NFL Div 2 2020

[BallyroanAbu]

We don't have a plan, counties like Laois  simply trundle around with no plan.  Always bowing to some new thought process of a manger or CB.  We have never sat down and worked out a youth development strategy with all the stakeholders.  We have constantly prioritised winning what turn out to be insignificant games over long term player development.  Like a lot of small counties we simply exist never evolving, rarely questioning the process.  I love Gaelic Football and Laois did surprise me with 5 points so far but yesterday and the Cavan game highlight a basic lack of skill.  We have a lot of players whose skills fall off heavily under intensity.  I personally think the outlook in the long term is bleak as we continue to fire fight instead of taking a long term solution to our problems.  I do hope I'm wrong.

It's simply untrue that we are competitive in every grade,  getting to a final at underage and losing by 10-15 points is not competitive.  I do hope on Friday we buck this trend.  Even saying that I doubt
any of those teams had player development as a core objective with winning a significant by product.

[High Fielder]

Good post BA. It does feel at times like it's one big game of Laois" Got Talent, with the weakest getting eliminated. It is however becoming more apparent that lads are falling off a cliff after Underage, unless they show themselves to be exceptional; then everyone wants them. If we continue to play that game, the eventual drop to Tier 2 will happen anyway. Our resources are too limited to write off players in this way. We're not Dublin or even Kildare or Meath, who can all afford to lose players along the way.

[The PRO]

What's really concerning is the guys from last year 20 team who are already slipping down the pecking order. Some like Kinsella, Tyrrell and Whelan are on the panel but not getting any game time. Others such as Eoin Dunne, McCormack, Doran and Seamus Lacey seems to be discarded.

You'd like to think that a really good junior set up would bear benefits. Let the lads train away with their clubs but play regular games with a junior team.

If it only unearthed one good player for the seniors, it would be worth it. And there are numerous lads out there. Now, I'm not saying there are a whole load of brilliant inter county players out there just waiting to be discovered but who knows?

I could name 10 lads who could be as good as or better than some of our current starting team. Again, it has to be qualified. Some just may not want to commit. And that's fine. It's not for everyone.

I really like Aaron Dowling of The Rock. He is suffering badly by not getting to play a decent level of club football. Hitchcock of Park Ratheniska is another. Kevin Byrne of Ballylinan I like a lot. Both of the Murphy brothers from Emo are excellent. Aston had a great year last year for Killeshin. Hatch Finlay. I would give Adam Campion another chance. O'Halloran of Courtwood was one of the best full backs in both the senior and divisional championships last year. And Bolger of Graigue as a goalie. Makings of a decent team there.

[oneflewoverthecuckoonest]

given that we are without 3 or 4 of our best players from recent years and the new manager has been forced to try younger lads, you have to be happy about 5 points from 5 games. Admittedly we were poxxed to get a draw in Roscommon and very lucky to nudge a win in Ennis.
With a relatively novice side you tend to get inconsistency from game to game, and Laois have kept to that script.
We may need a point to survive the drop. Our fate is in our own hands. Lady luck could also visit us, because it is quite feasible that Fermanagh could already be relegated by the time we travel to Enniskillen.

[on the hop]

What's really concerning is the guys from last year 20 team who are already slipping down the pecking order. Some like Kinsella, Tyrrell and Whelan are on the panel but not getting any game time. Others such as Eoin Dunne, McCormack, Doran and Seamus Lacey seems to be discarded.

You'd like to think that a really good junior set up would bear benefits. Let the lads train away with their clubs but play regular games with a junior team.

If it only unearthed one good player for the seniors, it would be worth it. And there are numerous lads out there. Now, I'm not saying there are a whole load of brilliant inter county players out there just waiting to be discovered but who knows?

I could name 10 lads who could be as good as or better than some of our current starting team. Again, it has to be qualified. Some just may not want to commit. And that's fine. It's not for everyone.

I really like Aaron Dowling of The Rock. He is suffering badly by not getting to play a decent level of club football. Hitchcock of Park Ratheniska is another. Kevin Byrne of Ballylinan I like a lot. Both of the Murphy brothers from Emo are excellent. Aston had a great year last year for Killeshin. Hatch Finlay. I would give Adam Campion another chance. O'Halloran of Courtwood was one of the best full backs in both the senior and divisional championships last year. And Bolger of Graigue as a goalie. Makings of a decent team there.

I was thought we should have entered the junior championship. There was enough interest in the divisional games to put a team together to keep players involved and hopefully develop a few who wouldn't have the option of colleges football. Their is a huge jump from the u20 to senior at present, it was noticeable that Kildare won it two years ago and their best player Jimmy Hyland was only a sub yesterday and very few others have even made a championship appearance. Any I saw this year in the Sigerson are not going to make it either. We had a decent enough group last year and hopefully some thing can be done to bring them along.

[High Fielder]

In fairness to Ballyroan Abu, he's been beating this drum for a while. Quirke will be judged by how successful he is in getting us in to Tier 1. As a county though, we're not developing at all if what is coming through is being ignored. I hate saying this, but I see no benefit at all in playing Ross at this stage. I thought he really struggled yesterday and got far longer than he should have. I couldn't imagine any circumstances yesterday where 3 or 4 younger lads, including Sean Moore, couldn't have done better. I hate personalising this, but it really annoyed me, and I love Ross. But we have to plan for the future always, whatever level that may be.

