Laois County Football Leagues all chat in here

[High Fielder]

Agreed. Look at the situation from Crettyard to Graiguecullen. How many senior clubs in such a small area?  Combined they could do something. Divided they are all moderate enough. They don't all have to join up, but the two Arles clubs in particular have really cut their noses off to spite their face. Egos denying lads the chance to win a medal. Pathetic.

[BallyroanAbbey]

I also agree that the relationship that ballyroan and abbeyleix have had has been hugely benificial to the clubs, I would actually be of the opinion that we should be one club under the one name (Abbeyleix/Ballyroan, St Lazariens,etc) one crest, one parish as that is kind of where it has been heading anyway, would also drive the final nail into Ballypickas too

[Keyser Söze]

From hurling end of things that would lead to the following;

Clonad-Shanahoe-Colt
Abbeyleix-Ballypickas or Ballinakill-Ballypickas
Mountrath-Trumera
Castletown-Slieve Bloom
Camross-Kyle or Borris-Kilcotton-Kyle
Rosenallis-Clonaslee

Hard to see some of these happening!

[SCFC]

That Division 2 final result is scary. Portlaoise second string hammered Annanough by 20+ points. The gaps are huge.
Good win for The Heath in Division 1 final. Will they give Portlaoise a run for it in the first round of the championship?

[Saint75]

Does anyone know when the 1st round of Senior Championship will be now with the minor quarter-final on 30th?

[BallyroanAbu]

they are looking at going midweek of that week

[Saint75]

Championship on 31st. Only 24hrs recovery for anyone involved. Clubs will have to look after there young players as the county board obviously don't care....

[Downtheroad]

Championship on 31st. Only 24hrs recovery for anyone involved. Clubs will have to look after there young players as the county board obviously don't care....

a few of them were out playing minor hurling last night and have adult club games this week.   

[Keyser Söze]

Championship on 31st. Only 24hrs recovery for anyone involved. Clubs will have to look after there young players as the county board obviously don't care....

That is a disgrace and is a much more serious Player Welfare issue than the bullshit surrounding the farce of having U16/U17/Minor competitions all overlapping.

To have Minor Preliminary Rounds on 26th/27th June was a solid disgrace.
Stradbally Parish Gaels & Sarsfields (in football)  and Castletown Slieve Bloom & St Fintan's Gaels (in hurling) were all eliminated from the Minor Championships within 3/4 days of the Leaving Cert ending. That is not an adequate games programme for 16-18 years olds by any standards.
All so they can squeeze in an U17 competition, to run at the same time as the U16 competition.
Crazy.

[BallyroanAbu]

I think we have more than anyone involved on the minor panel, we also have more playing hurling and football than most and we are happy to go ahead with Senior Championship on Sunday 31st July.  What choice have the county board the minors win and they are holding games up till September.  All our minors are ok with the decision.  Not everyone is going to be happy they have little room to work with.   This is why the minor grade is been abandoned and yet I think BallyroanAbbey was one of the few clubs looking for the minor to be abandoned as well as the age grade to be risen for Senior Adult Games within Laois.   

[Saint75]

All Ireland Semi Final is not until August 21st. They could play the games mid week or postpone for 1 week. Playing games 24hrs after an All Ireland quarter final is surely not the best option.

[BallyroanAbu]

I think it's a non issue.  I don't hear anyone complaining much in our club and I think we are the worst affected. U17 is now the most important grade they were actually squeezing in the minor & U16.

[Saint75]

Typical ignorant attitude towards our young players.

[BallyroanAbu]

Is this the standard reply when you don't like what's been said.  The U17 grade is been brought in to alleviate the demands on young players as is the rise of age for adult players.  Minor & U16 are on their way out thats national policy the night it was argued in Portlaoise about 3 clubs including Ballyroan were in favor of this been brought in.  It's a tough first year but after that it will be fine.  The county board accommodated the clubs by having a minor championship. Because no matter what you think the U18 is on the way out and that eases fixture congestion as well as the burden on younger players. 

[Keyser Söze]

Ballyroan Abu,
I agree wholeheartedly that minor in Laois should have been changed to U17 for 2016. And I have been saying that since last Novemeber.

However, when the change didn't  get through, slapping in these 3 competitions in the manner they have been brought in was not a idea with any foresight. Just because the clubs don't agree to a change, doesn't mean you can sulk and do what you like with competitions.

I don't agree with the age grade changing to having to be over 17 to play adult, I think that is totally unnecessary, but once that rule came in nationally, Laois will have to change to 11-13-15-17, for the sake of competitions within the county.
And I can't believe people are talking about "easing the burden" on younger players, considering how close to a Leinster Final and All Ireland Quarter Final our minor footballers are being asked to play knockout championship games with their clubs. As well as the proximity to the Leaving Cert with which both codes started.

Realistically how many 17 year olds get exploited in this day and age by their clubs?

But as I said, once the GAA got their way on this over 17 rule, Laois will just have to change their internal competition gradings.