Leinster Minor Football Championship 2017

Started by Junior Ex Laoistalk, October 07, 2016, 01:05:42 AM

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redsetanta

Better days for our minors. I mentioned this on the Video's thread. Rory's stories recollection on our minors in 2004.

A Royal Hiding

Minor football is a great competition, giving young lads a chance to represent their county and the possibility of running out onto the Holy Grail that is Croke Park at 17 or 18 years of age.

Well Back in 2004, I was part of the Meath minor team who genuinely believed we had a serious chance of something special that year, we had a huge big, strong, physical team, all big hardy bucks who were clearly all well fed growing up!!

We had some class acts involved that year, including Cian Ward, Jamie Queeney and current Meath captain Kevin Reilly, along with plenty more talented county minors.

We played in both the Ulster and Leinster league as part of our preparation for the championship campaign. One of our first games of the Leinster league campaign was away to Laois, who were the current defending All –Ireland champion's at the time, who still had most their team underage and eligible to 'run-a-mok' again that year. We travelled down to Stradbally in early February and put in a savage performance, Laois had most there big guns playing that day, including Brendan Quigley, Craig Rogers and Michael J Tierney.

I think we won by maybe 3 or 4 points that day and we believed we were going to win the All Ireland after it, as we thought that was Laois at full strength and we were missing the St. Pats of Navan lads!

Little did we know that Sean Dempsey, Laois manager, ran the bollix out of them the night before that game to give us false hope, "I'll run the lads heavy before the Meath game, no harm in letting the Royalers beat us and get cocky, we'll sort that come May".

I'm convinced that this is what the cute whore Dempsey said to one of his selectors, as we had drawn them in the first round of the Leinster championship later that year.

So Dempsey wanted us to think that this was the Laois team's full deck of cards that we had beaten on their home patch. Well my lord jaysus wasn't that a big mistake!!
bigquig

We also played the Ulster league in the build-up to the showdown with men from the O'Moore County. We had beaten Tyrone, Down, and Armagh so we felt that we were really ready to give Leinster a serious whack.
A Different Story

That fateful day in May came around fairly quick; I remember it well as it was one of the hottest days of the year, dreadful tough weather to be running around after nippy corner forwards.

Wiping the sweat onto the sleeve of your jersey while saying to yourself "Jaysus I'm bolloxed altogether- am I fit at all"!

We warmed up on the back pitch in Navan, sprinted over and back like eejits thinking we were ready to bully this star studded Laois outfit for the next 60 minutes.

If my memory serves me right, Laois barely did a warm-up that day, they just simply did a light jog and a good stretch, to conserve all their energy for the exhibition of football they were about to give.

They arrived in Navan that day with Sean Dempsey leading them into the dressing room like a well Drilled Army General, ready to display their football gifts and leave the rest of Ireland dreading the thought of coming up against them.

My god did they give us a football lesson that afternoon.

When the ball was thrown in, you could tell straight away that this Laois team meant business.
They were, and still to this day are, the best minor football team I've ever seen or played against, that day they just clicked and it was torture trying to stop them.

They had three big men, Brendan Quigley, who I had a decent tussle with, Colm Begley and Cahir Healy, the rest where small, fast and highly gifted, no more so than Donnie Brennan, my god he was a genius of a minor footballer, there was more weight on a starved cat, but he didn't need any size or stature as he was a step ahead of the game all day long, a young Gooch Cooper in the making.
Chasing Shadows

They ran around us picking out passes for fun, we certainly didn't do ourselves justice that day, far from it, but looking back on it now you have to admire how class that team was. One big man in the middle jumping for kick outs, and three or four little terriers under the breaks waiting to come at you in droves and put the ball between the sticks, absolute relentless waves of attacks.

We might have had a small glimmer of hope that day when Quigley got sent off, I was having a bit of an argy bargee with him and I knew he was getting wound up, we had a tussle for a hop ball and he got thick and hit a lad a box in the puss.

The box was harmless enough to tell you the truth, but he got the line for it, which gave us a boost, but this only lifted Laois more and they upped the tempo once again. They were absolute flyers; I would have had more enjoyment and a better chance at chasing a young hen around a golf course than catching them lads.

