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Agreed David Seale was a real gem this year. Himself, Brian Smith and Shane Murphy would be my 3 nominations for Player of the year.

No arguments with Sean Moore for Young Player

Now that the championships have finished up, we look towards awards season. Think the Leinster made a go of an "All-Star Team" as well as a player of the year, young player of the year:

1. Graham Brody (Portlaoise)
2. Shane Murphy ( Emo)
3. Shane Carney ( Emo0
4. David Seale (Portlaoise)
5. Darren Strong ( Emo)
6. Kieran Lillis (Portlaoise)
7. Cahir Healy (Portlaoise)
8. Evan O'Carrol (Crettyard)
9. Donie Kingston (Arles-Killeen)
10. Brian Smith (Portlaoise)
11. Ross Munnelly (Arles-Kilcruise)
12. Nigel Murphy (Emo)
13. Paul Cahilane ( Portlaoise)
14. Paul Lawlor (Emo)
15. Mick Lawlor (Emo)

Player of the year: Shane Murphy (Emo)
Young Player of the Year: Sean Moore (Ballyfin)

Some strange enough calls in that. Any opinions?

Sarsfield's won yesterday but a very poor performance in rotten conditions

Very questionable team selection and tactics employed by Sarsfields management. Sean Moore played the first half and scored 1-2. Great to see Darren Fitz back after some injury troubles lately.

Very interesting see how they do against Portlaoise next week.

Who is in charge of Sarsfields this year does anyone know, I've heard a few but interested to hear for sure.

Is there anyone but Sarsfields to look at in this years U21 championship. From what I can see, Sarsfields won the championship easy enough and they have only lost 4 players (Eoin George, Eoghan Keogh, The Mangan twins) and still have Sean & James Moore, Ciaran Duff, Darren Fitzpatrick, Niall Mullins, Keith Dunphy, Con Maher, Adam o'Reilly.

Josephs who they beat in last years finals have lost the Campions, there main play makers.

Not too sure on the Portlaoise situation, but minor at this age they were no world beaters.

Anyone any insight?

Lads lets be honest with ourselves here. Healy is a hurler, he is already making a huge sacrafice to make the hurling, commuting over and back from London, which is all travel and waiting round included is almost 6 hours travelling per journey. Lets just leave that there.

As regards other players, yes lets hope Mick can have the Cheddar effect and make players want to represent their county, and have some pride in their jersey. get rid of some dead wood and build for the future. pray for a good draw, avoid Dublin, and get to a Leinster Final.....(I make it sound so simple)

Theres enough of good footballers in this county to be contesting an All-Ireland Quarter final

Now Timahoe and O'Dempseys in the intermediate next year.
Very strange to have heard the Timahoe result. Many had them as sure favorites to stroll straight back into the senior championship, after Ballyfin left them for dead last year. But again they have failed. Between Annanough and Clonaslee now for senior status.

Courtwood very unlucky not to beat Annanough.

Absolute negativity on this thread.

Its a new regime, a new man in charge, a new backroom team, hopefuly a few new faces. Lets start fresh and actaully get behind the lads. Lets be constructive here rather than point out what we dont like about Mick and how shite we'll do, instead talk about who could actually get a spot on the backroom team and add there bit to the squad.

We are damning the lads before a ball is even kicked in pre season.

I'd like to see a team of Joe Higgins, Chris Conway and maybe Padraig Clancy, these guys have won and might bring a bit of passion and pride to the jersey again. S & C is going to be vital again this year.

Seale performed well last week, there are a few youngsters he will be familiar with, maybe its time we start to bring these on, a good blend of old and new. The likes of Billy Sheehan have been hanging on by a pubic hair for the past couple of years. Maybe its time we start to give experience to some youngsters whom Mick will have worked with through Portlaoise and Laois underage. David Seale, Sean & James Moore, Alan Farrell, Niall Mullen and others, along with bringing the good Portlaoise heads on board, I think Mick with a good back room could be a real success.

There's nothing bar Dublin in Leinster and I think if we got to a Leinster final we would consider that a success, and that's just a decent draw away.

Going back to Portlaoise's display last week, their determination throughout was completely admirable, thye never took their foot off the gas. Each sub they brought on added something to an already strong team. Attacking movement was exemplary and Killeen will need to be at the top of their game to get the W on this one.

But would anyone agree that if Killeen are to beat Portloaie it will be in a semi final?

Lets Just hope Killeen and Portlaoise avoid each other until the final, could do with a decent final....no disrespect to Mountmellick but Portlaoise should do ok tonight

Think they've seen Ballyfin's history in both codes this year, and with Ballylinan being no angels either, they might need their best ref to keep them from killing eachother.

A bit of a snide remark to be fair. If Kinsella had to be reffing the Josephs game then maybe we would have had no "history" at all as you say yourself.

Wasn't meant to be a snide remark, just between the Joseph's game, and the hurling Ballyfin have had their fair share of red cards, deserved or not, they have built a wee reputation for themselves, I personally would agree with you but on the whole the issue as to why Kinsella was reffing is understandable.

Great win for Ballyfin. A young team who need to be playing senior games. Sean & James Moore in attack are something special. Sean with another 1-5.

A very defensive set up though, Ciaran Duff mashalled it very well from centre back

Eddie Kinsella is doing a relegation playoff instead of a quarter final this weekend only in laois.

Think they've seen Ballyfin's history in both codes this year, and with Ballylinan being no angels either, they might need their best ref to keep them from killing eachother.

This weeks Fixtures, anyone fancy to call:

Thursday: Crettyard v Mountmellick (Mountmellick best of a bad bunch)
Friday: Arles-Killeen V Graigue (Kileen by 3, Timmons v Kingston will be interesting)
Saturday: Josephs V Emo (Josephs by 4)
                 Ballylinan V Ballyfin (Ballyfin by 2, if they can get the ball into their full forwards line to the moores and not focus so much on getting men behind the ball, they could secure their saftey
                 Stradbally V O'Dempseys (O'Dempseys should ease through this, 5/6 point gap)
                 Portlaoise V Crettyard/Mountmellick (Portloaise will stroll)
                 The Heath V Arles Kilcruise (Kilcruise, but as uisce said, probably the game I'm most looking forward to this weekend
     

This weeks Fixtures, anyone fancy to call:

Thursday: Crettyard v Mountmellick
Friday: Arles-Killeen V Graigue
Saturday: Josephs V Emo
                 Ballylinan V Ballyfin
                 Stradbally V O'Dempseys
                 Portlaoise V Crettyard/Mountmellick
                 The Heath V Arles Kilcruise