Cork V Laois - Round 4 Qualifier

Started by recyclebin, July 01, 2019, 05:28:46 PM

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recyclebin

The game that no one wants to see (It's not even on the telly).

Throw in at 5pm in Thurles on Saturday.

Are Cork really flying or are they really a division 3 team?

Laois were division 3 team this year and are going in the opposite direction.

On paper it looks like a close game.

The Boy Wonder

John Sugrue has done a very good job since taking over Laois last year - successive promotions from Divisions 4 & 3 to Division 2 next year. Last 12 last year as Leinster finalists and last 12 this year via qualifiers.

We had just under 10,000 in attendance in O'Moore Park last Saturday – a beautiful Summer's evening and throw-in delayed by 10 minutes because of congestion at the turnstiles. Offaly brought very good support as it does seem they are finally back on an upward curve under John Maughan after years in the doldrums. Laois had a good result up in Derry and Laois-Offaly rivalry whetted the appetite for a good contest.

Now, if Laois and Offaly were to meet in a 2nd Tier competition you would be lucky to have 500 in attendance. There would simply be no appetite for it among players and supporters.

One of our Lilywhite neighbours on this forum, Dinny Breen, tells us that ""That draw has killed the Super 8 as spectacle" - it's seemingly a widely held opinion that "lesser" teams such as Laois have no place in the Super 8s. Is the All-Ireland Championship just about TV ratings ?

Rossfan

Laois bet Westmeath, Derry and Offaly.
Sure Cork, Donegal and Kerry should be no problem to ye😉
Davy's given us a dream to cling to
We're going to bring home the SAM

The Boy Wonder

Hey Rossfan - given that you seem to linger around this forum day and night do you not realise that Cork/Laois are in your group ?

If by chance we meet you in the 3rd round of Super 8s here's a reminder of your last visit to Portlaoise :
https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2015/0308/685503-laois-v-roscommon/


Dinny Breen

Quote from: The Boy Wonder on July 03, 2019, 12:54:10 AM
John Sugrue has done a very good job since taking over Laois last year - successive promotions from Divisions 4 & 3 to Division 2 next year. Last 12 last year as Leinster finalists and last 12 this year via qualifiers.

We had just under 10,000 in attendance in O'Moore Park last Saturday – a beautiful Summer's evening and throw-in delayed by 10 minutes because of congestion at the turnstiles. Offaly brought very good support as it does seem they are finally back on an upward curve under John Maughan after years in the doldrums. Laois had a good result up in Derry and Laois-Offaly rivalry whetted the appetite for a good contest.

Now, if Laois and Offaly were to meet in a 2nd Tier competition you would be lucky to have 500 in attendance. There would simply be no appetite for it among players and supporters.

One of our Lilywhite neighbours on this forum, Dinny Breen, tells us that ""That draw has killed the Super 8 as spectacle" - it's seemingly a widely held opinion that "lesser" teams such as Laois have no place in the Super 8s. Is the All-Ireland Championship just about TV ratings ?

Laois have made good progress but they are not a top 8 team. They got to the Leinster final last year by beating Div3, Div3 and Div4. Beaten comfortably by Monaghan in round 4.

This year so far beat Div 3, beaten by Div 2, beat Div 4, beat Div 3. They have had favourable draws but you still have to win those games and they have so fair play.

The spectacle comment is simply one as that of a neutral. Laois/Cork & Clare/Meath do not have large support so straight away games in CP are diminished by lack of atmosphere, same as Monaghan/Galway/Kildare/Kerry in CP last year. Neither do any of those 4 teams have the strength in depth to compete with Kerry/Donegal/Tyrone/Mayo/Galway never mind Dublin who either Cork or Laois will play. 

So to qualify the Super 8s should be about the best 8 or as close as possible but Monday's ensured that it's not, Laois I think will be there on merit in the context of draw but the draw does not reflect on the meritocracy of the league or the best 8 teams in the country.
#newbridgeornowhere

Rossfan

I'd had a tiring evening/night. Boy Wonder.
Anyway our last visit to Portlaoise was 2018 when we bet Armagh in Round 4.
That game v Laois sticks in the memory as there were barely 50 Laois people there that day -and that includes the team, subs, mentors, gatemen etc.

I think it's fair to say the 2 teams went in very different directions since ;)
Davy's given us a dream to cling to
We're going to bring home the SAM

Captain Obvious

Quote from: Dinny Breen on July 03, 2019, 11:13:39 AM
Quote from: The Boy Wonder on July 03, 2019, 12:54:10 AM
John Sugrue has done a very good job since taking over Laois last year - successive promotions from Divisions 4 & 3 to Division 2 next year. Last 12 last year as Leinster finalists and last 12 this year via qualifiers.

We had just under 10,000 in attendance in O'Moore Park last Saturday – a beautiful Summer's evening and throw-in delayed by 10 minutes because of congestion at the turnstiles. Offaly brought very good support as it does seem they are finally back on an upward curve under John Maughan after years in the doldrums. Laois had a good result up in Derry and Laois-Offaly rivalry whetted the appetite for a good contest.

Now, if Laois and Offaly were to meet in a 2nd Tier competition you would be lucky to have 500 in attendance. There would simply be no appetite for it among players and supporters.