[County Man]

Read this every day but seldom post.

A few thoughts on the league so far facing into the last two rounds.

First of all, 5 points from 5 games is something a lot of us would have taken in January.
We were favourites to get relegated.

On a side note, the GAA will have to sort out the overall fixtures in the calender. I believe that one of the main priorities of the new incoming GAA president is to fix this. Playing the majority of our games for the year in February and March is madness.


The point we got in Roscommon could be invaluable. We played well that day and showed a great attitude. Some great points scored in both halves and then 2 stunning goals at the end. Great to see Cahir Healy return in the second half, Corbet was very good and Lillis played a captain's part.


The performance v Armagh was wonderful especially the first half. Timmon's with that wonder point and holding them to two points. We showed great bottle and resolve when they cameback in the second half but a fine win. Mark Barry had a fine game.


The Cavan game should not have been played! Dreadful conditions. In fairness Cavan were very impressive even if the scoreline flattered them in the end.


We bounced back well down in Ennis. A lot say it was a lucky win but I believe we totally deserved it. The first half we dominated with Evan O'Carroll and Eoin Lowry and Ross on fire. Brian Byrne had a fine game and is one of our best newcomers. Sean Byrne was desperately unlucky not to get a goal midway into the second half that would have had us cruising. Underside of the crossbar. Clare's late penalty was very soft as it hit the back of the Laois defender.


Never nice to lose to Kildare but they deserved it on the day. The early scores were a massive lift to them and they bossed midfield. Having said that, we had a few goal chances.


Overall though we have showed a great attitude. We keep battling hard in the matches and have a good mixture of youth and experience with more to come back from injuries. Two massive games left and hopefully we can get two positive results.


Finally, we need more support. Its the least that the players deserve. Outnumbered strongly by Armagh and Kildare at home is disappointing. Championship type crowd in Roscommon and one would be envious of their support.

[Laois Rising]

Good post County Man.

The third game three weeks on the trot I think had a bearing on the Kildare performance. They were much faster out of the blocks than we were and dominated the middle third for large parts of the game. Five points at this stage is very satisfactory return. However, we will need to pick up a win in our final two games to guarantee safety and both are away. It would be very disappointing if we did end up being relegated from division two. A lot of young players have come in over the last 12/24 months and are beginning to step up this year. In twelve months time I would be very optimistic that this team will be able to kick on even further. Having games against division two opposition again next year will be crucial to that development. The more games young players can get playing at the higher level can only be good for their development. Stepping back down to tussles with Offaly, Leitrim, Antrim and Limerick next year won't provide that.   

[The Boy Wonder]

Next week's game in Mullingar is a must-win for Laois. If all home teams were to win in Round 6 then Laois would be second from bottom on 5 points and the 3 teams above us on 6 points (Cavan, Clare, Kildare) all have home games in the final round.
It's possible that we could lose to Westmeath, beat Fermanagh in Round 7 and still be relegated. Hopefully this scenario won't happen.

[recyclebin]

Too many what ifs yet. We could go second if results go our way next weekend too! Wins for us, Kildare and Roscommon would put us level on points with Armagh and ahead of them on head to head.

[Joeythelips]

Brilliant post on here from Countyman, sums it up perfectly.

We came into this year fearful of getting a few hidings and heading back to Div 3 sharpish. We had an ageing squad with an unproven manager and not much talent coming through it seemed yet apart from the Kildare game (I agree that the Cavan game was a write off due to conditions) we have played reasonably well and we have seen consistently at all levels that teams playing 3 weeks in a row struggle.

What we have seen is that our younger players are developing all the time, they will learn loads from this league and hopefully they can avoid the drop as it will be a stronger league again next year with Cork and Meath in the mix (better yet get promoted to Div 1). So far they have done themselves proud, if I was told they would have 2 games left against Westmeath and Fermanagh with a chance of promotion still there I would have snapped your hand off, yet here we are. Well done lads, so far so good, 2 wins from last 2 games and who knows we may even be on for 3 promotions in succession which would be incredible.

Its vital given we will have a tricky championship game coming up against Longford/ Louth (I expect Longford to win that and they are always tricky opponents for us).

[Laoiseabu]

Beaten by tipp footballers by a couple of points last night in thurles . Anyone know the team that was out ?

[redsetanta]

I see where Gareth Dillon and Paul Kingston have re-joined the panel but Donie has stayed away. Sean Moore was asked in as well.

[Heshs Umpire]

Anyone got any idea what starting team might be?

Something like this wouldn't be bad;

Corbett,
Collins, Timmons, Piggott
O'Flynn, Begley, Dillon
O'Loughlin, Lillis
Lowry, P Kingston, Carroll
Barry, O'Carroll, Walsh

[Laoiseabu]

I'd go with :

Corbett
S Lacey Timmons Pigott
P Kirwan Begley Dillon
O'Loughlin Lillis
Carroll P Kingston Scully
Owens O Carroll D Whelan