Messages

You would expect The Heath to bounce back, Denis Booth returning will help but hard to know how they'll react to that defeat and the manner of it. No score in the second half and only one scorer in the game is a bad day at the office! Portlaoise looked very impressive and cruised in the second half, should have enough for Killeen too.

Other games are hard to call, Emo probably the only certs. Killeshin will be favorites too but could be tight.  Kilcruise experience will bring them through against Josephs I feel. Port to surprise Graigue,  with Stradbally and Ballyroan to win the others for me!

It would be nice to get somebody in place so they could see some of the local championship games but I don't think it's the end of the world if they miss the majority. We are a relatively small footballing county, the pool of players will the mostly the same as what was there this year, I don't really think there are any hidden gems out there!

First game went as many expected. Hard for Clonaslee with the lads they are missing, a club like theirs with so many dual players will struggle when missing a few. Stradbally are improved on previous years but probably won't trouble any of the big guns!

Anyone else hear Lillis stepped down?.. If so, disappointed it didn't work out, but things just didn't go well.. Still think the Laois job is one that would be somewhat attractive, on a player potential basis.. Perhaps it is the financial support which makes it less appealing!

Absolute madness to have that game clashing with the Belgium game, you would presume that they surely realised the clash and proceeded anyway so it won't be changed now. Hard to know who is to blame on this one!

Re players going to America, heard the same thing so reckon we will be down at least one starter from the last day!

Portlaoise/Portlaoise Gaa. Is it really that hard administer this? Its an issue in several tables down through the leagues, very annoying. I'm easily frustrated perhaps 

Was in at the game last night. Can't say I am too familiar with all of the players but they played well in the second half.

Wicklow played good football in the first half, running at Laois and getting a score with the majority of their attacks. It was worrying that they got through so easily considering Laois had the centre back dropped deep in front of the full back line. Wicklow could have had another goal or two. They will have to really tighten up the centre against Dublin to avoid being exposed again.

Laois were a different team in the second half, the introduction of O'Carroll really spurred them on. They took their points very well, they were still lucky that Wicklow hit the crossbar with the penalty as Laois would have really thrown it away if they had not have won. When Laois started to get a head of steam they started to take a lot of optimistic shots at goal rather than getting the ball into the scoring zone. It is a sign of confidence but they can't afford to waste chances against better opposition. They weren't far enough ahead to be doing that.

It was a good rounded performance, can't say any individuals really stood out above others. Plenty of talent in the team so should fear nothing when playing Dublin.

Match off until March 9th, anyone know how bad O'Carroll's injury is?

Don't think Cavanagh started the last day did he? I couldn't imagine any of Meredith, Attride or Begley will be given a 1-15 jersey now after not being there all year, it would be unfair. Certainly a positive to have them back however. I'd expect the team to be very similar to what started the last day, perhaps Quigley will be back in.

Tyrone are obviously a obviously a very good team but hopefully the lads will give it a good rattle. I'm sure they will want to atone for the poor performance on their own patch the last time out!!

Struggling to get my head around this one? Ballyfin are only going to play practice matches between now and the first championship game? This is only going to end up in one place!

Going to be a tough game up in Armagh, but one we are capable of winning. We have a history of pulling off unexpected victories in the league for the last number of years so hopefully this weekend will provide another surprise win. The lads will surely want to bounce back after what was a pretty dismal first outing. If they don't pick up a win or two in the league, management and players will be under serious pressure going into the Wicklow game.

Team for weekend:
Brody
Seale
Timmons
Kehoe
Strong
Cotter
Dillon
Meaney
Lillis
Farrell
Kingston
Donohor
Cahillane
O'Carroll
Walsh

My team for Sunday (from what I assume is available):

1. Brody
2. Cotter
3. Timmons
4. D. O'Connor
5. Strong
6. Farrell
7. Seale
8. O'Loughlin
9. Meaney
10. Costello
11. D. Kingston
12. O'Carroll
13. P.Kingston
14. Walsh
15. Cahillane

It was a difficult enough team to pick. Begley, Quigley, Munnelly, Donohor to come back to it too which will strengthen it as it does look a bit weak. Definitely capable of beating Galway but it will be difficult. Hopefully there will be a good crowd in town!

Felt sorry for Portlaoise at the end yesterday. They played some lovely football but were just a bit wasteful throughout, dropped a few short in the first half and struggled to get scores when they should have. They were definitely the better team, played nicer football.

They probably don't have the resources on the bench they would like, Paul Cotter and Adrian Kelly would have been a big help yesterday. They will get their crack at Leinster again next year anyway, nobody in Laois will beat them.

Some win for Ballylinan. Would have thought Dempseys might have had enough to win but obviously not. I wasn't at the game but it's hard to comprehend what went wrong for them this year. Losing to Timahoe in the Division 2 final then getting rid of their manager has obviously had a very negative impact on their year.But fair play to Ballylinan.

Kilcruise and Emo was decent, Emo fought hard and kept Kilcruise's bug players relatively quiet and only for a mistake by their goalie probably would have won. Kilcruise will hope they can step up there game and win the next day. There was a incident in the first half where Mick Lawlor struck one of Kilcruise players in the face and then elbowed him right in the face while the umpires were looking straight at it. They talked to the referee but nothing came of it. It was unbelievable he didn't get the line, have no idea what the umpires were at.

Portlaoise put in there usual performance and will have no real problem winning again this year I feel. They played some great football and have strength in depth which is a asset that most teams to do not have. They kept the Kingstons quiet and after that there wasn't a whole lot Arles offered. Never really felt at any time that they were going to win the game.

Some serious pessimism here already in relation to the new manager, which is a pity. I agree with other posters that it's pivotal now that a good backroom team is put in place. With a good structure in place, we could definitely push hard for a Leinster final, provided we avoid Dublin prior. In relation to players, people saying he might get Portlaoise players back on board, don't think there are too many that would cut it, bar the obvious ones, Healy, Cahillane one or two more at a push. Collectively, they are an excellent team but there isn't 10 individual brilliant players that should be on the county panel. I don't think he should go begging lads to give it one more year or to come on to the panel after being off it for a period. You want players who want to be on the panel, who will fight to get on it and give everything when they do. You'll get more from those lads over lads who were coerced back and could let you down at the first sign of trouble. It'll be a tough job for Mick but we should give him a chance and not write him off before he has even been ratified!