All-Ireland Football Qualifiers 2016

[Unlaoised]

Just thinking the same. He has been a great servant to laois. Seems happy to contribute from the bench nowadays rather than demanding a starting place. He always looked after himself so if he wants he could easily do another year. Maybe have him contribute as a forwards coach under a main overall coach to give him experience for the future

This met him in the premium section in croker yesterday a gentleman ...

God some amount of Laois in the premium section where does such a small county get some many of these tickets?

[Tony]

It's hard not to think about what might have been this year, when we see Clare's progress in the qualifiers.

[Junior Ex Laoistalk]

Just thinking the same Tony, if we had a free taker or if Donie stood up and was prepared to take on a bit of responsibility we would be there today. A few highs in this year run but the biggest disappointment for me was the collapse of Donie when he was needed most. I really thought he would come good this year.

Another thing against us was the loss of Evan O'Carroll who is also a very good free taker. He is not the first lad to go in the middle of a qualifier campaign and won't be the last but surely the Co. Board could do something to keep these lads at home until the qualifiers are over. Pride in your county comes a poor second to a lot of lads when a few bob is waved in their faces ...

[Andy06]

Hey Chaps,

I was thinking lately about our performances in the championship the last few years, specifically the losses. In the last 5 years we have suffered the following defeats:
2011 - Lost to Tipp
2012 - Lost to Longford (after being 6 points ahead at half time)
2013 - Lost to Louth at home
2014 - Lost to Tipp at home
2015 - Lost to Antrim at home (after being something like 8 points up at half time)
2016 - Lost to Clare (after being up by 4 points with 15 mins left)


Generally we take these losses in isolation as they are on a year by year basis and we would come out with the usual investigation as to why we lost (players not committed, management etc), but I feel when you group them together it raises a much bigger question.

I am nearly certain that all of the above would have been at a lower grade than us in the league at the time (might have been wrong on Louth in 2013), plus I would say every game there was seen as a shock loss by the media.
Most other counties of our level in the leagues would suffer maybe 1 or 2 max losses to lower division opposition in the same timeframe whereas for us its seems to be a yearly thing.

So what would be the cause of this?

• It cant all be down to management, the above list spans 3 different managers.

• Is it mostly down to players mentality? In 3 of the games listed above we had good leads at crucial times. Is it just that the players on the day dont know how to close out a game? Again we are covering a lot of different players during that period.

• Is it the fans expecting too much?

• Or am I reading too much into the league. I have noticed for years that there is never a rise in the team between league and championship, its like they are not focused on the championship.Again this is just my opinion, others may have seen differently.

Just want to get peoples thoughts on the above, as it was something I have been thinking a lot about lately and it really makes grim reading.

[High Fielder]

That's a bit unfair junior. He got an opportunity and took it. He's a young lad so why not? It's not like he's paid to play for Laois. It just highlights how pointless playing for a county like Laois has become, and that's a problem for the GAA to fix. If they want lads to commit, and it seems that they do because they boast about the commitment of amateur players, then they have to find ways of keeping them sweet.

We had enough on the pitch to beat Clare and the substitutions killed us. Lads who could hold on to the ball were replaced by lads who couldn't get their hand on it and invited pressure onto our backs. We had improved a fair bit in the championship and we would have beaten Sligo. It would have been interesting to see us against Roscommon but such is life. We deserved to be relegated because we had a shocking league, but there was definitely another game or two in us in the championship.

[Unlaoised]

That's a bit unfair junior. He got an opportunity and took it. He's a young lad so why not? It's not like he's paid to play for Laois. It just highlights how pointless playing for a county like Laois has become, and that's a problem for the GAA to fix. If they want lads to commit, and it seems that they do because they boast about the commitment of amateur players, then they have to find ways of keeping them sweet.

We had enough on the pitch to beat Clare and the substitutions killed us. Lads who could hold on to the ball were replaced by lads who couldn't get their hand on it and invited pressure onto our backs. We had improved a fair bit in the championship and we would have beaten Sligo. It would have been interesting to see us against Roscommon but such is life. We deserved to be relegated because we had a shocking league, but there was definitely another game or two in us in the championship.

Spot on ....Just a massive Pity would have loved to be going to O'connor park next week to play the Rossies for a chance to get into the quarter final.

