Messages

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Laois / Re: Bord na Mona O’Byrne Cup 2019

« on: January 06, 2019, 10:42:04 AM »

I would agree with your post earlier when you said there is nothing to fear in this division. I'd imagine the other counties look at us similarly. I'd imagine we'll be targeted for our lack of physicality. I know if I was setting up against Laois, I'd certainly make it a factor

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Laois / Re: Bord na Mona O’Byrne Cup 2019

« on: January 05, 2019, 10:55:42 PM »

It looked to me like a high tempo practice match with no physicality at all. On The Hop called it by saying Wicklow ran out of gas. They didn't deserve to lose but in fairness they struggled with our forwards. As for ourselves, we need to be tougher. Johnno is our only ball winner and it's not enough. Lads need to get their hands dirtier

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Laois / Re: 2018 in review and look forward to 2019

« on: December 21, 2018, 10:56:19 AM »

I hope Sugrue can keep improving the mentality and performance of our footballers, and I'd love to see him have more of a say in the U20's. I've seen enough to suggest that he knows what he's doing, and I'd like to see him involved for a long time to come. I think the Senior team is more than capable of winning Division 3, and that should be the main aim. The Leinster Championship is a washout so a couple of good performances in that and the Qualifiers would be nice. If we can get as many of the Portlaoise lads as we can on board, then that will help them individually and their club for next years Leinster.

Hopefully the hurlers can find a bit of unity. Incidents which happened this year have left a bad taste in the mouth, and it is obvious that clubs are becoming too tribal. Healthy rivalry is always welcome, but when it spills over into bitterness and hatred, it can never end well.

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Laois / Re: Bord na Mona O’Byrne Cup 2019

« on: December 18, 2018, 08:19:57 PM »

The GAA may get rid of this romantic notion of sacrifice and privilege. There's a price to be paid for players making sacrifices. The privilege of playing for your county is in most cases outweighed by the sacrifices. I think it's downright insulting to expect this of players. The GPA me bollix

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Laois / Re: Bord na Mona O’Byrne Cup 2019

« on: December 18, 2018, 02:04:25 PM »

Nothing easy about trying to change our mentality, no one has any problem with getting a few Xmas drinks.  But you get the feeling that members of this Laois panel will be minding themselves over Xmas, more so with some quality players getting dropped from the panel.  It's a real step up in competition for places, Sugrue is firmly in control now.  Everyone will be more than happy to show up in Enniscorthy on Thursday.  This time last year a few lads were considering whether they would stay on the panel, now they are fighting to stay on it.   Is this not what we want ?

We're in a rat race now and the weakest fall by the wayside,  so we have to do it and Sugrue at least knows how. But in a broader sense, this is madness. These are amateur players with jobs and commitments outside of football. When you put it into context with Eddie Brennan's comments, I can certainly see why a lad wouldn't commit. It's all gone a little too professional without the obvious benefits of playing for a bigger county. I mean this sincerely when I say could you actually be bothered? I loves me county and all, but the GAA expects far too much from players

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Laois / Re: Bord na Mona O’Byrne Cup 2019

« on: December 18, 2018, 08:55:42 AM »

It's 5 days before Christmas Junior. Young lads should be thinking about what pubs they want to go to and spending time with their families. There are too many demands being placed on lads' time and if playing football at Christmas is the answer, then the question has been framed incorrectly. If the GAA are serious about players' welfare, then they need to scrap meaningless competitions and/or restrict players to 3 teams played for in a year or 3 separate competitions. In my opinion, it makes no sense on any level to be playing hurling or football at this time of the year, and it has to be a factor in discouraging participation

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Laois / Re: 2019 Bord na Móna Walsh Cup

« on: December 18, 2018, 12:20:34 AM »

You could write a book about Eddie's comments today, but I don't think he really understands. I remember someone on Laoistalk had a phrase under their profile about the width of the ditch between Kilkenny and ourselves and how much difference it made. Eddie was on the other side of that ditch for a long time and still is. He has taken a few steps over the border but the picture isn't as transparent as he'd like to think. There are layers and depths to our story that go beyond lads not wanting to commit. It's not just an issue in Laois, and criticising lads for not committing is no longer fair game in my opinion. We'd all love to see what we think are the best lads involved, but like us all, they have lives too. Sometimes, the balancing act in Laois is not that easy, and there could be any number of reasons for that. Let's be honest with ourselves here. You would need to have an unconditional love for the blue and white jersey to go throwing yourself around a field in winter when in your heart of hearts you know there will be little reward for it.

