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We are exactly where we wanted to be.

The lads showed what their capable of but only for about 15 minutes; thankfully that was enough to see us past Westmeath. We'll need closer to 70 to give us a shot against Offaly.

It was a strange game. We started poorly and it was a point-each after about 10 minutes with no hurling done in either side. The first half, in general, was a putrid affair with Westmeath tacking on a few late scores to pull 4points clear.
Westmeath looked good; their centre and full backs were hurling oceans of ball and their midfield and half-back line were well on top. They could have been further ahead in truth.

The second half continued in a similar vein with Brendan Murtagh's goal putting Westmeath well-clear and at that stage I really feared we were looking at the prospect of relegation!

Then, within minutes we were level! Westmeath missed a simple free before Picky caught a brilliant long ball and fed Cha who buried us back into the game. The crowd woke up! Suddenly our tails were up and Westmeath were in disarray; Murtagh went off injured and without playing brilliantly, we found ourselves kicking for home with nice scores from Roddy and Hyland; before the crowd erupted again with Cha nailing a beauty of a point from long range.
The game petered out somewhat with Westmeath correctly getting 2 players sent-off and then the real negative of the day, Ross King's injury. It looked nasty, I suspect a cruciate, though I hope I'm wrong!

Credit must go to Cheddar and the entire panel.
We're not playing as well as we can but its a small sign of progress to see us qualify top of a group without getting out of 3rd gear.

Offaly in two weeks. Huge game; huge opportunity!

We are exactly where we wanted to be!

Merman?.would you leave zane out??

On current form, I would!
He is without question one of the most talented hurlers in Laois but he hasn't shown that, in my opinion, this year!

Huge game on Sunday; I'm not convinced Antrim will beat Carlow (especially in Carlow) so a win might well be enough to see us top the group.
Unfortunately, I think we might need to rely on such a result as I don't believe we will beat Westmeath by 9 points. There hasn't been much between the teams over the last 5 years and they are on a definite high. Allied to that, they have a competitive club championship and have consistently produced good club teams as well as decent minor teams.
This could well go down to the wire and I would take any kind of a win to be honest...

I don't think we will see wholesale changes but for what it's worth, this is what I'd like to see...

Rowland
Healy
Whelan
Delaney
Fitzpatrick
Walsh
Delaney
Purcell
Maher
Cha
Campion
Hyland
Conroy
King
Fitzgerald

Nowlan Park is down for two games on June 20th so there's every possibility that the minor match will precede the Leinster Championship semi-final between Kilkenny and Wexford or the Group runners-up.

I just noted that the senior match is already arranged for 2pm (maybe Sky are showing it) so we could be looking at a noon start.

Fairly pathetic and negative post.

Pathetic?
What was pathetic about the post?
I'll concede it was negative but I've been following Laois hurling long enough to form an opinion and I'm sorry that's contrary to yours. I posted hundreds of posts on LaoisTalk and was regularly accused of being overly positive; people often disagreed with me and that led to some decent debate.
I'd happily debate with you over anything I posted; I won't even call you pathetic for things I disagree with.

If you think the standard of hurling produced yesterday was reflective of the ability within that squad then fair enough, you're more than entitled to that view.
I think you're wrong though. And so did a lot of Laois people leaving DCP yesterday.

Things aren't good Folks, that was another poor showing against an average enough Div 2 team.
Carlow offered very little but when we should have kicked on and buried them with 15/20 minutes to go, we retreated; and poor discipline, concentration, and generally, poor technique, almost left the door open for them.

I check most counties GAA forums pretty regularly and a very good poster on the uibhfhaili site suggests that we look like a team who are leggy from over-training; perhaps looking to peak for a Leinster-quarter. I think that could be a valid point.
We finished hurling at 60 minutes today and we were caught from behind against Antrim also, though I appreciate in different circumstances. The lads should be as fit as they ever have been. I doubt any Laois hurling team has put in the hours and work that this team has over the last 18-30 months but you wouldn't tell today. I don't know if it's physical or mental but there's a sense of fatigue emanating from the camp and I believe it's feeding into the support-base also.

Something isn't right and questions must be asked about some of the decisions made on the line.
I really like Joe Campion and thought he did very well today but what must some of the subs be thinking. We have at least 4 natural defenders on our bench who were overlooked to bring a half-forward back. I still don't understand what Tom Delaney or Dwayne Palmer have done to see themselves fall so far out of favour.
Willie Hyland was taken off after hurling quite well in Ballycastle yet when he struggled today he was inexplicably moved into full forward and then had ball after ball angled away from him into corners. Jesus Christ, he was lording the ball in the air, yes the shooting was off but to put him in at full-forward and puck every ball into space where they had an extra man covering was ridiculous.
It actually seemed like the forwards were moved around for no reason at times; Ross King and Ben Conroy were both moved shortly after looking particularly dangerous in either corner.