[Tony]

Totally agree with High Fielder here. There are a lot of "what ifs" about this season but such is sport, frustrating as it can be. We would have beaten Sligo and then had a very good opportunity against Roscommon. Quarter final is always massive success for a division 2/3 county like ourselves. I personally would like to see Lillis out for 2017 because I simply don't think he's nearly good enough for the job, and the bit of organisation from Cunningham saved the season somewhat.

If Cunningham goes it'll expose Lillis MAJORLY next year, surely most people can see that a mile off. Lillis is like the nice man down the corner of the pub who knows a few things about the GAA, but you'd never let him anywhere near an inter-county side. Realistically though, who can we get? I honestly believe there's another good season or two in this crop of players if they're given a chance with a proper set-up. It does not have to cost huge sums of money : it just requires a very good football brain and an ability to organise and man-manage with our players behind him. Enough with the chancers now at this point.

[Joeythelips]

It's hard not to think about what might have been this year, when we see Clare's progress in the qualifiers.

Even worse now Tony after Clare beat Roscommon, if nothing else it shows Laois definitely have players good enough to at least get to an All Ireland quarter final if they are properly prepared.

[Gmac]

It's hard not to think about what might have been this year, when we see Clare's progress in the qualifiers.

Even worse now Tony after Clare beat Roscommon, if nothing else it shows Laois definitely have players good enough to at least get to an All Ireland quarter final if they are properly prepared.

it shows when the opportunity presents itself you have to be ruthless and take it .

[Thewildcat]

great to see clare there, laois also would have got there if they hung on again clare, but its now the big guns like kerry,dublin,mayo,tryone, come into it, and we will see the gap between the clare's and tipp after their win over derry today.  great work been done in tipp and clare in football where its their second game to hurling.

[Junior Ex Laoistalk]

We are not too far off the mark if we were fitter and everyone gave a commitment that they would stay for the duration of the qualifiers as we need everyone on board if we are to make progress.
It's very unfair on the rest of the panel when lads walk away when the job is only half done. I don't understand why some people think this is acceptable and this is exactly the problem in Laois. We thank everyone for their hard work which is only right yet we just accept when they don't stay the full distance.

This has been happening down through the years and is one of the reasons we are going nowhere. One good free taker and we would be where Clare are today, that's what sickens me.... 

[Unison]

Isn't it always the same with us. Even if we had beaten Clare, who is to say we would have gotten over Sligo and then Roscommon.

Is Lillis staying on? If he is, we will be in Div. 4 next year, and have another disastrous championship.

[High Fielder]

Can you not see it from their point of view Junior? Even if we get to a quarter final, what does it mean? We can't win an All Ireland, so you're essentially competing in a race you can't win. Where's the incentive? Do you really think that anyone is motivated in this day and age to be the eighth best in their class at anything? Come on now. Be realistic. There has to be more in it for these lads, these counties, if they are to be enticed into taking it seriously. I agree with you in principle that we need everyone on board, particularly the better lads, but I have gone way beyond the point of questioning their motives if they don't commit. This trend will continue, particularly in weaker counties, to the point where a county won't be able to field a team for an important game. Maybe then the GAA will stop daydreaming

[Tony]

I agree with you Huey about how players can do what they like, it's an amateur game. It'd just be ideal if they could make a decision at the start of year but sometimes that's not possible as, like many of us, they don't know what they'll be doing 6 months from now or if they'll have a job in Ireland or whatever.

However what I disagree about is that a 1/4 final of all-ireland is pointless to them.

That's like saying Ireland shouldn't have gone to the Euros because there was no chance of winning, coming 8th is pointless? Makes no sense. Is it pointless for Wales to get to the semis? Pointless for Clare to get the the 1/4 finals??1? That makes no sense.

It would have been amazing for Laois players and fans to get there, and it was entirely achievable. We can't win the whole thing, but anywhere from quarter finals onwards is an amazing achievement for any "smaller" county and one that merits celebration.

Anyway, we're out and many counties must have "what ifs" questions, the best thing to do now is to focus on how we can improve for 2017.

[ILikeStrawberryJam]

Jaysus high fielder thats very defeatist.. why would 90% of teams ever bother competing then?
Whose to say tipp cant beat galway to get to the AI semi final and then maybe just maybe beat mayo/tyrone
For a shot at the big one ..

Leicester 5000/1 .. maybe im a romantic ..