Messages

With an impressive backroom team named for laois seniors in 2026. Any ideas of the make up of the panel?
Some notable omissions that im hearing of are Cha Dwyer and Jer Quinlan along with the retirement of Enda Rowland. Cha and Rowland are losses to the team in my opinion. Rowlands puckouts are a weapon that we no longer have and while Dunne is a good goalkeeper Rowland is a big loss. Cha's club campaign was simply outstanding and while the county game is levels above he still had a role to play. Jer Quinlan didnt set the club scene alight and it is disappointing to see him regress as he was an outstanding minor.
Have heard that Picky Maher, Ian Shanahan, Gearoid Lynch and Jack Kelly have all returned after 1 (plus) years out. At least 2 or 3 of these will start in the championship and are welcome additions from last year. Also surprised to hear that Paddy Purcell is giving it one more year, to be fair to Paddy its his call as to when his time is up. Id imagine we wont see Willie Dunphy back in a Laois jersey although he has proved again this year that at club level he is capable of delivering when it matters most. PJ Scully is another that is unlikely to return. Stephen Bergin will probably be laois senior hurler of the year and it will be interesting to see is he gets a recall. As previously mentioned on here Fionn Holland of Clonad has been called in. Paudie Rafter of Rathdowney Errill has also been called in. Outside of that I would imagine that it will much of last years panel, i didnt see to many young lads putting their hands up in the club championship. That said the league should give an opportunity to give some lads game time to see if they have what it takes to step up. Id like to see some of the following get a chance Cormac Hogan, Joe Pearson, Ciaran Flynn, Eoghan Murphy, Fionan Mahony.
Seems to be a lack of exciting forwards breaking through.
Any thoughts on other possible additions?

Theres a lot of opinion on how laois played, set up, game plan, style of play, team selection and substitutions on sunday. Its all easy say now the game is over. But you all have an opportunity now to give your opinion on what way laois should set up BEFORE the match on saturday.
Love to hear your team selections, game plans, style of play etc

Just a word on Willie Maher's new appointment. What are his intentions for promoting/progressing hurling in Laois?
Im sure his remit includes promoting hurling in weaker counties. Trying to get hurling going in counties like Longford and Leitrim is going to be an arduous task. There needs to be some will in these counties to get things going. Im not so sure that will is there in those counties.

In my opinion his best bet is getting some of the weaker counties stronger at hurling to compete at the top level, the likes of Laois, westmeath, kerry and kildare for example. In those counties you at least have a tradition of hurling and there is a will there for things to improve.

Laois people are crying out for a county team to follow. Look at the crowds we get when there's a sniff of a chance of winning or getting somewhere. The senior in 2019, the games against dublin and tipp were epic and it captured the spirit within the county. That along with the minors run in 2022. It just shows what the interest and the following is there just beneath the surface.

What can be done? I know a big part of his remit is forming new clubs. As a start we badly need a new juvenile hurling club in portlaoise town. The reasons are obvious. Get hurling going properly in the primary schools and secondary schools would be a big push on to county development squads and thereafter.
Further development in parts of the county that have made some strides such as portarlington, mountmellick, emo etc can be made.

I dont know how successful Willie Maher will be, it will be a tough job but we should have a bit of credit in the bank with willie and the county board should be banging down his down for support and to make sure that laois hurling is firmly in his plans. Cheddar beat that drum as hard as he could for as long as he could. Should his blue print be back on Willie Maher's desk? We don't want to miss an opportunity here. I would have to question though are the county board doing there utmost here??

WHO HAS GOT LAOIS HURLING'S BACK?

Two nice wins against Offaly at the weekend. Looks like there's a few promising players coming through. There needs to be a real concentrated effort now to progress these teams into a really competitive combined Laois schools team (at senior level) for the next 3 or 4 years. Its an area that badly needs to be targeted for progress by both the county board and Shane Keegan.

Thanks for the feedback Men. I personally always wanted Abbeyleix to join up with Ballinakill as there's only 3 miles apart. I know that this has previously been tried, but with respect it was over 10 years ago, and a lot has changed since. You correctly pointed out that Abbeyleix are clearly 3 or 4 good hurlers short of winning a Senior County title (1915) if they joined up ( Although I know it won't happen) imagine Cha, Downey, Lawlor and  couple more. They would be a very good team.

If Rathdowney-Errill and Borris- ķilcotton were able to put aside their animosity, quiten those who hate for hates sake, and humbly accept that without a hand of friendship, the only ones that inevitably lose out are the young players who go to school together. Hurling inevitably wins as both of them won Titles. It improves Hurling and that MUST BE OUR ULTIMATE FOCUS. HAPPY Christmas and roll on Westmeath

Possibly the worst post ever on a laois GAA forum.

