The future of laois hurling

Started by Tobias, October 27, 2015, 08:08:58 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

grover

Quote from: Jimmy P on November 12, 2015, 10:29:49 AM
Unconfirmed retirements from the senior panel: Tommy Fitzgerald , John A Delaney , Dayne Peacock , Joe Fitzpatrick
Add Willie Hyland, Brian Stapleton, Jimmy Walsh,Conor Dunne.Serious rebuilding task ahead.

redsetanta

The real glory is being knocked to your knees and then coming back. That's real glory. VinceLombardi

portlaoisekid

Good jesus, we cannot seriously be losing all these lads???

Ogie

From what I've heard Tommy Fitz, John A, Butch jimmy Walsh Conor Dunne Joe campion Dayne peacock have all opted out/retired
Willie Hyland will return after the Christmas break, he's just finished with C/B and is getting married, well entitled to a break

Fixtures out for the league, Kerry at home, Offaly away, Clare at home limerick away our first 4 games

blueandwhite1

Not good to hear of some of these retirements / opt outs, particularly with some of the younger guys like Joe Campion. Still, won't believe them until the start of the year. Often lads change their minds over the winter months.

On a side note, we need to be getting more younger guys involved. Was looking at a programme from 2010 the other day, against Dublin I think, and it was almost the same team as lined out in the championship in 2015.

TheGreatGame

Leaving a Laois perspective aside for the moment, this is a problem all counties outside the top few in each code are facing.  I'd be really fearful for the future of intercounty hurling and football unless something drastic is done.  How long will payers be willing to sacrifice their late teens and twenties to hurl and kick football?  I don't use the word sacrifice lightly, but it's no exaggeration to say that a county training regime demands practically all of a persons free time.  The G.A.A have created a monster by letting managers slog players from as early as October/November and train up to 6 times a week.  To even hold their ground then other counties have to match this, but the strong will get stronger and the weaker will simply fall off the radar.  The only solution I can think of is for the G.A.A to cap the number of times a county can train/meet up to a maximum of three per week, including whatever match may be at the weekend.  Put a cap on how much a player can receive in mileage per week, have massive fines/loss of home venue for any county caught in breach of these rules.  The appetite for such change won't be there unfortunately until the GAA is hit where it hurts, when the the attendances fall and the money stops rolling in.

south Laois

As lifelong Laois supporter I've been saying this for a while. The GAA don't  care about Laois and the other smaller counties. Look how we were treated in the summer when our hurlers and footballers were forced to play in two different venues at times where it was next to impossible to get to both games. Would that happen to Dublin or Cork? The GAA would be happy with just the elite in both codes and forget about the rest. In future I'll only attend Laois games and won't be going to any more games as a neutral.

SCFC

What are the ages of the lads retiring?
Joe Fitz, John A, Tommy Fitz, Butch, Jimmy Walsh, Zane, Dayne and Conor Dunne all gone I hear.

finbar o tool

definitely too much training going on, thats why some of these lads are retiring. although ill wait and see who actually retires... i would be surprised if all these names are retiring.
they are back training already. some of those lads have got no break whatsoever from training/hurling. lads are bound to get sick of it eventually. i have heard of a few clubs that are back training already too, none that i heard are in Laois but still, ridicules!

i believe ages are as follows -

Quote from: SCFC on December 02, 2015, 10:51:23 AM
What are the ages of the lads retiring?
Joe Fitz, 31, John A, 29, Tommy Fitz, 32, Butch, 27, Jimmy Walsh, 32, Zane, 27, Dayne ? must be still very young though, and Conor Dunne 28, all gone I hear.
An amateur requires a personal commitment that money cannot buy

Unlaoised

Wow disappointing to say the least really thought John A and Joe Fitz would give it one more year probably our two best backs.

Butch will be a loss as will tommy.

