National Hurling Legue 1B 2018

[Mossy Bruce]

Go to the Antrim board on 'Local GAA Discussion', and I'm sure someone there will able to tell you!
Welcome back, by the way!

Great idea.
And it's good to be back. Thanks, Burdizzo!

[Unison]

Well done to Laois hurlers. But, how do you explain Offaly beating Laois comfortably, Antrim beating Offaly and Laois then beating Antrim?

[burdizzo]

Offaly used a second string side against Antrim since the result didn't matter to them.
Yes, very well done to Laois. They're getting good at getting over relegation play-offs! Actually, I'd say getting over Antrim in Dunloy is a good day's work, even if it was a lot tighter than last month's game between them.

[Mossy Bruce]

Great result. I'm thrilled there's no relegation.

Who made the one goal?

[burdizzo]

Paddy Purcell from Rathdowney-Errill got the goal - Laois' second of the whole league...

[Giovanni]

Delighted for these lads. Although there were poor performances against Dublin and Offaly, I think that overall they showed they are becoming increasingly competitive in this league. Next step hopefully to avoid the relegation playoff.

[G@@]

Next step hopefully to avoid the relegation playoff.

That was the relegation play off!!!

[Giovanni]

Yes. The next step is to avoid it next year. Are we allowed to look that far ahead?

[burdizzo]

Yes, it's a fair point - we've been involved in relegation fights every year since 2014, and have sailed pretty close to the wind a few times. Getting out of 2A wouldn't be a given, either - Kerry, Carlow, Antrim, Westmeath have all given us plenty of it in recent years. It'd be nice to go up a notch, win a couple of games in the league...

[Giovanni]

When you consider the number of good players that we've been missing during a lot of the league campaign, you'd have to be optimistic for next year. I don't think Offaly are light years ahead of us in terms of quality and they gave an excellent account of themselves today in league quarter final. The tier 2 competiton should be a good next test, hopefully with a few more coming back from injury.

[redsetanta]

Great respect to the hurlers for getting over what was a very tricky tie with Antrim up on their own patch. I certainly feared the worst after the results for both teams last week. It shows you that goals win games and Purcells goal was the difference in the end. Although I have been critical of Paddy in the past with regard to his decision making in front of goals at times, there are very few goals coming from anyone else in the team. To have any progress at all we really need to be scoring more goals.
The lads can go forward to the round robin now in a decent frame of mind and hopefully get their day in Croke Park later in the summer.

[Unlaoised]

Great boost to Laois hurling ...would be a bit of a feel good factor now in the county if the footballers could secure promotion to div 3 .

The hurlers might even give us silverware this year and get a couple of games in croker!!


Laois Laois Laois

[Leixlad]

Is there a list of fixtures and dates for the championship matches? I cant seem to find them anywhere.

[burdizzo]

Yeah, look at the ''Joe McDonagh Cup'' thread on this board. It's pretty near the top...

[Leixlad]

Perfect, thanks. No wonder i couldn't find it, first iv ever heard of the Joe McDonagh cup!! Is the final of this still scheduled for Croke Park? A great incentive for teams like Laois to be heading to Croke Park to win a trophy, tier 2 or not! I would love to travel to Croke park to see Laois hurlers playing and a real chance at winning something. Plus with the winners getting entry to prelim Q final i think its an ideal set up for developing counties.