Laois Senior Football Championship 2016

[County baller]

St Joes v Arles Kilcruise: There won't be much between Joes and Kilcruise but if Kilcruise reproduce their first half performance from today I think they should win by 2 or 3 points.

Crettyard v Stradbally: Crettyard will be delighted to have escaped relegation and if they repeat their performance from the last day Stradbally could be caught out. I think Strad will have just enough a 4 point win.

Ballyroan v Ballylinan: Ballyroan werent convincing against a poor Mountmellick side where as Ballylinan are coming off a good game and should win by 5 or 6.

Portlaoise v Arles Killeen: Probably the 2 favourites for the title after The Heaths collapse, Killeen looked suspect at the back today while Portlaoise will only get stronger with Paul Cotter and Cahir Healy to come back. I don't see anyone getting near Portlaoise, they'll win by 5.

[High Fielder]

There was plenty there for Port against Killeen today but they are physically weak and more than a little naive. Kingston was the difference although the tacking was non existent. Both defences all over the place and lots of last gasp defending going on.

It never ceases to amaze me how well Kilcruise do with the tiny resources they have. It helps of course that there are good players in there too, but everyone has a job and they do it to the best of their ability. Killeshin just not at the races.

Portlaoise still well ahead with good options from the bench if necessary. Everyone else relying on 3 or 4 players max to keep the show on the road. Result of the weekend has to be Crettyard. The bit of strength in depth aided by the new players really paid dividends. Good progressive thinking by all involved

[redsetanta]

Can't see Killeen doing much against Portlaoise next day out. How they are being touted as potential county champs is beyond me. Next round of games have a couple of tasty encounters.
Hard to know what way the big defeat will affect The Heath. Graigue should get back into the reckoning, Emo and Killeshin to win the other games.
Crettyard will look forward to playing Strad after a good win and the Josephs v Kilcruise encounter should be one of the ties of the round.
The battle of the Bally's could go either way!

[Uisce]

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!

[Junior Ex Laoistalk]

Fixtures:
All Games in O'Moore Park


11/08/2016
19:45    Arles Kilcruise v St Joseph's

12/08/2016
19:45    Graiguecullen v Portarlington

13/08/2016
18:00    Ballylinan v Ballyroan Abbey

19:30    Arles/Killeen v Portlaoise

14/08/2016
12:00    Ballyfin Gaels v Emo

13:30    Mountmellick Gaels v The Heath

17:30    Clonaslee St Manmans v Killeshin

19:00    Crettyard Gaels  v Stradbally

[Unlaoised]

Another 12 O'clock throw in for two teams on a Sunday morning which is a terrible time for a game once again its Ballyfin which are involved in it I think four of their five senior games thus far in the two years have being Sunday morning throw in's heard it being said in O'Moore Park a the Joes game.

Looking at the games  to come

Kilcruise v Joes will be interesting but I think Kilcruise will just have enough to win they look very sharp this year and in great shape. Prediction Kilcruise 2-12  Joes 2-9

Graige v Port is very hard to call Port were great in spells against Kileen  and this could be a right battle.

I Think Port might do it  but they will need a goal or two ..Port 1-12 Graigue 1-11

Ballylinan v Ballyroan will again be a close battle that both will be looking forward to.

I think Ballylinan might get over the line on a scorline of 2-8 to 1-10

Kileen v Portlaoise should be good game if Paul Kingston is back Kileen will have enough to trouble portlaoise but their defence will have to be a lot better it will be close up untill last 20  Portlaoise 2-14 Kileen 0-13 points

Ballyfin v Emo looks a miss match and can only see one winner.

Ballyfin 1-8 Emo 2-11

Mountmellick v Heath again I can see the Heath bouncing back here and handing out a nice trimming

Heath 1-15 Mountmellick 1-9

Clonaslee v Killeshin might be tighter than people thing especially if Lowry and Attride are still not back i still expect them to come through tho on a low score of Killeshin 0-11 Clonaslee 0-7

Crettyard Gaels v stradbally will be interesting and could be a physical encounter as the Spink players will add some spice to this.

I'm going for a draw!

[High Fielder]

Good game tonight in OMP. Josephs will be kicking themselves after being in control for long periods. They were wasteful when on top and could never properly pull away from Kilcruise, who kept plugging on in the way that only they know how. No Ross tonight either, and you could see how much they missed him. For that reason alone, they deserve so much credit for sticking with it and getting the late goal.

Some odd decisions on the line from Josephs who lacked experience and panicked when Kilcruise came on strong. James Kelly will be a serious footballer if given freedom to express himself, and it was a poor decision to drop him back tonight when he was the one player capable of causing Kilcruise problems. Josephs are young and will improve in the coming years, but it was a bad call in my opinion to turn down the senior amalgamation with Barrowhouse.

[redsetanta]

Give Kilcruise credit though, that was a serious result considering where they were at half time without Ross. A huge win for them tonight. Never wilted and kept coming at Josephs who were very fearful of them. You can never write them off despite the miles on the clock of some of the players. Brilliant performance and well deserved.

[BallyroanAbu]

Graigue V Port Graigue I suppose with no confidence
ballylinan v Ballyroan Ballyroan
Killeen V Portlaoise Portlaoise
Ballyfin V Emo Emo
Mountmellick V Heath Heath
Clonaslee V Killeshin Killeshin
Stradbally V Crettyard Shock Here Cretty

[Unison]

Big win for Portarlington tonight against a very poor Graiguecullen. I haven't seen Graigue as bad in a long time. Port have a few nice young footballers (as usual), but are a long way off challenging the likes of Portlaoise.

The problem with Port seems to be that they cannot keep a consistent team from year to year, so that they are unable to build a team capable of challenging for the championship.

[redsetanta]

Jaysus thats a very heavy defeat for Graigue. Balyroan Abu you had that right. Takes a bir of gloss away from Ballylinan. What is happening down in Graigue?  They have some fine footballers there.

[SCFC]

Great win for Port. Nice young team and a few more young lads coming through in the next 2/3 years. They will be there or thereabouts by the turn of the decade.

[BallyroanAbu]

I would not read a whole pile into any game against Graigue at the moment. 

[Junior Ex Laoistalk]

Graiguecullen terrible last night, couldn't even get the basics right. Timmons is a massive loss for them but they should be giving Portarlington at least a challenge, last night they went down like lambs and are now prime candidates for relegation playing like they are. They don't seem to be fit mentally or physically and are starting players that are worse than the lads they are bringing on late in the game.
Tonight Portlaoise beat the favourites to beat them this year so it looks like the same old story once again, Portlaoise at the top and everyone else playing catch-up.

[High Fielder]

Portlaoise handy enough winners tonight but they struggled to contain Kingston who was the best player on the pitch. They had three on him at one point and he still made yards. Portlaoise just too strong overall tonight but strength in depth beyond the Laois championship will be an issue.

Ballylinan lost a match they should have won. Scott Conroy going off galvanised Ballyroan who just seemed hungrier. Ballylinan lost focus in the forwards and heaped pressure on their back line. Time after time they ran into cul de sacs in the second half, were turned over and were lazy without the ball. Their back line couldn't cope with the extra pressure. Credit to Ballyroan for sticking at it, but Ballylinan only have themselves to blame.

The overall standard of defensive play so far in all games has been very poor.