2019 All Ireland Football Qualifiers

Started by Don Draper, June 11, 2019, 02:38:45 PM

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MasterJ


High Fielder

I think we learned plenty about ourselves against Meath and Cork. First and foremost, at this level, you have to be able to win your own ball. Particularly yesterday, it was maddening to see the long kick to the isolated man. At best it's 50/50 and when you don't commit to the break, the percentages go against you. The better teams won't allow Cork to do that.

Our tackling when run at is as bad as I have seen at this level. Obviously the momentum is with the attacking team, but technically, we have to be better than we are. There was an inevitability that they would score when they ran at us. To a lesser extent, we were well capable of boring holes in their back line, and I thought their coach was codding himself when he said they got sloppy. Their full back got a roasting off  Donie. A proper roasting. The ref allowed their man plenty of rope, but we should have hanged him. He'll get exposed badly in the Super 8's.

We missed Benny Carroll badly. Benny wanders all over the place and has a habit of getting on the ball. He uses it well too, and that's so important to Sugrue's style. In fairness, I have to say that the most improvement has come in this department. When we did have the ball, which wasn't as often as you would like, we used it well. This has been our saving grace. I have heard plenty of talk in the county about players who should be playing and they're better at this or that. I don't agree. Players who don't have the pace or who don't work hard enough have fallen by the wayside. They can be as good as they like at this or that, but others have to carry them and will always have to carry them. They are a luxury you can't afford, and whilst yesterday will fuel this sort of debate, I am happy in my head that this is where we are right now and that Sugrue is doing the best he can with what is available to him. The modern game requires work, work, work. You can get away with stuff against poorer teams, but the better teams will expose all your weaknesses. That doesn't mean that we didn't pick the right team or didn't use the right system. It just means that the other team is better than you, and Cork were better than us yesterday on so many levels.

on the hop

looking back on it now, cork had their homework done on us, really went after our strengths and exposed our weaknesses. we stayed with them well for the guts of half an hour, creaking a bit at times before half time but the little spurt of 4 points to stretch the lead before the interval and then the first 10 after half time and the game was over. the rest of the game played out like a challenge match, we had numerous chances but were never going to be caught and the step up in pace killed us all evening, it wasn't helped by some crazy tactical decisions, but I don't want to commit heresy discussing them.

the key to me really looked like the failure to win kickouts when the game was in the mix. the full press saw us having to go long far to often and mostly towards Jol. they swamped the area around him, bringing both their wing forwards in and broke a lot of ball. brody doesn't have the length of kick to go over this so we tried a few short ones but were under a lot of pressure, lillis won a few but often in the corner and any possession we got had to translated into scores, but again we had some poor misses. with deane and McCarthy having a free role across their half forward line they drove down the centre often breaking tackles. we never really handled deane at all and often he laid off ball to looping forwards for handy scores. pressure on the kickers was minimal. the space down the sides allowed both their wing backs to drive at will. they had massive pace, an advantage they had in a number of areas on the field and created numerous overlaps and stretched our defense. it was very like the meath game with Keoghan. with no protection in front of the full back line and a succession of ball coming in along with untracked runners , they were badly exposed. it wasn't helped by some awful defending and 4-20 is a massive score to concede and possibly it could have been more. 7-33 in the two games against opposite that we would hope that we are getting close to or passing has to lead to a re-think of what we are at in terms of a defensive structure. its a pity the year had to end like this after a lot of progress has been made.

Tony

Quote from: BallyroanAbu on July 06, 2019, 08:10:00 PM
Cork are no use Tony,  but still have faith in Sugrue but that was winnable.
You sound very confused Ballyroan. Cork just beat us by 14 points. And still you say they're no use. Bit deluded to be fair. Cork are clearly preparing for the championship, they've got a good manager now with a top record, they've gotten rid of the old dinousaur managers and tactics. The new manager knows power and pace does a lot of damage. Cork wont be a walk over against Dublin either, mark my words. They'll lose to Dublin but not by more than 6. They'll come very close to Tyrone, could go either way. They'll beat Roscommon. We lost to a good side and there's no shame in it. We'll be back stronger for 2020.

I feel bad for Colm and Mark Timmons that they didn't get more of a run of it this year. I really hope nobody retires, even Ross. I didn't see anyone who needs to retire yet. These lads mind themselves well and can go another few years (I'm referring to the Begleys / JOLs etc). Donie was really coming good the last few games and I hope he continues that into next year, he is a class player through and through. His fitness came along well as the year progressed. I hope the lads see the potential for us to be better and stick around. I also hope we see Healy and Merideth for 2020. And we could do with Zach Tuohy if he's feeling like ripping up the championship next year; what a difference he would make. Well done to all involved for the progress we've made this year. Next year it gets a bit more serious.

Brody
Healy Timmons Merideth
Attride Begley Dillon
JOL Lillis
Scully Zach Tuohy Benny Carroll
Paul Kingston  Donie  Evan O' Carroll.

Plenty of the younger lads coming through knocking at the door too, but I still see this as our best 15, strong lines, everybody playing in their best position.

