Underage squads 2024

[High Fielder]

I admire what Offaly have done, but looking over the fence in every direction is no good for us. We need to focus on ourselves and kick our own arses into gear. Nobody could be happy with the way things are. It just looks like we put teams out and whatever will be will be. I don't see a development plan, any sort of proper administration and all that entails, or any desire to make things better. We are set up to fail and those who seek re-election year after year have so far not done anything to improve Laois GAA. It's not working and hasn't been working for a long time now

[Laois Rising]

Duignan created a feel good factor and in fairness he got plenty of the right people on board and committed to the cause. His tenure was a success and I don't dispute that. To say that the upturn in results can all be attributed to him is ridiculous though. Offaly U20s footballers the last two years finished bottom of their group winning only one game in those two years. In 2023 and 2024, Laois won all six group games played including a victory over Meath. In 2022 it was straight knock out and we pushed an excellent Kildare team who ended up in the All-Ireland final to two points. Our underage is not as bad as it is made out to be. It will be cyclical and we will have years where we will have a competitive team. The problem is that Kildare, Meath and Dublin have the numbers and even where we have a good team it will still be difficult to win a Leinster title be it at minor or u20 level. However, as Offaly showed 3/4 years ago and Longford did in the minor last year it can be done when a good crop of players come through together.

Take the last two years of the minor hurling championship, Offaly have been in tier two of Leinster. In 2023 and 2024, Wexford minor hurlers beat them fairly easily in championship. Again, no disputing the good work going on, but it is clear that Offaly had a good batch of players come through at minor level a few years back and it would appear that they have returned closer to the norm the last few years.

[oneshot]

Duignan has done very well in offaly the last 5 year's but it's not as simple as getting a good chairman offaly won all ireland's in the 60's 70's 80's 90's hurling football it's call tradition. they get a group of players that come  over the year's and can push on to win the sam and mccarthy cup.

[Blueforever]

I am in my seventies and have followed Laois hurling and Football all my life m first game to see Laois playing that I  remember was the 1063 Leinster Final v Dublin what makes my blood boil is this idea that Offaly win because of tradition Offaly did not win a all Ireland until the seventies played in the first final in the sixties before that we played in All Ireland in football and hurling if anything we havemore tradition than they ever had

[oneshot]

so why haven't laois ever won the sam or under 21 all ireland so . dublin won 63 final offaly won 1960 and 61 what's your point. my point is its not just about getting in a good chairman theres been plenty of good people over the years involved with laois its sometime counties have better talent. id say even if Duignan wasn't chairman offaly would have still won them underage all irelands with the talent that is coming through in offaly.

[Joeythelips]

Duignan has done very well in offaly the last 5 year's but it's not as simple as getting a good chairman offaly won all ireland's in the 60's 70's 80's 90's hurling football it's call tradition. they get a group of players that come  over the year's and can push on to win the sam and mccarthy cup.

They were in the Christy Ring cup recently, was that also tradition?

The reason they are on the up is they did not rely on 'tradition' they got a good chairman in who had a plan and got everyone pulling in the one direction

[georgedoylesrightleg]

great showin from minor last nigt. not far off at all. few good prospects there too. bate the biffos n they advance. very decent. minor hurlin looks promisin too.

[georgedoylesrightleg]

carla bate today in the minor hurlin. Motoring nicely n starting ta find best tram. 20s bate badly again. Sad ta see that group struggle.

[Laois Rising]

That U20 group had such potential and it hasn't been nurtured or developed through. They have gone from being able to compete with the top tier teams to canon fodder. Sad to see as we had some good U20 sides over the last 5/6 years. This group never kicked on for whatever reason.

[redsetanta]

Big gap between minor and U20's more so than the old age structure which doesn't help smaller counties. The u20's in both codes struggling but at least the minor grade is showing some promise.

[Laois man]

Minors ain't too bad at least there mangerment let them hurl with there clubs last night all young lads want to do is play games.

[SCFC]

End of a pretty terrible under 20 football campaign tonight.
That group did OK at under 17 but seemed t OK be a huge loss of players in the three years.

[The Boy Wonder]

Westmeath 6-13 Laois 0-7
Leinster U-20 FC Andrew Corden Cup Semi-final

"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark"

[georgedoylesrightleg]

young costolo a massive loss tho. Changed team last nite too. Problems but they go farther than last nite n last nite has its own rwasons