Laois IFC Round 2 Winner's Section
Ballylinan v Ballyroan-Abbey
Arles-Kilcruise v Portlaoise
Laois IFC Round 2 Loser's Section
Mountmellick v O'Dempsey's
Timahoe v Crettyard
Should be Ballylinan against either Arles or Crettyard in the final of this unless Mountmellick get their act together.
I was in Stradbally last night. Very entertaining game which Crettyard just about deserved to win. Burke was good for them in midfield.
Timahoe played very well and should be safe from relegation as O'Dempseys looked very weak on Friday night in Ratheniska. Mountmellick absolutely blew them away in the second half. Very impressed with Eoin George.
Conor Fitzpatrick last night for Timahoe was the most exciting player I saw all weekend. Always want to take on players and go forward instead of taking the safe option.
It's a pity this championship did not have four additional teams from the senior championship involved. It would really add to the competitiveness and quality of the intermediate championship. Laois need to streamline senior, intermediate and junior into three championships of 12 teams. For the number of clubs in the county it makes the most sense.
I've been to a few of these games and defensive style set ups have definitely not been enforced by any of the teams which have made for very enjoyable games. Crettyard look good going forward but huge question marks regarding their defence. Had Timahoe been more ruthless and efficient with their chances they would be already gone. Arles have had Crettyard's number for a couple of years now. You would imagine a serious desire on the part of Crettyard to turn the tables on their near neighbours.
Ballyliaian remain favourites and have won their two games to date. However, their performances are no better than what they produced last year and the remaining teams in the championship will fancy their chances of turning them over.
Talk is that O'Carroll is moving to a club in Dublin next year so this is probably the opportunity to win an intermediate, if they got up senior it might entice him into staying
Crettyard beat Arles yesterday and 6 points didn't flatter them. They had more forward power and overall offered more.
Unfortunately Kilcruise don't have enough players of quality and can't see them getting back senior any time soon. They play Timahoe now in a 'B' semi final which won't be easy at all.
Expect Crettyard and Ballylinan to go through to the final this weekend.
Mountmellick should give Ballylinan a decent enough run for it but I think there's a lot of quality players in the Ballylinan team and I expect them to go straight back up to senior.
Don't know much about Portlaoise's second team but I think they will struggle to stop O'Carroll, Murphy, young Kelly lad and Burke.
Portlaoise gave Cretty a good test today but ran out of steam after half time. O'Carroll was a huge handful all game long and I also thought the corner back James Kelly, who I hadn't ever heard of before, was excellent.
Being relegated to intermediate last year might have proved a blessing in disguise for Ballylinan. Real positivity around the club again after win at the weekend and a number of young players brought through as well. I hope they give Leinster a crack this year. Sometimes you need to take one step back to take two steps forward.
Ballylinan were well beaten in the end on Sunday.
Level at the end of normal time so you'd have to ask if their fitness levels were up to scratch to lose by so much in the end.
You're a bit harsh on their fitness I'd think. They lost Rian Brady at the end of normal time and McEvoy then in the first half of ET, both players along with Ciaran Farrell were probably their best performers in normal time.
Probably the first proper team they played all year. That didn't help them. Intermediate championship is not hard enough in Laois. Crying out for 4 senior teams to be relegated.