Messages

Accept the fact that Lillis does not have the defensive players to arrest this slide. Not good enough. Simple as. McNulty had a better defensive plan, fair enough, but he also had Healy and O'Leary who are better players than some we have now. We could well go down to Division 4 because defections will increase as we slip away, but this was all foreseeable and nobody can claim to be that surprised really, can they?

It's only right that we go to Division 3 because we haven't done enough to be in this Division. Defensively we are all over the place and confidence is very low. For the likes of us, it doesn't really matter what Division we are in anyway. League football is meaningless and we have no hope in the Leinster Championship.

We are a small county with a small population. Our resources are relatively evenly spread between both codes. We Will always struggle to be successful in either code, but we will and do get a very occasional spike.

As for week to week performances, we rely on certain players to stay fit and we are not overly blessed with top class talent. We think sometimes that we are, but in reality, from a footballing point of view, I would say only Donal Kingston would get into a Dublin team. The modern top class footballer has unbelievable stamina and work rate, and whilst our lads work hard and try their best, they are a long way off. It is what it is and it could well be a long time before we see another trophy in Laois. We need an exceptional bunch of players to come together at any given time, and that is why the sheer weight of numbers in Dublin makes the GAA uncompetitive. They are far more likely and on a much more frequent basis to produce good teams.

Crazy stuff there yesterday. Defending from both sides was Under 8 standard. We were marginally the better side and our commitment to the game was admirable, but with more composure and some sort of defensive plan, we should have won the game. If I were Lillis, I would ask Cheddar and Healy if he fancied the Meath game. I don't know Armaghs fixtures, but if it comes down to a straight shoot out between us and Meath, we could do with Healy in the backs. Based on what I saw of Derry yesterday, there is every possibility that Meath will get a result against them, although I'm hoping they might be better in Celtic Park. Very unlikely we will get anything in Cavan.

Any news on Kieran Lillis? I hope he makes a quick recovery

I think we're in a bit of a vicious circle. Money coming in is limited so investment in the team is hit. Even gear seems to be in short enough supply from what I can see. People who belittle the effect that travelling up on the morning had on the team obviously didn't make the journey. It was a long, boring journey and I down know how you'd want to kick football after it. These are young fit lads who probably don't think like that, but I think it's amateurish to think you can walk off a bus and beat a team in their own backyard who haven't lost there for 2 years. Even a night game would be different because the extra few hours would help you to get up for the game. I think it was a shocking decision whoever made it, and shows us up in a very poor light.

We're not as bad as we showed Sunday. We're a Division 3 side in the making, fair enough, but there's more to us than we showed Sunday. We have to believe that the two home games are winnable. Based on the Tyrone performance, I think we can win both games. The centre half back position is a real problem. Teams are just coming down the middle in waves, almost like they know we're leaky there. We need a real physical presence to shore up that area. I'd go as gar as to put a sweeper in font of the half back line, because it seems to be our Achilles heel. The pressure on the full back line because of mistakes by the half back line is killing us.

I went to the game yesterday too. I can't believe the team travelled up on the day. I left at 10 to be there for 1, which potentially means they left at 8.30 or less to get in a warm up, with some of them getting up at 6.30/7 to make the coach. I'm not saying either that we lost because of that because we were totally outplayed, but what a shocking way to run a county set up. The performace was abysmal. It was too bad to make sense of, and we would beat nobody for the rest of the year if we ever played like that again. Terrible pitch. Fermanagh fit as fleas and prepared to run themselves to a standstill. Great movement and passing from them but we were not much better than statues. We just couldn't keep up with them as time after time they ran at us. I thought we looked tired or over trained, but you just can't ask lads to get off a coach after 3 hours and play a serious game of football. This is how Carlow prepare, and that's where we'll be heading if we do the same things. A game best forgotten. Zero positives.

More people need to make an effort and get out and support these lads. There was barely anyone in the stand on Saturday night, and the team, no matter how bad they are going, deserve better.

Fair play to the small but select few who made the journey. As away trips go, it's not a bad one, and you'd be there in under 2 and half hours no problem. A very spirited performance against an Armagh side who seem to have inherited all their famous old off the ball tricks. No point getting carried away because they were wasteful and quite poor, but we did what we had to do and fought hard. Referee and linesman got some awful abuse from the home support and their mentors, which was completely out of line. I thought Evan O'Carroll caused them real panic, and seems to be better out the field.

Are you going to Armagh tomorrow night Tony?

Glynn, Boyle, Bruno, Healy, Scully, McMahon, o Leary, Meredith, Lowry, Attride, Begley.

Most of them would start ahead of what's in there now. All would be an addition. Take your head out of the sand Tony and stop coding yourself.

I have no real opinion on Mick Lillis. It appears he got the job because nobody else wanted it, we have no money to get bigger and/or our county board have no ambition. He has a big task ahead of him and he has my best wishes. We could fill a panel of lads who don't want to play, so he's on the back foot before he starts. If we had everyone available to us, we would probably stay in Division 2, but we don't, so the job becomes harder. I always thought staying in Division 2 would act as some sort of motivation to lads to stick around, but our attrition rate in recent years says otherwise. I expect the worst and hope for the best. Nobody else seems to have the amount of drop outs that we do, and it's hard for young lads coming into such a weakened panel

Yes I have Shapes. Galway were watery and Kildare were under strength - as were we to be fair. It's early and they looked to be well coached rather than being a good team. There's a massive difference between the two. It remains to be seen just how competitive they will be. I don't think they'll make too much of an impression. The most encouraging aspect is the numbers committing. Mick Lillis wishes he could get that many for the Seniors I'd imagine

A few players aside, it's a poor enough team. I wouldn't be expecting too much. Lads getting carried away again

Have you seen the up and coming laois teams? Plenty of talent. The squad is strong this year, make no mistake : plenty of potential here (by Laois standards). With the right manager, the team could do well. The manager IS EXTREMELY important. Just look at what Donegal did with McGuinness. I HOPE Mick Lillis is the man. He needs to prove himself.

Laois people have a terrible habit of getting excited about Laois lads based on what they do in Laois. It's a different ball game when we go outside of Laois. We're in a bad way Tony. Fair play if you have yourself convinced otherwise

It's not really about Mick Lillis. He got the job because nobody else wanted it. He has all the enthusiasm in the world, but is surrounded by a lot of players who are half decent club footballers at best. We have 4 or 5 lads who are capable of playing at this and higher levels, but in general, our standards are slipping as a county. Anyone saying anyone to the contrary obviously has a vested interest or is just blind. It will of course get a bit better if the few lads return, but let's face it, it couldn't get any worse than yesterday. We are a Division 3 side in all but name anyway. I have no doubt that Kildare and Westmeath would beat us at the moment.