Can't understand Zane or Joe Campion leaving but it leaves Laois a lot weaker that's for sure!
LAOIS ABÚ

finbar o tool

i see 'Friends of Laois Hurling' have posted a picture of Joe Fitz, Tommy, John A, Jimmy Walsh and Butch thanking them for their service etc.
the one im most surprised about is Butch. but look, as mentioned before, its too much of a commitment for some. something else would have to suffer, be it college, work or family, very hard on them to keep everything going. GAA need to look at this big time.
An amateur requires a personal commitment that money cannot buy

TheGreatGame

First of all a huge thanks to those players who are calling it a day.  Lesser men would have jumped ship years ago, and these lads have gone through some really dark years with the county.  Real commitment is found in counties like Laois where the chance of glory is remote.  Anyone would train all year with the Kilkenny's and Kerry's where All-Irelands, holidays away etc. are all but guaranteed.  These lads can walk away with their heads held high, and I'm delighted they will have the memory of being part of the panel that finally got a big win for the county against Offaly.  It may have been a small win in the grand scheme of things, but for us it was massive.

As for where it leaves Laois, well these guys were not going to go on forever.  Joe Fitz is an anomaly in that he just seems to get better with age and there is no doubt he will be a huge loss.  Age and injury have taken a toll on a lot of these guys and in my view it's the right time for some of them to take a step back.  For sure Cheddar now has a huge task to build a competitive team with a young panel, but no better man to have the reigns.  It's up to our younger players to stand up now.  Ross King, Picky, Paddy Purcell, Neil Foyle and more have what it takes to be real leaders for us now, and we will need them.  I expect Joe Campion to be back with Laois at some stage, a break away from hurling for a bit may be the best thing for the lad.  Then we have the lads fresh from minor coming in, Mark Kav, Fonzi, Ryan Mullaney and  Leigh Bergin have plenty of potential so it will be interesting to see how they adapt to the senior set up.  Darren Maher is also a huge addition and in his current form should nail down the full back position and perhaps release Healy to a position more natural to him.

It's certainly not all doom and gloom, but patience and realistic ambitions may well be needed for the coming year.

Unlaoised

Quote from: TheGreatGame on December 02, 2015, 04:09:28 PM
First of all a huge thanks to those players who are calling it a day.  Lesser men would have jumped ship years ago, and these lads have gone through some really dark years with the county.  Real commitment is found in counties like Laois where the chance of glory is remote.  Anyone would train all year with the Kilkenny's and Kerry's where All-Irelands, holidays away etc. are all but guaranteed.  These lads can walk away with their heads held high, and I'm delighted they will have the memory of being part of the panel that finally got a big win for the county against Offaly.  It may have been a small win in the grand scheme of things, but for us it was massive.

As for where it leaves Laois, well these guys were not going to go on forever.  Joe Fitz is an anomaly in that he just seems to get better with age and there is no doubt he will be a huge loss.  Age and injury have taken a toll on a lot of these guys and in my view it's the right time for some of them to take a step back.  For sure Cheddar now has a huge task to build a competitive team with a young panel, but no better man to have the reigns.  It's up to our younger players to stand up now.  Ross King, Picky, Paddy Purcell, Neil Foyle and more have what it takes to be real leaders for us now, and we will need them.  I expect Joe Campion to be back with Laois at some stage, a break away from hurling for a bit may be the best thing for the lad.  Then we have the lads fresh from minor coming in, Mark Kav, Fonzi, Ryan Mullaney and  Leigh Bergin have plenty of potential so it will be interesting to see how they adapt to the senior set up.  Darren Maher is also a huge addition and in his current form should nail down the full back position and perhaps release Healy to a position more natural to him.

It's certainly not all doom and gloom, but patience and realistic ambitions may well be needed for the coming year.

Excellent Post mate.....Hopefully Zane can stay on as well I see he and a few more got picked for Leinster a nice swansong for Joe!
LAOIS ABÚ

redsetanta

#28
Well said there 'The GreatGame'

I agree with your sentiments but 5 lads retiring at the same time will be hard to take. They are not just panel members either. Joe Fitz was MOTM on more than one occasion over the last couple of years and looked like he could play for years to come. The winter slog is probably the killer for the older lads, especially the ones with family etc. Butch is young enough to be calling it a day. I know he had a couple of bad days in the office this year but he has been brilliant for us on other days.

I wouldn't rely on Zane to be honest. He was on the Shinty this year and is involved with Leinster which wouldn't have been the case if he wasn't hurling county. I still feel he should have got a nomination for a All Star. With Zane it has been a year with the county and then a year out so on that basis probably won't see him this year.  With the retirements he should be encouraged to stay involved because he is one of the best on his day and young lads need players like that around them.

The real glory is being knocked to your knees and then coming back. That's real glory. VinceLombardi