laois hurling.

The only managers who didnt fight with the county board are the journeymen clowns who should never have been in the job in the first place.

I agree with Merman’s assessment of Eddie. An ambitious capable manager that wants to enhance his reputation through bringing Laois forward. Grand. Let’s get behind him. A hammering off Dublin because we have no training done won’t be good for anyone.

[Ogie]

Eddie wants all county panelist’s to go in & train with the county three times in the coming week, including the players from the six clubs hurling next weekend, & is putting pressure on the players to be there.
Is that fair?? Time for Clubs to say no & Counth Board to say no.

Mike Quirke does not require any footballers still involved the week before their club game.

[burdizzo]

I was under the impression the football championship was being 'parked' until after the inter-county?

I agree w/ blueandwhite1. Of course the club championship is important, but we are unfortunately in exceptional circumstances and some sort of accommodation is needed. Lads calling for clubs to pull their players are as short-sighted as they come. Do we want to see Laois hurling doing well on a bigger stage, or not?

[Keyser Söze]

Any news on Mark Kavanagh? Or any other injury concerns for the 3 games this weekend?

[merman]

I think Kavanagh is out for the semi-final with only a small chance of being available for a final.
Hopefully will be available for the Dublin game if things heal properly and he doesn't require surgery.

[Keyser Söze]

I think that’s huge. BK have the defenders to assign and one less major match up will be a big boost. Laois semi finals & finals regularly come down to a battle of free takers too.
Is Roddy as accomplished as PJ in that department? I’d be inclined to say no.

[SpeculativeEffort]

Rosenallis have the sticky defenders and legs to frustrate Clough Ballacolla's danger men. If they can avoid a shootout I think they will do it. Verdict Rosenallis by less than 3

If Kavanagh is out that is a colossal blow for RE. He has been flying it in last two games. Neither team impressed v the stronger teams in groups. RE lucky to draw with CB. BK very lucky to beat Camross. Lost to Rosenallis. Either team could kick start their year here with a big performance. Still think RE will sneak it however. 

[merman]

Rosenallis have the sticky defenders and legs to frustrate Clough Ballacolla's danger men. If they can avoid a shootout I think they will do it. Verdict Rosenallis by less than 3

If Kavanagh is out that is a colossal blow for RE. He has been flying it in last two games. Neither team impressed v the stronger teams in groups. RE lucky to draw with CB. BK very lucky to beat Camross. Lost to Rosenallis. Either team could kick start their year here with a big performance. Still think RE will sneak it however.

I'll go against you.

I have a sneaky feeling Rosenallis have one more kick in them and I agree that the Clough/Ballacolla forwards won't relish the close attention they will receive but surely CB are forewarned now. It is worth mentioning that BK didn't have to win the last day and without diluting Rosenallis' achievement, it is a different challenge to knock one of the big teams out completely.
I don't see a huge score in Rosenallis against a decent CB defence. If there is a low free count for Rosenallis, I can't see them scoring enough from play. They are excellent in defence and this time last year, BK really frustrated the CB forwards and that won the game. The return of Picky, though, has been a massive boost and I think CB will just about have enough.
CB by 5.

I've had a feeling all year that BK might be the team to beat.
The Ballinakill game aside, they haven't really hit their stride but I expect a big performance on Sunday. Their forwards can be a bit hot and cold but I think they'll be determined to right a few wrongs after a quite insipid performance against RE last year. RE have been the bench-mark over the last decade or so and won't relinquish their crown easily but as Keyser said, the loss of Kavanagh is huge. He's a class act and a threat from play and placed balls whilst also having a great attitude towards hard work. I think his loss could be telling and I'm going to back BK but it'll be very tight and I wouldn't rule out extra time or penalties!

[Silkyskillssunshinee]

Clough-Ballacolla to beat Rosenallis by 7.

Borris-Kilcotton to beat Rathdowney-Errill by 2.

[Keyser Söze]

Still unsure about tonight’s game.
They are generally well matched, but Castletown may have a better spread of hurlers with potential. Potential being the key word. Albeit they have been very poor to date this year, both tactically and in their general determination/application.
They would have been considered a young team 2-3 years ago. Time flies and they don’t seem to have improved at all.
Ballinakill are the other end of the spectrum and certainly look mentally stronger and more capable of dealing with how poorly their season has gone.
I’m edging towards Ballinakill, their scoring average & range of scorers has been far greater.
Ballinakill by 4.

[Keyser Söze]

Good win for Castletown. Sounded like a reasonably entertaining game too.

Not SHC I know, but some good games in store today.

Portlaoise v Camross
The obvious answer is Portlaoise...but... Camross will rattle this big time. The seniors gone will have afforded them the opportunity to prepare fully for this one. It’s actually rare enough that a second team gets the space and preference to do that. They have of course lost a few and that will certainly limit them a little. Literred with clever former seniors and backed up by guys who have hurled Senior quite a bit at league and Palmer Cup level over the last year or two.
Cleverness on the field and on the line here. One of the most underrated coaches in Laois in charge. And I think they will take this.
Presuming Healy won’t be there, and even with the influence of Tommy Fitz and O’ Mahoney, I think Camross’ defence could well hold out.
Mossey Burke v Ciaran McEvoy could be crucial. Neither will stay in their position and are both likely to hurl a lot of loose ball. Where Taylor plays & how fit he is could be deciding factor in this one.
Difficult one to call, if Taylor doesn’t hurl outfield I’d go with Camross by 4.

The Harps v Slieve Bloom
 The Harps should have too much here, and I can’t see them being caught. Fantastic year for Slieve Bloom, but they are operating with less quality and a smaller panel.
Key thing for The Harps is not to overcomplicate things.
Watching them over the past few years and I think perhaps management could be guilty of trying to outwit oppositions tactically and losing the focus of their own strengths- they are man for man well ahead of all other teams at this level. There is a place for tactical innovation and a place for simplifying things: this is the latter.
Unlike Healy, I am told that Ben Conroy will figure, but I don’t think that will be enough.
The Harps by 8

Colt Shanahoe to beat a dogged Mountrath.

In the intermediate I’d go for Clough Ballacolla & Rathdowney Errill.

[Keyser Söze]

Can somebody phone Jack Nolan before tomorrow’s game please. This is very difficult to listen to!

[SpeculativeEffort]

Can somebody phone Jack Nolan before tomorrow’s game please. This is very difficult to listen to!

Give them a chance. Everyone has to start somewhere. I enjoy Carter. He is enthusiastic and generally quite well informed. Cant be easy talking for over an hour without making a few mistakes.

[Keyser Söze]

I too enjoy Carter! He understands whats happening in front of him.