Laois v Louth

[The Real Laoislad]

Where and when is this match? I saw one media outlet saying that it was 31st May in Parnell Park and another saying 14th June.

[INDIANA]

I doubt it will be in PP with all the bitching Louth are doing about the place. The place is cut up to bits anyway after last Sunday, probably won;t be used again for a month.

[INDIANA]

There were 2 games on the Friday night on it I was at the games. there was none on saturday. In fairness no one could have predicted the deluge on saturday and sunday last weekend. It was that more than anything else that caused it to cut up.

[INDIANA]

Wasn't in great nick because the heavens opened during the Brigids and OPER game. Before that it was fine. That cloudburst did all the damage. Witht he subsequent rain on sat/sun the pitch was gone before throw in.  Parnell Park doesn't have a history of taking the rain well anyway but to be fair they should have shifted the SFC games to be sure . I didn't even know Louth were playing there on Sunday until I saw lads going round in the jersies on Sunday - i assumed it was in Portlaoise or Navan or somewhere.
Pitch is fecked anyway. Was up there yesterday no grass in some places-it definitely won't be in parnell that game.

[The Real Laoislad]

As usual with Laois we are in the media this week for all the wrong reasons with Donie Brennan been thrown off the panel for disciplinary reasons 

[AZOffaly]

This always brings back memories of that famous scrap in 1991 with the Louth sub with the tracksuit and beard.

[Donnellys Hollow]

This always brings back memories of that famous scrap in 1991 with the Louth sub with the tracksuit and beard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpa0TnZrDxg

[The Real Laoislad]

Leinster S.F.C. - 14th June 2009 - Parnell Park, Dublin

Louth v Laois @ 3.30pm

GENERAL

Stand Tickets
Stand - €20 (Stand Tickets will only be available from the participating Counties)
Terrace - €15

Tickets are sold from the following locations:-
(a) the participating County Boards
(b) Leinster Council Offices, Portlaoise by either sending a cheque/postal order
and a S.A.E. and tickets will be sent out in the post OR by Credit Card (057) 8682000 (there is a €4 administration charge on all credit card transactions)

FAMILY TICKETS:-

1 Adult and 2 children etc.
Family Tickets are available for Terrace Only

Terrace:- Adults €15 Children €3 each

Students ( Terrace Only):-

Purchase full price tickets and on the day of the match they can claim a rebate of €5 when they produce appropriate I.D. at the designated stile PRIOR TO ENTRY INTO THE STADIUM.

Senior Citziens (Stand & Terrace):-

Purchase full price tickets and on the day of the match they can claim a rebate (Stand €10 & Terrace €5) when they produce appropriate I.D. at the designated stile PRIOR TO ENTRY INTO THE STADIUM.

Wheelchair Tickets:-

The Wheelchair Tickets is free of charge and the Assistants ticket is €20

GROUP PASSES:- GROUP PASSES (Under 16s) - TERRACE ONLY

Groups Passes are provided for groups of Children U-16 (you are permitted to bring 1 adult free with every ten children) any additional adults pay full price for their tickets.

[The Real Laoislad]

Killeen boss defends Donie

Arles-Killeen manager Nicky McGrath has come out strongly in favour of Donie Brennan following Sean Dempsey's decision last week to drop the talented forward from the Laois panel.
McGrath wrote a strongly-worded letter to Dempsey, as well as to this paper and high-ranking Laois GAA officials, Brian Allen, Niall Handy and Larry Doone questioning why Brennan wasn't told "in a proper manner" that he was dropped from the panel.
McGrath alleges that Brennan was given conflicting reasons for being dropped off the panel (including breaches of indiscipline by going drinking) and also claims that the players on the panel were told by management that Brennan was dropped because "he was not the complete player".
On top of that McGrath claims that if Brennan was drinking on the night of the Arles-Killeen/Portlaoise ACFL Division 1 game (the night before Laois played Offaly in a challenge game) then "at least 50 per cent of the panel should have been dropped". The Killeen boss also raises the point that the Laois players were allowed to drink in a "supervised" manner during the recent training camp in Clare.
"Everyone is entitled to fairness," said McGrath when contacted yesterday (Tuesday), "and it's not right for a player to be dropped in this way. This lad is working with Laois GAA as a coach and is very good at it and how does it look when he's made a villian of in this way?
"He wasn't drinking; he's a young guy and of course he enjoys himself but drinking isn't a big part of his life. I think he has been hard done by and there is something radically wrong when he is being made a villain of. He's a good young guy, a great footballer and he has creativity and a brain on the field. I haven't had any problem with him and in the league games against Portlaoise and Stradbally he was the star performer."
And McGrath was also quick to highlight Brennan's dedication to Arles-Killeen. "He was training with us every time he was available. I don't think there's many clubs can say that about their county players. Look, we want Laois to do well and Donie Brennan should be part of that."
Laois manager Sean Dempsey was unavailable for comment yesterday and selector Dermot Murphy was reluctant to be drawn into it.
Apart from Padraig McMahon, who is out with a broken arm, Laois have a clean bill of health ahead of their Leinster SFC qaurter-final against Louth in Parnell Park on June 14.

[The Real Laoislad]

I don't think it would happen in any other county in the lead up to a big game for the county where you have a club manager writing to the local paper saying that the county manager was wrong to drop a player.Whatever needed to be said should have been done behind closed doors.
Typical Laois 

[The Boy Wonder]

McGrath alleges that Brennan was given conflicting reasons for being dropped off the panel (including breaches of indiscipline by going drinking) and also claims that the players on the panel were told by management that Brennan was dropped because "he was not the complete player".

Surely "breaches of indiscipline" are to be welcomed.

[The Real Laoislad]

The Laois Senior Football Team to play Louth in Parnell Park on Sunday 14th. June

1. Michael Nolan (Portlaoise)
2. Cathal Ryan (Portarlington)
3. Mark Timmons (Graiguecullen)
4. Rory Stapleton (Annanough)
5. Darren Rooney (Parnells)
6. Ger Reddin (Mountmellick)
7. John OLoughlin (Mountmellick)
8. Padraig Clancy (Timahoe)
9. Kevin Meaney (Arles Kilcruise)
10. Brendan Quigley (Timahoe)
11. Brian McCormack (Portlaoise) Captain
12. Peter OLeary (ODempseys)
13. Michael J Tierney (Ballyroan Abbey)
14. Ross Munnelly (Arles Kilcruise)
15. Donal Kingston (Arles Killeen)

[INDIANA]

good forward line- not sure about the backs. If there is going to be a shock this weekend-this will be it.

[mattockranger]

looking at the laois team it does seem beatable...

but i reckon we lack the physicality and power around the middle to pull it off with laois's inside line looking very potent and the ability to cause all sorts of problems....

the big half back line laois possess against our 'little' workhorses could cause serious problems on the overlap and breaking ball
white and keenan will have to be on top of their game with clancy there...i would also switch fanning out to lft half to curb the influence of quigley, leaving hoey on o'leary primarily a defender and crilly to man the centre back berth

i would like to see carroll start off full forward as he could exploit Timmons lack of pace....

i reckon John o'Brien will pick up ross.....dessie to go on Donie.....and pops on MJ tierney well suited and an interesting battle could be had in there dependin on matters further the field will decide the faith of tie

Not overly confident but quietly optimistic none the less though....

[The Real Laoislad]

Peter Canavan,Paul Curran and whoever writes the reviews on the rte website are all going for Louth...
I hope the men from the wee county can handle the pressure of the favourites tag