Ive heard rumours of a few not going back in, some of which would be big losses if true. Ive put a list of lads (55) that are nailed on starters/ might have something to offer below to get a conversation going of who's worth a look and who is not committing for 2025. Let us know if ive missed anyone


Goal Keepers
E Rowland, C Dunne, E Fleming, B O Reilly(4)
Backs
D Conway, R Mullaney, I Shanahan, L O Connell, P Delaney, T Cuddy, C Flynn, C Hogan, E Murphy, L Cleere, D Hartnett, N Quinlan, J Walshe, G Lynch, J Kelly, C McEvoy, S Downey, L Senior, JM Foley, A Mortimer, L McDonald (21)
Midfielders
P Purcell, A Corby, F C Fennell, J Keyes, P Rafter, F Mahony, P Tynan, David Connolly(
Forwards
P Maher, C Dwyer, J Quinlan, A Dunphy, W Dunphy, M Dowling, M Keyes, M Phelan, R King, E Killeen, PJ Scully, S Fitz, C Rigney, S Bergin, Cormac Byrne, D Dooley, J Lennon, C Comerford, E Lyons, J Breen, C Byrne, A Bergin, (22)

I like your optimism TIIE. Trouble is getting the panel back together again is Gleesons biggest challenge. Ross King gone to Dubai for the forseeable, Eric Killeen heading to OZ. Doubts over Ryan Mullaney and Mossy Keyes due to travel commitments (both those would be huge loses). Picky Maher is said to be retiring?? (Another huge loss if true). Paddy Purcell wanted to retire fr the past two years
If we lose those we are in bother. If we can get them back we will have a great chance and if Cha was to stay at home and commit he would be another big addition. I think Gleeson will be very good but ultimately its the make up of his panel that will define his success in laois.

I know Sean Flynn was liked by the players and Jackman is a good hurling coach too. I think that bit of continuity is good. Its all about the players really hopefully they come back. Bar willie dunphy and maybe Ross who have given a lot over their careers, the rest of the panel all have something to add and the joe mcdonagh is well within their capabilities.

Darren Gleeson im hearing!!

Any word on the new potential manager?
Tommy Fitz is the one being spoken about a lot. Questions are does he want it? Is he waiting until Portlaoise are finished this year before deciding? Can the Co board wait that long and potentially miss out on other candidates?

Darren Gleeson has also been mentioned for the job.
Id be happy enough with either of those if they had a good backroom team in with them.

Not sure if there are too many more obvious ones that might want it and that would be good enough?? Chance of winning the Joe mC in first year would have to be a bit of a draw.

Huge game for this group of players. Probably our best panel for many years. Offaly are c**k of the walk at the minute with all these superstars coming. I think our lads will wire into them, they have turned a corner since the league game with Carlow. Lose and we are in trouble, win and we have a real chance of getting to a final and can dream of the glory days of 2019 again. Wouldnt that be fantastic.
We need a big laois crowd on Sunday and the clubs need to drum up a big following. Its the least the players deserve for their efforts.

That's positive, we need find a way to stop the big teams from running up huge scores like galway did a couple of weeks ago.

Who played well for laois?

Full back line is a worry. Our two corner backs were taken to school in the first round of the joe mc against offaly lasy year too. It was the main reason for Offaly winning that game. Eoghan Cahill and Charlie Mitchell went to town. FC Fennel was corner back that day and wasnt good, i would give him another go there tho as he has got great pace and he did a very good man marking job on Dessie Hutchinson a couple of years ago. I think we need shanahan in there too, he has a bit of size and is pacey too, he could be trialed at full back or if not id have him in the corner.
As good a hurler as Podge is i dont think he is suited to the full back line.

First 15??

E Rowland
FC Fennell
R Mullaney
I Shanahan
L Cleere
P Delaney
T Cuddy
P Purcell
A Corby
S Maher
A Dunphy
W Dunphy
M Keyes
M Phelan/J Quinlan/ D Dooley
R King

D Conway, D Hartnett, L O Connell, J Lennon, C Comerford, P Dunne, G Lynch, S Bergin

Could be leaving out a few

First teamers missing from Offaly game
R Mullaney
P Maher
R King
P Purcell
M Keyes
D Hartnett/FC Fennell

Didnt start but came in
P Delaney
W Dunphy


Players Abroad ( Looking unlikely we'll have any of them)
C Dwyer
S Downey
J Keyes

Looking like a decent panel of players at present, there will be considerable competition for places this year by the looks of it. Would love to see a fit cha dwyer leading the line up front but it looks like hes not going to be around.

Absentees (Not committed/asked in)
J Kelly
E lyons
C McEvoy
PJ Scully
L Obular

Good to hear of Lee cleere returning. Not sure of the panel mKe up but there are plenty of lads that might not be available which will weaken what we could potentially have. I understand Paddy Purcell is unlikely to return. Jack Kelly has not been asked back. Ross king is currently not with the squad and uncertainty around his future. James keyes is in America and would be a big loss if he stays out there. Cha Dwyer and Sean Downey are still abroad, not sure if they will he around either. PJ Scully is not part of the panel for 2024 either. A couple of others we could do with are Ciaran McEvoy, Eanna Lyons etc.
On the positives Picky Maher and Willie dunphy are back along with a few youngsters like cathal and Tom cuddy, David dooley, jer quinlan, Aaron phelan and a couple more. Also heard that Mark kavanagh might be making a return.
We will need them all, westmeath and an up and coming offaly will be hard bet. Be great to get to a mcdonagh final and a day out in croker.