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Wouldn't have been my pick but now that he has it we will have to give him a a fair crack.
The interesting questions are the formation of a backroom team and will he be able to generate enough interest for players to commit to the set-up.
Defenders must be the new managers priority. In attack and midfield we have enough to compete with most teams.

Id agree with you SCFC. The difference between the 2 teams last night was the management. Glen Ryan got his match ups right and used his bench well when lads where flagging. On the other hand the Heath wasted more ball kicking it into the big Fitzgerald fella and never brought off players who were struggling.
Munnelly and David Conway were given too much space. They were both excellent.
Young Lawlor at 4 for Kilcruise had a powerful game alright. His point was pure determination.
I would expect Kilcruise to make the final now but the other semi will provide this years championship winners.

Lads is Portlaoise v Crettyard/Mountmellick definitely on Saturday. I thought I seen something about it being moved to Monday night??

The Minor A final takes place tonight between Portarlington and Graiguecullen in O'Moore Park at 7-30pm.
Some great football played by both these teams on their way to the final and it's hard to pick a winner tonight.
Best of luck to both teams.

Horrible conditions for football. Nevertheless it was entertaining enough. Graigue always looked in control and I think in truth the weather suited them better. Port are physically a small team and struggled with some handling errors. The point shooting from the Graigue forwards was top notch on the night.

Lads I don't like doing this because it is a thankless job but i think it has to be said now. The refereeing standard in the county is a at a very poor standard. We have 2 top referees and rarely use them.
Last nights referee was 30-40 yards away from the play for most of the game, made some calls that an RTE comedy sketch show would have been proud of and was booed off by both sets of supporters.
If it means stumping up an extra few quid to attract some new blood then so be it.

Crettyard and Mountmellick drew again tonight. Anybody at it? Following on Twitter and it seemed a late Evan O'Carroll goal forced extra time and then Cretty came back again from behind in that to force a second replay.

With the Quarters due next week, it will be interesting to see what happens fixture wise now.

Very poor game of football last night. 2 very limited teams. The free taking on both sides was the saving grace in the game. Coss missed a penalty for mountmellick after half time that would have been a hammer blow to Crettyard.
Mountmellick were 3 ahead in injury time when the ball was lobbed into the square, a couple of mountmellick players fumbled the ball allowing a goal.
Crettyard have to be the most dogged team in the championship. fair play to them. they never lie down. Eoin George and Evan O Carroll were the best players on show from open play.
Portlaoise will ease into a semi final on this evidence.

Only seen the last 10 minutes of Crettyard v Mountmellick. A half 6 throw in is hardly ideal for players or supporters. Poor crowd in for the first game id guess. From what I did see of that game id wonder how Crettyard were behind, they were dominant in all areas at that stage and missed some very score-able opportunities to win it.
The Ballyroan v Graigue game was very enjoyable until the rain came bucketing down midway trough the second half. Ballyroan will fell hard done by after conceding 2 very soft goals. The second in particular you might see more commonly at an under 12 or 14 game.
This black card is really turning farcical in my opinion. Joe brennan last night gave 2 black cards for late tackles but when a third late tackle came in from young forbes he gave him yellow. At least be consistent in the calls.
Graigue could be a match for most teams, with Brennan, Forbes and especially Timmons hitting form.
Looking forward to tonight's game.       

That's not Jerome Stack 

That person will be delighted when he discovers who he's been mistaken for though!

your dead right. Similar hair.... maybe, but i may need a trip to the optictions  .
Still, at least the new manager will have something to look at. Welcome Shapes

On a side Note. I know its not the same as watching the matches in person but I have seen Jerome Stack, last years selector, in O Moore park video recording the championship. I presume laois gaa have commissioned this for the next manager.

Port are unpredictable alright SCFC. Port won the replay by winning more ball in the middle. they kept the ball away from maher at midfield and won all the breaking ball. the stradbally forwards were starved of ball. Stradbally seem to have no panel. they took 2 players off, only to later bring them back on.
Colm Murphy from what I have seen in the 2 games deserves a county call up. Stradbally v Ballyfin relegation final looks likely now.

Entertaining game last night. Played at a real championship pace. Port probably played the better football and missed 1 or 2 good goal chances but after being behind with a man light they must be happy with a draw. Shiels was a huge addition to Stradbally. Adds real pace and directness to that forward line. Maher at midfield for stradbally gave an exhibition on high fielding.

Predictions for the rest of the weekend:
Arles killeen vs Arles Kilcruise . game of the weekend, Killeen by 2.
Ballyroan vs The Heath... The Heath by 5, surely bet of the weekend at 8/15
Mountmellick vs St. Josephs... Mountmellick by 2.
Portlaoise vs Killeshin... Portlaoise, but not by the margin everyone expects. Portlaoise by 3
Graigue vs O'Dempseys ... tough one to call this. a tentative nod to O'Dempseys
Ballyfin vs Crettyard ... Crettyard to grind it out. Crettyard by 1 
Emo vs Ballylinan ... Ballylinan to win by 3

Spink look to be goners. They will hardly bother playing timahoe now after getting hidings from Portlaoise and The Rock.
Meanwhile, Timahoe are effectively already through to semi final after a handy win over the town last night. This should be an easy championship for them by the looks of things and they might add the junior B title too next week. Playing a Colt/Mountrath combination in the final

The Junior B final is between Killeshin and St fintans SCFC. Killesin have a nice team at that grade.
Spink are as good as gone in this alright. Surprised by the beating they took last night. looks like a battle between Graigue and Kilcavan in the other group to see who joins them in the Junior A.

Mulhare is miles off the standard you expect for the top tier. Not really his fault in my view. the referee panel or county board, whoever appoints the referee's to games is responsible. He has no experience and i think St josephs and Ballyfin deserved better. if a referee was going to be given a shot at the senior I think Clifford Ward deserves a go, Never much fuss when he refs a game from what i have seen. The frustration in that josephs/Ballyfin game was always building.
A row on the field is one think but the substitutes should be punished severely for getting involved.

For Some BallyroanAbu

Decent game last night, Arles system really nullified Ballylinan scoring threat well. Joe Mulhare gave a very disciplined performance in taking Gary Walsh out of the game. Nice too see Donie play on the edge of the square, Ballylinan tried in vein to double mark him to little success. From Ballylinans point of view i wouldnt be too concerned. some good young players and looking forward i think they will be safe.
Hesh thats a big loss for mountmellick, they aren't picking from a big pool as it is. i heard training numbers are poor. Port will be without Jason Moore who is apparently on holiday. 
Midfield could be a weakness for Portlaoise so looking at the players missing.
Ballyfin wont be at full strength, from what i have heard they are missing at least 2 if not 3 of the starting 6 backs from last years intermediate win