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Actually none of the rest of the 4 remaining senior teams are Gaels teams. I have posted before about Gaels and I don't have a problem with them at senior but it should be long term with a neighbouring team . Not one of convenience just for getting two or three players . I think MM are playing as Sarsfields at underage and have two or three clubs involved . Are Castletown involved there If MM want to develop they need to keep their own young players going first and foremost. winning an intermediate would give them a huge boost and raise the profile of the game in the town ,But they need to capalitise on it in schools  and with young kids. Your point about St Pauls being a Gaels team is correct but they have been that way for the past 50 years almost and its the same parish. I played them when I was a brat and thats not today or yesterday. we need to get more from our towns than we have been and MM is too big a town to be Intermediate and amalgamated at Juvenile level in My opinion

I agree . a lot of people on here say the likes of Courtwood and Emo and the likes should do a full amalgamation but Emo won intermediate last year and Courtwood are going well this year. Nobody sees the hard work that lads in small clubs put in for whatever rewards they may get . If two clubs amalgamate then maybe you have 24 or 25 players at senior level but 2 intermediate clubs might have 50. If my club amalgamated and went senior I reckon we'd lose up to 10 players as lads have a perception that playing second team is a step down and it's easy to quit . Huge effort is being put in at underage levels at certain clubs and when they reap the rewards certain clubs just look for an easy way to compete. It doesn't sit well that mm can pull 4 or 5 of the best players in another club and use them against the likes of the Courtwoods of this world . I haven't a clue what the population is out there but I'd imagine it's nearer to castletown than mm. They should be commended for keeping 30 lads going rather than discriminated against

People are essentially creatures who want convenience. If they're living in fairgreen and  they have to travel across town through traffic to get to football then they won't but if the pitch is a few hundred yards up the road then they will try it. As regards officers all clubs struggle but if you have a fresh fella or lady with new ideas they might be more likely to join up where they feel their ideas will be listened to rather than go to the huge club where they feel they may not be listened to or play a major part in running the club

I talk to a lot of club members in Portlaoise and most of them would have no problems with a second club being formed. The kilminchy project failed cos they tried to set up adult teams before they had juvenile systems in place. Also the lack of a field hampered them big time. With proper planning and support a Portlaoise north team could be formed and start with juveniles. A little bit of success and suddenly people will want to be involved. 5 or six years and you then introduce adult football and then they're up and running. They would have to have a permanent ground and a lot of co board support but it's possible. I remember we brought a team to play an U10 blitz and Portlaoise were involved they togged 3 teams with over 40 lads involved. We had 24 ...... by the time we met at u16 they were down to 18 and we had 22. There's always a drop off but maybe the smaller clubs work harder to keep players than big clubs who have an embarrassment of riches

Maybe Portlaoise should try employ a full time coach and get into the schools I know it'll cost a lot but the benefits would be huge. I'm sure there's grants from all sources even government would chip in of it could be proven that they were keeping  a definite number of kids away from antisocial behaviour/drugs . Also there's at least two school principals from Portlaoise working in rural schools and pushing football big time. Cyril Duggan has emo school flying and Tommy Fitzgerald had balladams competing well. Hes in a bigger school now in Rath so if a football agenda is pushed in both then st Paul's  and  Courtwood and Emo will benefit. Could you imagine them working in the schools in town and the benefits it would reap for Portlaoise and Laois.

Possibly schools but not with Portlaoise club..... Only got it second hand so maybe it's being overstated but sounds like there's not too many coming from there. Maybe a town member could clarify it cos it sounds unbelievable to me too

Whatever it was it wasn't that strong ...... 😀That was a typo...... Should have read Ballyroan

There's no need to split Portlaoise just form a new club at the northern end. I heard a disturbing fact that the primary school up that end of town has over 700 pupils and not one plays Gaelic games with Portlaoise. Don't know the name of the school.  Small rural clubs have schools with 100 or less yet are in developing ties with all kids and trying to get as many playing as possible. 0 out of 700 is a scandal in my opinion !

I actually thought Ballylinan were the best of the rest this year. Their training was very very good and they have a good panel, but Portlaoise are in a different place completely. Losing the 10  in a row seems to have stung them to greater effort. They blew ballyroan away on Sunday and I suspect weren't even at full tilt. Ballyroan will recover and with all the younger players coming on stream I'd fancy them to be challenging in the next few years as will Killeshin. What disappoints me a bit is that the other towns can't get it right and challenge Portlaoise.

Any more like Rob Tyrrell up in the hurling clubs....... Not county standard for hurling but maybe good footballers. We need to broaden our football base a bit without impacting on the hurlers. I've watched a good few junior matches and also Gaels set ups with hurling clubs involved and some really good footballers involved. Wouldn't know names as people get tired of you asking "who's that lad" and move away

Can anyone stop Portlaoise ? ........ Nope!!!
Joe's are strong defensively but just don't offer enough going forward to outscore them O Dempseys looked poor enough against Emo and Portlaoise are a long way better than Emo. Killeshin will be the next team to challenge Portlaoise but not this year. Give them two or three years and they'll mature nicely. Graigue are Graigue sometimes sublime other times not. So depressingly enough I think Portlaoise will cruise this. Hopefully one of those teams will ram my words back down my throat

I've said Courtwood all along and am going to stay with them, they were only good in this match and still held a strong Portlaoise side at arms length. I have seen them at full cry and they are a very good team. Mountmellick had way too much for rosenallis and were at probably no more than half pace. Can't figure out what happened to rosenallis but they were very poor. Still the mm keeper made three or four great saves and stopped a penalty so if they offer up chances like that to Courtwood they could be in trouble. Mountmellick will be favourites but I think if Donoher is as good as he has been all year then Courtwood will sneak it

Can't see ODempseys troubling any of the stronger teams based on last night's performance Emo were limited but gave them plenty of problems. O D goal came from a speculative ball in from emo which would have brought it back to 1 point. Hit the post or dropped short (can't remember) and od's went the length and scored a great goal.
Both sides defences good but only Hatch Finlay and Mark Barry showed anything in forwards.  Overall a poor enough game.

I reckon beggan will win it but mainly because he can kick points from frees and they have a good kickout strategy. Clifton mainly for kickouts. But I actually think Brody is better to stop shots and his kickouts are as good albeit in a less well established system. Beggan was very poor for Fermanagh's and Kerry  goals and at least one more . Possibly Tyrone. Cluxton is a good shot stopper but I felt a few chinks have appeared in his game so much so that teams are targeting high ball in on the full back as he's not brilliant at coming and claiming them. Maybe blue and white tinted glasses but I think Brody just brings a bit more than both from a weaker team

Anyone hear the Eddie Brennan interview on off the ball last night........ Sounds like he's going back to basics and simplifying the game with striking, control, first touch being most important. Apparently kk had it very stripped back with huge intensity during drills and games. Could be a fairly good year no