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Probably weakest Division 2 in a long long time

DERRY  in transition and have a poor league record .

DOWN have been flirting with division 3 a long time now and have produced little in Ulster to say they are much better than an Antrim Cavavan or Fermanagh
MEATH have done little in recent years to suggest they are a top 10 side
CORK only back up the divisions after a big change over in players
ROSSIES this is their level never a division 1 team
CLARE will be lucky to stay up better sides in division 3
GALWAY  prob the only team that could stay up in division 1 and will walk this division
OFFALY a long time since they have been up this far in the divisions and again they will struggle they would get it hard against at least 6 of the division 3 teams in my opinion.

Overall apart from Galway it's the first time in a while maybe up to 3 division 1 type teams ain't in division 2 .

Its wide open after Galway I'd expect maybe Roscommon and Derry to battle for 2nd spot   

Big win for Laois

I agree with the above .

Finn and Lillis were good in patches .

I know there was quite a few carrying knocks so hopefully a week will do them good .

Great win in horrible conditions on a poor pitch .

Bolger was great .

James Kelly man of the match

Word on the street is Moore injured, Foster might start.

Illness .. Walsh certainly took his chance .

Great win

Mickey Harte will have a few tricks up the sleeve no doubt .

I expect a tough game with little in it .

I hope a few players like Finn ,O Carroll and O Flynn have all recovered from their heavy knocks as they have been excellent in the games so far .

I'd expect Johnno to have a tough day as Harte loves a tactic of a different style number 11 ,I hope Laois dont fall for it and match up accordingly while holding position

Good O Byrne cup run we learned loads .

One noticeable thing was the accuracy of James Finn 's kick passing especially to Evan .

Such a breath of fresh air to have that weapon in a Laois team .

He did well on Fenton in spells who is without a doubt the most complete footballer I've ever seen in the flesh.
The size of him aswell Finn and Lillis are big men but they looked like school kids beside him .

Dublin will play a good few fringe players this weekend they will be keeping their bit hitters till  Meath Donegal Mayo games i think we might keep it tighter than people think .
I'm going for a respectable 9 points defeat .

Fair post Unlaoised,   Think you may have left out one of the starting 15.

Who ?

Lads, how is the county boards fault that so many strong hurlers won't commit? It is not as if the set up or funding isn't there. Surely the blame for the fact that almost nobody from Camross wants to hurl with Laois lies with Camross? Then when you look at the long list of Leigh Bergin, PJ Scully, Joe Campion, Cha Dwyer etc. etc. I would bet that what is most galling to Eddie is the number of capable players that don't want to play senior hurling. Simply can't be competitive in a small county unless everyone is in pushing for places.

I'm no fan of the county board but sometimes they are used (a bit like the government) to hide where the real accountability lies - with the clubs and the players themselves.

Completely agree with you,nail on the head

I don't think anyone that's anyway informed on what's going is blaming the CB

They have done their very  best in relation to the set up

Eddie Brennan and his management also can't be blamed for the year ahead.

The lads that don't want to commit and their clubs in certain circumstances are where the blame resides

Are the CB not the reason why he was going to walk? A demand not met?

It's nothing to do with the CB,he's pulling his hair out at the attitude amongst those who won't commit.

I wouldn't blame him if he walked

No outsider manager of consequence or substance  would ever touch laois again.

We will be back to chasing the likes of Eamon Kelly and every other mercenary journey man manager all over again

Fact hurling is only going one way after this year im afraid ...

So sad when you see the seems against Dublin and Tipp last year ...the train journey to the Tipp game was like a throw back to laois under micko

Eddie had to be talked into staying I heard he was for the off a few weeks back

I thought the support was okay .
Lots there from Armagh but good spatter from Laois and they gave them a great reception going off at half time .

Here is my ratings for what its worth
I respect every player in a county shirt it's only an opinion and I don't mean to cause any offence


CORBET -7  Decent kickouts and comfortable going forward with the ball one really hairy moment but looks the part .

BYRNE-8 What a debut what a find .composed tenacious and scored a great point .Hopefully more to come .

TIMMONS -9 Like a good red wine getting better with age .His point was worth the extra fiver admission fee .

HANRAHAN -7 Solid looks very fit and strong great option there with Attride missing

O'FLYNN -7 Did well in spells and his harrying was good.Nice reader of the game too

PIGOTT -8 One of his best games in a Laois shirt .Strong and hardy blocks up the middle well .
Once he keeps the temper in check and his distribution simple he will be player for manys a year.

O'SULLIVAN -6 Some good things and bad things .3 very wayward passes in the first half one which could have cost us a goal but great speed and he will grow into this team.

O'LOUGHLIN -8 Looks trim and in great condition .started slowly but by the end he was in control of the middle .
Great at tackling the ball in the contact something all our lads could learn .

BYRNE-7 worked hard got on a lot of break ball and shows great drive going forward can only get better

KEOGH -7 Quiet in spells but did score a great opening point for Laois

MURPHY -6 Not one of his better games but was double marked for a lot of it did draw a great foul near the end to kill the game .He will improve cause he has it all to be a real important player for us .

LOWRY -8 Got through an ocean of work before his harsh black card .did well when he came on aswell .
Good intelligence on the ball and off it .

BARRY -8 Excellent on the frees ,Munnelly must be helping him a very similiar style .
Lovely point at the end too .

LILLIS -8 Great composure on the ball ,He was everywhere and broke some great ball from our own kickouts .
Nice point in the first half aswell

O'CARROLL- 9 What a player when fit .
Won so much ball and was Laois's main target in there .Was unplayable at times .bit more composure and he could have kicked 10 points


Collins Munnelly o connor Healy and Connolly all did well when they came in
Especially Collins and Healy who tightened up the backs and added fresh legs at a vital time .


Overall as a fan I can't wait for the next game .

The players must feel the same

Rumours that the Kingstons could be coming back maybe Dillion too ?

If Begley and Attride are also knocking around towards the end of the league we will have a strong 30 to pick from

3100 at Laois v Armagh

Big crowd for a Saturday night

Munnelly's championship debut was in 2003. Into his 18th year playing for Laois!

Some record


Talk of Roscommon missing players

Laois are .missing stacks from the panel aswell

Captain fantastic Stephen Attride
All star nominee keeper Brody
Portlaoise Gareth Dillion prob their most consistent defender in last year's.

Ex Ozzie rules player and former captain Colm Begley

Two twin Towers in Brendan Quigley and Kevin Meaney both retired just recently

Their marque forward the Giant Donie Kingston and the top scorer from play for them in last year's championship his brother Paul Kingston

The list goes on

Scully is involved .
I'd expect him to play some part on Saturday


Why the early throw inn ?

I was shocked Healy came on too ...he was at fault for the goal .

But he wasnt as bad as people are making out.

O'Carroll and Lillis were the best players .

I thought Evan could have had more frees .

His contest with the Rossie marker was as tough as what you'd see in the 90s .

Corbett didn't do much wrong but Brody is just so good he must get back in soon .


Piggot was excellent too .

Noticeable how small we were compare to Roscommon


I think we will beat Armagh I hear all wasn't well in Cavan camp