One of our Lilywhite neighbours on this forum, Dinny Breen, tells us that ""That draw has killed the Super 8 as spectacle" - it's seemingly a widely held opinion that "lesser" teams such as Laois have no place in the Super 8s. Is the All-Ireland Championship just about TV ratings ?

Laois have made good progress but they are not a top 8 team. They got to the Leinster final last year by beating Div3, Div3 and Div4. Beaten comfortably by Monaghan in round 4.

This year so far beat Div 3, beaten by Div 2, beat Div 4, beat Div 3. They have had favourable draws but you still have to win those games and they have so fair play.

The spectacle comment is simply one as that of a neutral. Laois/Cork & Clare/Meath do not have large support so straight away games in CP are diminished by lack of atmosphere, same as Monaghan/Galway/Kildare/Kerry in CP last year. Neither do any of those 4 teams have the strength in depth to compete with Kerry/Donegal/Tyrone/Mayo/Galway never mind Dublin who either Cork or Laois will play. 

So to qualify the Super 8s should be about the best 8 or as close as possible but Monday's ensured that it's not, Laois I think will be there on merit in the context of draw but the draw does not reflect on the meritocracy of the league or the best 8 teams in the country.

The term super 8s is a pet name. Although the daftness of a group stage has been brought in it is still the All Ireland quarter final stage and as 2001 to 2017 the best 8 does not always reach the last 8.

Dinny Breen

Quote from: Captain Obvious on July 03, 2019, 11:24:46 AM
Quote from: Dinny Breen on July 03, 2019, 11:13:39 AM
Quote from: The Boy Wonder on July 03, 2019, 12:54:10 AM
John Sugrue has done a very good job since taking over Laois last year - successive promotions from Divisions 4 & 3 to Division 2 next year. Last 12 last year as Leinster finalists and last 12 this year via qualifiers.

We had just under 10,000 in attendance in O'Moore Park last Saturday – a beautiful Summer's evening and throw-in delayed by 10 minutes because of congestion at the turnstiles. Offaly brought very good support as it does seem they are finally back on an upward curve under John Maughan after years in the doldrums. Laois had a good result up in Derry and Laois-Offaly rivalry whetted the appetite for a good contest.

Now, if Laois and Offaly were to meet in a 2nd Tier competition you would be lucky to have 500 in attendance. There would simply be no appetite for it among players and supporters.

One of our Lilywhite neighbours on this forum, Dinny Breen, tells us that ""That draw has killed the Super 8 as spectacle" - it's seemingly a widely held opinion that "lesser" teams such as Laois have no place in the Super 8s. Is the All-Ireland Championship just about TV ratings ?

Laois have made good progress but they are not a top 8 team. They got to the Leinster final last year by beating Div3, Div3 and Div4. Beaten comfortably by Monaghan in round 4.

This year so far beat Div 3, beaten by Div 2, beat Div 4, beat Div 3. They have had favourable draws but you still have to win those games and they have so fair play.

The spectacle comment is simply one as that of a neutral. Laois/Cork & Clare/Meath do not have large support so straight away games in CP are diminished by lack of atmosphere, same as Monaghan/Galway/Kildare/Kerry in CP last year. Neither do any of those 4 teams have the strength in depth to compete with Kerry/Donegal/Tyrone/Mayo/Galway never mind Dublin who either Cork or Laois will play. 

So to qualify the Super 8s should be about the best 8 or as close as possible but Monday's ensured that it's not, Laois I think will be there on merit in the context of draw but the draw does not reflect on the meritocracy of the league or the best 8 teams in the country.

The term super 8s is a pet name. Although the daftness of a group stage has been brought in it is still the All Ireland quarter final stage and as 2001 to 2017 the best 8 does not always reach the last 8.

Fair observation but there was only 4 q/fs and pure knock-out, so a far more interesting spectacle than the drawn out 12 games that we now have to endure or not endure as will be the case.
#newbridgeornowhere

vetoldthe

THE BOY WONDER,   

Now, if Laois and Offaly were to meet in a 2nd Tier competition you would be lucky to have 500 in attendance. There would simply be no appetite for it among players and supporters.

YOU CAN BET ON THAT,

The Boy Wonder

Quote from: Dinny Breen on July 03, 2019, 11:13:39 AM

So to qualify the Super 8s should be about the best 8 or as close as possible but Monday's ensured that it's not, Laois I think will be there on merit in the context of draw but the draw does not reflect on the meritocracy of the league or the best 8 teams in the country.

Martin Breheny makes the same case in today's Indo – "Qualification system not delivering real Super 8''.
If that is what is required then simply allow only NFL Division 1 teams to play Super 8s !

The Super 8s are a cumbersome bolt-on to the AI Series with the obvious aim of generating revenue.

Whilst the system of Provincials, Qualifiers and AI-Series prior to Super 8s had faults nevertheless the AI Quarter-Final weekend was widely anticipated by supporters. Over the years we had Fermanagh, Tipperary and Wexford qualify for All-Ireland Semi-Finals.
The introduction Super 8s was a nonsensical idea in my opinion.



Rossfan

Quote from: recyclebin on July 01, 2019, 05:28:46 PM
The game that no one wants to see (It's not even on the telly).

Throw in at 5pm in Thurles on Saturday.

On paper it looks like a close game.
Pity it was played on grass ;D
At least the regular 25 Laois supporters will have the team all to themselves again.
Davy's given us a dream to cling to
We're going to bring home the SAM