They went onto trounce us that day, 2-15 to 1-5, we could have no complaints as they gave one of the greatest displays from any minor team on any given day, Unfortunately, for myself and 20 other lads, we had to be their prey on that very warm May afternoon in Pairc Tailteann, Navan.
The real glory is being knocked to your knees and then coming back. That's real glory. VinceLombardi

Junior Ex Laoistalk

Brilliant, great memories of that one. I remember a meath man letting me out of the car park that day and saying that they really thought they had a team to win the all-Ireland that year. He was devastated...
Winners are not those who never fail, but those who never quit!

blueandwhite1

I remember that it was a beautiful day, in every way!

After 10 minutes it was obvious that there was only going to be one winner. That team had some pace and precision and moved the ball like lightening. None of your running into the corner and passing back out towards the 45 to other stationary men.


redsetanta

In fairness at that age group there was no-one like Donie Brennan to find space, turn a marker or ping a pass to a team mate.
The real glory is being knocked to your knees and then coming back. That's real glory. VinceLombardi

GAA-SMART


Laoisabu

They played Kerry at the weekend. The score was something like 2-16 to 1-6. Kerry are very strong again.

Heshs Umpire

Quote from: Laoisabu on March 21, 2017, 11:04:19 AM
They played Kerry at the weekend. The score was something like 2-16 to 1-6. Kerry are very strong again.
They're the benchmark alright. Clifford still underage. He's going to be a savage player.
Well I could keep it above
But then it wouldn't be sky anymore

on the hop

That's Kerry even without the main players from school team that played in the all Ireland semi final

SCFC

Minors beat Armagh by a point up in Armagh this morning. Good, tough game!
Hammered Wicklow a couple of weeks ago. Wicklow are very poor.

GAA-SMART

THE PANEL IN FULL IS (* DENOTES U-17)
Ronan McEvoy (Portlaoise)
Jason Maher (Portlaoise)
Ross Brennan (Portlaoise)
Andrew Swayne (Portlaoise*)
Eoin O'Connor (Portlaoise*)
Cathal Duggan (Portlaoise*)
Cian Houlihan (Portlaoise*)
Michael Dowling (Portlaoise*)
Gary Saunders (Portlaoise*)
Alan Kinsella (Courtwood)
Sean O'Flynn (Courtwood*)
Niall Dunne (Courtwood*)
Cian Doyle (Courtwood*)
Ronan Coffey (Portarlington*)
Colin Slevin (Portarlington*)
Alex Mohane (Portarlington*)
Diarmaid Whelan (Ballyroan-Abbey)
Tom McCann (Ballyroan-Abbey)
John Rogers (Ballyroan-Abbey*)
Ciaran Comerford (The Harps)
Padraig Delaney (The Harps)
Daniel Comerford (The Harps)
Cian Langford (Emo)
Jack Owens (Emo*)
Niall Gorman (Emo*)
Damien McCaul (Annanough*)
Killian Horgan (Annanough*)
Bernard Wheatley (St Joseph's*)
Dean Brophy (St Joseph's*)
Paddy Walsh (Killeshin*)
Lee Dunne (Killeshin)
Robert Tyrell (Camross)
Callum Hennessy (Graiguecullen*)
PJ Daly (The Heath*)
Mark Barry (O'Dempseys*)
Craig Adams (Park-Ratheniska*)
Eoin Dunne (Rosenallis)
Evan Hunt (Kilcavan)
Colm Dunne (Timahoe)
Seamus Lacey (Ballylinan)
Pierce Nash (Crettyard)

redsetanta

Laois Minor Football manager Noel Delaney has announced his starting 15 for Saturday's Electric Ireland MFC clash with Louth at 3pm in O'Moore Park

Courtwood's Alan Kinsella captains the side.


1. Thomas McCann (Ballyroan Abbey)

2. Michael Dowling (Portlaoise)

3. Sean O'Flynn (Courtwood)

4. Daniel Comerford (The Harps)

5. Colin Slevin (Portarlington)

6. Seamus Lacey (Ballylinan)

7. Gary Saunders (Portlaoise)

8. Robert Tyrell (Camross)

9. Diarmuid Whelan (Ballyroan Abbey)

10. Alan Kinsella (Courtwood)

11. Niall Dunne (Courtwood)

12. Ronan Coffey (Portarlington)

13. Mark Barry (O'Dempsey's)

14. Ciaran Comerford (The Harps)

15. Jack Owens (Emo)


Courtwood certainly doing something right.  Well represented on teh senior team and 3 starters on the minor team.
The real glory is being knocked to your knees and then coming back. That's real glory. VinceLombardi

OTF

Quote from: redsetanta on April 21, 2017, 11:29:40 AM
Laois Minor Football manager Noel Delaney has announced his starting 15 for Saturday's Electric Ireland MFC clash with Louth at 3pm in O'Moore Park

Courtwood's Alan Kinsella captains the side.


