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Camross to win this one and complete their treble (with the camogie) tonight.

I haven't seen too much of this grade but they seem to have a better spread of scorers and some very experienced players in their spine. They've really targeted this championship and I think they'll get over the line.

Best of luck to Park Ratheniska-Timahoe and The Harps who will contest this final this evening.

I'd expect Park to have a little too much for The Harps' second team. The Harps are rebuilding and will be a force at senior level over the next few years but it's good to see 'first teams' winning junior finals and I'd expect Park to get over the line.

Clonaslee should have too much for Slieve Bloom. Could be a bit of a dog-fight mind. Clonaslee will likely have their focus on next weekend but I think they'll have enough.

Similarly, I simply can't see where Shanahoe will have enough to turn over a Ballyfin team who are on the crest of a wave with their footballers going so well.

Rosenallis should turn over Mountrath but if I had to back an outsider, this is where I'd look. I do like where Mountrath are going. Physically, they'll trouble Rosenallis but it's their lack of scores from play that will likely be their undoing. Rosenallis are the Senior A team best equipped to tackle The Harps but I'm not convinced they're going as well as they were last year.

Clonaslee by 6
Ballyfin by 8
Rosenallis by 3

No sign of Zane but signs of progress for Camross.
They were stunned in the first half but utterly dominant in the second. To be fair to the Camross management, they have improved noticeably in the second half of games against BK, Abbeyleix and now Castletown. That'll stand them in good stead in a semi-final where they may go in as slight outsiders, especially if they draw Rathdowney/Errill.

Can only see a pretty comfortable BK win tomorrow. I can't see how Ballinakill will have the legs in defence to live with the BK forwards.

any1 got any update on zane keenan for the weekend

Apparently well-ahead of schedule.
I'd be hopeful that he'll be fit to take some part.

Super appointment.

What date is the County Final this year?

We should be back on schedule now after the EP break.

Last round of the group stages this weekend.

Quarters and Relegation Final on 21st/22nd September.
Semi-finals on 5th/6th October.
Final on Sunday 20th October.
I haven't seen that written down anywhere but I'd expect it to be accurate.

Borris/Kilcotton should account for Abbeyleix tomorrow. If they get ahead early, they could post a decisive margin and could still top the group.
A draw would do CB against Camross. Both teams will know what they need going into the game which will add a strange element to proceedings.

RE will beat Portlaoise and if they are ruthless, it could be heavy.
Ballinakill and Castletown will be close and I've a slight feeling that Ballinakill might have timed things better than I gave them credit for earlier in the summer.

Borris/Kilcotton and Rathdowney/Errill with very tentative nods to Camross and Ballinakill.

That'll leave my predictions for the knockouts as follows:
BK and RE to the semi-finals with Camross vs Castletown and Ballinakill vs CB.

I don't think anybody doubts his credentials. The reception here has been lukewarm owing to the way this outcome has been reached.

I'm certainly in the minority on this forum but I wouldn't have been in favour of retaining the outgoing management.
I'm relieved there's a change but it does feel a bit harsh the way this was handled.
Once this alternative was put together, there was never going to be any viable way it couldn't be backed by the County Board.
They were never going to look a gift horse in the mouth so to speak.

I don't have a problem with McGrath coming on board.
I've no confidence in the management team he is assisting, and I'd be dubious about the level of his involvement.
Hopefully I am wrong on all counts.

I would share Keyser's concerns to a fair degree. I hope McGrath is as honourable a character as I think he is and he gives a fierce commitment to the role. It'll be all worthwhile if results are delivered on the pitch and systems are put in place that are retained for the future.

That's hurling weekend PK.
They'll be the following weekend. Format is alternate weekends with the EP weekend being left completely free.

Has the 2020 Laois Minor Hurling Management been finalised yet?

Few details to be ironed out but I think it best to not to speculate until anything is confirmed.

They could always join up w/ Trumera, or someone - but if they went and won the intermediate, then what?!

Ah don't mind me. I was just thinking as I typed. I hadn't really thought anything through.

I think they're in a pretty precarious position. The success they've had in recent years, the fact that players have gotten a taste for senior hurling and the break-up of a well-established juvenile amalgamation is going to see questions asked by players and parents.

My understanding, and I could be completely wrong, was that Gaels teams will only be facilitated when there are NON-senior teams coming together.

I appreciate its very unlikely the County Board would accept a 9th team or 10th team.

If Slieve Bloom get relegated, as I think looks likely, and the Senior A is renamed intermediate...
Could Ballyfin apply to enter a Senior Gaels and include Slieve Bloom and Mountmellick? There are established links there over the last couple of years.
They'd get Hartnett, Bermingham and maybe 1 or 2 more from Mountmellick and would get the 2 Conroys, Delaney and Conroy from Slieve Bloom.

Slieve Bloom will need to get creative or they could lose a lot of promising young players.

I think it is a touch overly so alright.
I presume they made the decision right at the start of the year with a view to having a competitive league to build on.

It shouldn't matter what system they play. Anything less than a championship is a failure.

The Harps aren't a team to push on and bury a team with goals Bruce. Once they were 6/7 points up, the game was over. They were never going to concede heavily and their forwards will keep tacking on points.

I think it's fair to say they've a somewhat conservative style of play. They played a sweeper throughout the league and though they might not need it for all their championship games, I'm sure they feel that by persisting with it, it'll stand to them come the semi-final and final.