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Laois / Re: Bord na Mona O’Byrne Cup 2019

« on: December 17, 2018, 11:49:48 PM »

That’s crazy having the game on Thursday before Christmas Day. Lads working and traffic around the town. Players maybe having to tell Sugrue they can’t make it.

Players? Sure what have they got to do with anything? Train/don't train, play/don't play, Kick it/handpass it, shite/don't shite. The players only do what they're told to do. Thank f**k for Sat Nav or God knows where they'd end up Thursday evening. The clowns in Croke Park talk about player welfare and burnout and yet here we are kicking ball and the turkey hasn't even been plucked. Love of God

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Laois / Re: Bord na Mona O’Byrne Cup 2019

« on: December 15, 2018, 11:29:13 PM »

And always paid a price for the harm done or offence caused. It doesn't need to be slapped up to him every time he suffers a reverse in life. He is a footballer who doesn't fit into Sugrue's plans. Pure and simple. The stuff about the tweets and CB were irrelevant in the context of Sugrue's decision and he made no reference to either. For that reason, there was no need for the journalist to remind us. It sets the wrong tone completely and wasn't the time or place in my opinion.

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Laois / Re: Bord na Mona O’Byrne Cup 2019

« on: December 15, 2018, 08:12:57 PM »

I have no problem with the majority of that post but you talk about the ditch and then call a lad troublesome. Troublesome or not, he went in there and did a job, and I don't think he should be dragged through the mud again when he will obviously be disappointed. I'm a big supporter of what Sugrue is doing but that article was poorly written in my opinion, and contained information which had no relevance to the fact that he was dropped. Just my opinion.

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Laois / Re: Bord na Mona O’Byrne Cup 2019

« on: December 15, 2018, 12:09:21 PM »

I don't like seeing players singled out in this way. Maybe it would be better if a full list was released or maybe no list at all. If a lad goes in and for whatever reason doesn't make the grade, then I'm not sure what benefit it is to Laois Today or any of us to know his business. I thank them all for giving it a go and I'm disappointed that a very good service would feel the need to single out Gary Walsh like that

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Laois / Re: Leinster Club Football Championship 2018

« on: December 09, 2018, 09:24:28 PM »

Kilmacud were no great shakes. They were allowed to run at will into the Portlaoise defence and cause serious damage. Seale did as good a job on Mangan as was done on him today but Portlaoise went toe to toe all over the field and lost individual battles quite badly. It took them far too long to figure Kilmacud out. Columbas did what you should do to any Dublin team and that's hound them. Look how the wheels came off and the temperament wavered under pressure. Portlaoise are shy in that regard. There's a lack of sting in them. Technically sound and always dangerous but lacking a bit of devilment

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Laois / Re: Leinster Club Football Championship 2018

« on: December 09, 2018, 03:34:39 PM »

I'm not sure I agree with that. Portlaoise beat Moorefield who were something similar to Columbas, but they couldn't cope with the pace of Crokes and were deservedly beaten. Until Portlaoise prove that they can overcome every different type of challenge, then we could potentially have this conversation again. They are 3 or 4 short and that's the bigger issue

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Laois / Re: Bord na Mona O’Byrne Cup 2019

« on: December 09, 2018, 10:57:24 AM »

True, but I guess resources and finance dictate that. In all honesty, the GAA would need to get a grip of itself. It's ridiculous asking amateur players to prepare at this time of the year. The whole structure needs to be streamlined and properly thought out. There are too many demands being placed on players and we have to remember, they do this for the love of the game. When you see the likes of Daniel Flynn walking away, it puts into perspective how threadbare this organisation is. In an overall context, it generally (unless you're a Dublin player) makes no meaningful contribution to your life and fortune. It should be something for the GAA to think about, but instead they're too busy feathering their own nests.

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Laois / Re: Bord na Mona O’Byrne Cup 2019

« on: December 09, 2018, 10:41:59 AM »

We probably have the makings of a decent U20 team this year, and that will muddy the waters a little as far as the Seniors are concerned. I personally would like to see Sugrue having control of everything because not only would he do a better job, but he'd also see that there are lads at that level who have more potential than a lot who togged out last night. I hate being ruthless, and I know lads can improve, but for one reason or another, a lot of lads who togged last night will never make it at this level.