1. Thomas McCann (Ballyroan Abbey)

2. Michael Dowling (Portlaoise)

3. Sean O'Flynn (Courtwood)

4. Daniel Comerford (The Harps)

5. Colin Slevin (Portarlington)

6. Seamus Lacey (Ballylinan)

7. Gary Saunders (Portlaoise)

8. Robert Tyrell (Camross)

9. Diarmuid Whelan (Ballyroan Abbey)

10. Alan Kinsella (Courtwood)

11. Niall Dunne (Courtwood)

12. Ronan Coffey (Portarlington)

13. Mark Barry (O'Dempsey's)

14. Ciaran Comerford (The Harps)

15. Jack Owens (Emo)


Courtwood certainly doing something right.  Well represented on teh senior team and 3 starters on the minor team.

Please excuse my ignorance "The Harps" are ??

blueandwhite1

Quote from: OTF on April 21, 2017, 12:09:40 PM
Quote from: redsetanta on April 21, 2017, 11:29:40 AM
Laois Minor Football manager Noel Delaney has announced his starting 15 for Saturday's Electric Ireland MFC clash with Louth at 3pm in O'Moore Park

Courtwood's Alan Kinsella captains the side.


1. Thomas McCann (Ballyroan Abbey)

2. Michael Dowling (Portlaoise)

3. Sean O'Flynn (Courtwood)

4. Daniel Comerford (The Harps)

5. Colin Slevin (Portarlington)

6. Seamus Lacey (Ballylinan)

7. Gary Saunders (Portlaoise)

8. Robert Tyrell (Camross)

9. Diarmuid Whelan (Ballyroan Abbey)

10. Alan Kinsella (Courtwood)

11. Niall Dunne (Courtwood)

12. Ronan Coffey (Portarlington)

13. Mark Barry (O'Dempsey's)

14. Ciaran Comerford (The Harps)

15. Jack Owens (Emo)


Courtwood certainly doing something right.  Well represented on teh senior team and 3 starters on the minor team.

Please excuse my ignorance "The Harps" are ??

You are obviously not from the hurling part of the county!!  Durrow / Cullohill. Currently a Senior B hurling club who were prominent in the 90s - lost a few Senior finals and got relegated last year. Have provided a few footballers to minor and U21 panels down the years but don't remember any senior inter-county footballers from those parts.

The Monument Road

Quote from: OTF on April 21, 2017, 12:09:40 PM
Quote from: redsetanta on April 21, 2017, 11:29:40 AM
Laois Minor Football manager Noel Delaney has announced his starting 15 for Saturday's Electric Ireland MFC clash with Louth at 3pm in O'Moore Park

Courtwood's Alan Kinsella captains the side.


1. Thomas McCann (Ballyroan Abbey)

2. Michael Dowling (Portlaoise)

3. Sean O'Flynn (Courtwood)

4. Daniel Comerford (The Harps)

5. Colin Slevin (Portarlington)

6. Seamus Lacey (Ballylinan)

7. Gary Saunders (Portlaoise)

8. Robert Tyrell (Camross)

9. Diarmuid Whelan (Ballyroan Abbey)

10. Alan Kinsella (Courtwood)

11. Niall Dunne (Courtwood)

12. Ronan Coffey (Portarlington)

13. Mark Barry (O'Dempsey's)

14. Ciaran Comerford (The Harps)

15. Jack Owens (Emo)


Courtwood certainly doing something right.  Well represented on teh senior team and 3 starters on the minor team.

Please excuse my ignorance "The Harps" are ??
One of the very first amalgamations in laois. Durrow/Cullohill area which is a hurling locality. Those two Comerfords are brothers(Twins i think) and are also on the Laois Minor hurling team. the family used to live in Kileen and the young lads once played underage hurling for st Josephs. Family moved to that area so as to give the lads a better chance of improving at hurling. I may need correction on some of that info 8)

redsetanta

Have the parents got any connections over that side of the county? Fair committment from them if not to allow their sons to hurl.
The real glory is being knocked to your knees and then coming back. That's real glory. VinceLombardi