Silkyskillssunshinee

.Brody
Healy Timmons Merideth
Attride Begley Dillon
JOL Lillis
Scully Zach Tuohy Benny Carroll
Paul Kingston  Donie  Evan O' Carroll.



Meredith corner back..?

Hopefully a few of the younger lads come on board next year, the likes of Saunders, Whelan, Tyrell etc and they can offer real competition.

Although it would be difficult to see fron that game against Cork, some progress has been made this year again. The league is more important for us than championship in a way, hopefully we can at least maintain our place in Division 2 next year.


Countyminor

I somehow doubt Zach Tuohy would walk away from being a professional athlete to slog it out with Laois in a likely battle to stay in Div 2. Healy is over the road as far as intercounty football goes I'd imagine unfortunately, and Meredith has no interest in going back. Time to look to the future as Sugrue has been this year. The likes of Scully, Pigott, Benny Carroll, Saunders, Eoin Dunne, Tyrell, Barry, O'Flynn etc are all hopefully capable of taking over from the old guard.

Laois fan

Is that team a pisstake about ten lads 30 or over pace is a must in modern game what we need now is to build for future and back our youngsters while maybe changing our system,dublin as good as they our play with a sweeper we cant afford not 2.saying that would like to see meredith back involved but dont think hes ever played corner back

Chrimtain

Its ridiculous to be thinking pf going back to Cahir Healy, Zach Touhy and Conor Meredith. There is enough young talent there without having to do that. Coached right, the young players can help Laois bridge the gap.

SCFC

There's as much chance of me playing for Laois next year as Zack Touhy. And Conor Meredith has made it 100% clear that a bit of club football is as much as he wants.
Cahir, Mark and Colm are all going to be 34 or 35 next year.
The future is lads like Diarmuid Whelan, O'Flynn, Tyrell, Barry and maybe lads a little older like Hitchcock (who I really like) and maybe Keane of The Heath.

on the hop


town1980

I think John has brought massive respectability to Laois the last two years but yesterday was not a great day at the office  but he admitted it so for that massive respect 👍

Keyser Söze

Very distant observer. Laois have rebounded to where they were, no mean feat. Takes organisation and hard work to arrest a slide and put honesty and organisation front and centre.
Taking another step, (being competitive in Div 2 and taking a scalp in the championship), could take years. It may not happen in Sugrue's time. Hopefully he stays for another couple of years. The key is the next appointment. He has steadied the ship, turned it around and started sailing in the right direction. Whether it's 2020 or 2022 don't let another eejit walk in, f**k it all up and walk away counting the dollars.
The greatest trick the devil ever pulled.......

Chrimtain

What John Sugrue has done with Laois in wo years is very impressive. He has achieved promotion twice and gotten us to the last twelve in the country for two years in a row. I hope he is around for many years to come. Looking around, it seems to me, there is plenty of young raw material to bridge he gap to the next level.

Tony

I'd love if Sugrue stayed around for years. He's not perfect and he's still "learning on the job". He did make errors this year, but who doesn't. He's a fantastic person for the role. I'm sick of seeing new managers every couple of years - there's no continuity then, and inevitably we get journeymen who set the county back for years. There's a great culture of respect and working hard now, in Laois football. Nobody is guaranteed their spot. I hope Sugrue becomes a Boylan / Cody / Harte / Gavin type long - term presence within Laois football. We've made huge strides and things are looking up. I hope he has the desire to keep going with Laois. 

High Fielder

Well said Keyser. He has definitely made us more organised. He has changed the culture and the mindset too. There are good players not on the panel and good players on the panel who need to do more. Talent alone should never be enough to guarantee you a place, and in the current climate, your work rate is just as important.

The next step will be interesting. The good work done by Sugrue has brought us to this point. The organisation and hard work that Keyser spoke about. Now we need to address those problem areas. The ones that have caused us problems for a long time. You get away with them against lesser opposition, but the cracks open wide against better teams. Kieran Lillis would be my centre back every day of the week. Johnno would always get a place too, probably at centre half forward. But we need to find two midfielders, and without applying too much pressure, I'd gamble on Dunne and Tyrell. The two others could drop back and push forward on kickouts and ease them in. Clean ball is rare enough, and we need to be hungry around the break. If there are better options out there I'd gladly welcome some names, but these to my eye are the two most natural looking midfielders. Sometimes you have to gamble and it would be a big one. So what if we drop back a Divison? We have to prepare for the next step.

The whole back division needs serious remedial work. Tackling in particular needs urgent attention. I have to be honest and say I'm not convinced that we have players good enough in some key positions. That means we have to develop, and we go right back to what McNulty tried to do with Meaney. That didn't work because it was a hunch and no more, and maybe the next solution might be the same. But hopefully there are lads out there who have the necessary skills to adapt. Failing that, it's back to square pegs in round holes, and if Saturday taught us anything, it's that you can't play that game forever.

I hope that Sugrue stays. I will beg him if I have to. He's a good man and he has us in his heart. You can see that. He could do with the best backs coach we can afford in there to help him. But keep him we must, because the alternatives don't bear thinking about.