I don't mean to be dismissive of Carlow because Lord knows we in Laois haven't nearly earned that right yet but they are a poor team. They created no real goal chance but on another day, they would have beaten us today. They drove some sorry wides in that abysmal first half and were still only a puck of the ball away at full time.
Westmeath look a step up on Carlow and they're riding the crest of a wave after such an incredible weekend. We played them last year in Mullingar and it was a poor enough match. I remember leaving quite frustrated after watching Picky toil away in our half-back line and the stick work on both sides was poor. I can't see us beating them by 9 points so I believe we're going to need a favour from Carlow. This is not beyond the realms of possibility as they have plenty to play for but my pre-championship optimism has taken a hammering and today did little to make up for last week in my book...

We can't meet Westmeath.
Kilkenny and Dublin won their quarter-finals whereas ourselves and Westmeath came through the back-door.
Leinstergaa.ie have it very clearly explained on their website.
http://www.leinstergaa.ie/fixtures-results.10.html

Another option for the CB position would be bringing a fit Eric Kileeen back into the defence. He had pushed himself into the first 15 before the Meath game, played very well, albeit against negligible opposition, and would likely have started yesterday but for injury.
I'd agree with the praise for Lee Cleere and though I'd be reluctant to move a player who's on the very top of his game; I am coming to see that maybe he might be the best option for the centre-back role.

Does anyone know if Sean Downey came off because of an injury?

[and]

Failure to beat Antrim would constitute definite regression for this group of players!

Antrim will improve before the Round Robin because quite honestly, they couldn't be as bad as they looked Saturday. Their come-back in the second-half was completely out own doing and if we can iron out these tendencies to retreat into a defensive shell then we should be well-equipped to top the group.

To be honest, I think we are at the stage in our development where we need to actually go on and top the group and beat Offaly to judge this year a success.

I believe we are eminently capable of doing both...

so after last weekend merman would you say its regression for this group of players, i still think Antrim could slip up to let laois back in to top the group.

We have regressed in my opinion.
Brian Campion has proven to be a massive loss, as many of us expected, and we have seen no evidence of anyone knocking down the door and breaking into the first 15.

Laois 3.15 - 1.13 Offaly

Laboured at times against pretty abysmal opposition but I think that's a sign of progress in itself.

Goals were from Stephen Phelan, Mark Kavanagh and Robbie Phelan.

Slightly off-topic but probably preferable to starting a new topic;

Palmer Cup semi-finals:
Camross vs Clough/Ballacolla
Portlaoise vs Castletown

I understand the CB-Camross match is doubling up as their League match and will be played at the end of the month.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Offaly drop an extra man back into defence today,
If they do, I hope we have the composure to work the ball to the extra man in space as our half-back line are all excellent point-takers from distance...

I don't think Whelan has the pace for full back.

You might be right but he has looked just as exposed on the half-line this year, and that was even before his injury lay-off.
I hope the players are right mentally because anything other than a convincing win just won't be enough....

I misspoke above;
I meant this particular team have dismantled their equivalent Offaly team at other grades, U14/15/16...

I'm finding it hard to get over last week's disappointment; it really feels like we have thrown away a realistic shot at a Leinster semi-final and getting ourselves out of the Round-Robin.

Team wise, I still think we have too many square pegs in round holes.
Cahir Healy is a wonderful defender but he's not a full-back and I think he's a huge loss in the middle third of the field where he has an incredible ability to hoover up dirty/breaking ball. Matthew Whelan has struggled on the half-line and must be worth trying at 3. I don't know what Tom Delaney has done to fall down the pecking order but he was arguably our best player this time last year.

I expect John A to come back in but this'll probably come too soon for Picky and Foyle though I'd hope they will see some game-time!

I'd go with;

Reilly

Delaney
Whelan
Palmer


Fitzpatrick
Walsh
Delaney

Purcell
Healy

Campion
Cha
Hyland

King
Keenan
Scully

We have dismantled this Offaly team time and again over the years at this grade.

Hopefully the weather clears and if our full-back line hold up ok then I think we are the better team and should progress to a Leinster semi-final.