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Robbie Piggot going to America as well I heard

Brian Mulligan and Adrian Kelly will not be part of the panel this year apparently. Their own decision.

Something to do with Heywood apparently, which was flagged in January but for some reason Feile weekend could not be moved.  Doubt we would have beaten Portlaoise seems a very strong team with that scoreline.

Surely if Ballyroan were without 5 players they still would have a team to play the games though? Why did all the other players suffer because 5 players couldnt play?

Ballyroan would have been Portlaoise main threat for the A but pulled out because they were missing 5 players. What about the rest of the players? Surely they could have played the matches.

Deadline day, very quiet on the transfer front this year
Any last minute deals?

Colin Finn had his red card rescinded I heard and is available tonight. Any word on the Byrne chap from ballylinan, I assume they appealed it.

So woolly can play in the Intermediate Final then? 

Question, what year did Tom Kelly last play football, was it senior and was he regraded if it was senior? Wooly was in a similar position this year, he couldnt play because he wasnt regraded since 2010.

I was close to the subs bench on Saturday and there was only 1 player that didnt want to come on because there was only 1 minute left on the clock, not 10 mins, the game was won at that stage. It made sense not to bring him on for 1 minute and lose him for the intermediates. I dont think the management realised what they were doing, even though they should have. They had to be told to bring Chichi back on instead

I thought it was strange bringing Kevin Fitz on alright as he had no impact on the match and it would have made more sense to move Bruno around to try and get him into the game.

Laois Cumann na mBunscol are due to meet this week to discuss the controversial events in one of the hurling finals in O'Moore Park last Thursday.

The Division 8 hurling final, the last game of the day on Thursday, was between Castletown's second team, primarily made up of the school's younger students, and Knockmay's first team. However it was alleged that Castletown played a number of their 'first' team in the game.

Furthermore, the match programme only listed first names for all of the Castletown players.

When the Castletown management were approached by members of the media looking for a complete team list before the game, it was claimed they were too busy getting the team prepared for the game to give out the names. It was then later claimed that there was 'legal reasons' they couldn't give full names as some of their players were going through 'deed poll'.

Knockmay actually led the game by 3-2 to 2-4 at half time with Cian Cleary, Jake Lawless and Davin Dunne all on the scoresheet.

But Castletown got on top in the second half and won by nine points in the end.

The result of the game stood, and even though Knockmay had been made aware of what Castletown had done, the cup presentation was carried out.

Afterwards, members of the media approached Castletown principal Monica Kennedy-Phelan, who is also Chairperson of Laois Cumann na mBunscol, and she confirmed that the school played some of their 'first' team in the game.

Ms Kennedy-Phelan stated the school took the decision on 'health and safety grounds', as their 'second' team was too small, and they were worried they could not physically compete with Knockmay.

She also confirmed that some of the students were going through deed poll and that is why the school declined to provide full names.

When the sides met in the group stages of the competition Knockmay came out on top.

Members of Laois Cumann na mBunscol have since confirmed that no rule prohibiting schools from using 'A' players on their 'B' teams currently exist, but that what Castletown admitted to doing was against the 'morals and spirit of the game'.

This is very poor from Castletown, the chairpersons position is untenable.

1199, 1 got away

The Clonaslee-St Manman's player who was named as re-entering the pitch and starting the melee had been previously sent off in the first half due a second yellow card minor infraction and was in fact togged in and standing in the dug outs behind his mentor when the melee began.

"In the referee's report, it is alleged that Clonaslee parents entered the field of play after the whistle was blown and had contributed to the melee.

"While we acknowledge some parents did enter the pitch, it was only to remove their children from the pitch as three of our players indicated they were assaulted. The players in question have now all made statements which will be forwarded to the children's officer.

As previously stated, the melee did not start as a result of a Clonaslee player re-entering the field of play. It was in fact started by an off-the-ball incident involving a Clonaslee and Rosenallis player.

"At that point, players from both clubs were involved in the incident and it was at this point that the referee abandoned the game, with a scoreline of Clonaslee 4-9 and Rosenallis 1-8.

"The injured Rosenallis player remained on the pitch with his mother, mentor and a registered nurse, who is a mother of a Clonaslee player and who provided medical assistance.

"She assured that the injured player had sustained an injury but was lucid, talking and at no point unconscious as was inaccurately reported in some media.

"This statement from Clonaslee-St Manman's is as a result of an investigation by our club, where statements have been taken and are being forwarded to relevant authorities.

"It is with regret that Clonaslee-St Manman's GAA Club find it necessary to release a statement of this nature to defend our juveniles against the inaccuracies reported by some sections of the media and on social media.

I hear the Kyle Byrne transfer appeal to the Laois Cccc was lost as well.

Can we expect more media attention and perhaps Portlaoise beating a well trodden path to the leinster council and ultimately the DRA (cost €1,500) over yet another juvenile player?

I heard he actually won his appeal and his transfer is approved. We just saved €1500!

Maybe ye could donate that 1500 to the 'pay back Croke Park & Leinster Council' fund.

they won't be getting anything back
Anyway there's plenty more potential DRA cases we need to keep it for. Just waiting on our scouts to come back to us.

I hear the Kyle Byrne transfer appeal to the Laois Cccc was lost as well.

Can we expect more media attention and perhaps Portlaoise beating a well trodden path to the leinster council and ultimately the DRA (cost €1,500) over yet another juvenile player?

I heard he actually won his appeal and his transfer is approved. We just saved €1500!

Brian Dalys appeal was rejected, I believe its going to the DRA now.