Leinster Football Semi Final Leix v The Yellow Bellies

[The Real Laoislad]

So the main semi final pairing is now known it's Wexford to play Laois on July 1st
Not sure what to expect from Wexford,after Waterford beating them one would have thought they wouldn't go to far in Leinster,but by all accounts they were good enough today so even though i expect Laois to win i still be a bit nervous
Roll on a Midlands derby for Leinster Final Laois v Offaly

[The Real Laoislad]

Didn't see Sunday Game what had the "experts" to say about Wexford?

[Dinny Breen]

Didn't see Sunday Game what had the "experts" to say about Wexford?

That Laois are over-rated and too light and that if Wexford impose themselves phsyically on the wee boys, they will win easlily...

[The Real Laoislad]

Didn't see Sunday Game what had the "experts" to say about Wexford?

That Laois are over-rated and too light and that if Wexford impose themselves phsyically on the wee boys, they will win easlily...

Yeah Pull the other one

[The Real Laoislad]

Laois Nationalist
Clash against Mayo made better men
6/21/2007 - 10:03:45 AM

Leinster Semi Final

WITH less than two weeks to go till the crunch decider against Wexford, the Laois management still have a number of headaches to cure before they go to battle in the Leinster semi final.

Injuries have blighted the progress all year with the likes of Barry Brennan, Gary Kavanagh and Tom Kelly having a stop start campaign to date. Brennan and Kelly are to be fit for the game with Wexford and this is a huge boost for the side. Barry Brennan did play full forward for the side when they played Mayo in a challenge game at the weekend. The reported score was 3-12 to 0-12 with Conor Mortimer and Austin O�Malley completely destroying the Laois defence.

Mayo employed a two man full forward line with Cathal Ryan and Paul Begley at the heart of the Laois defence, with Mortimer finishing with a tally of 2-6. This is naturally alarming as Laois will have to deal with the natural talents of Mattie Forde on Sunday week.

The game was played at four quarters, which lasted for 20 minutes each but it was Mayo who brought the championship intensity with them. John O�Mahoney�s charges were completely shuffled from the defeat against Galway as he changed the whole half back line.

The midfield sector was intriguing with Brendan Quigley and Padraig Clancy rubbing shoulders against David Brady (34 years of age) and David Heaney. The latter won out and controlled the mid-field zone. The part-nership of Clancy and Quigley looks set to be reunited for the Wexford game with Noel Garvan�s recent blow. As always nobody can read too much into challenge games but the Laois crowd will be hoping the Timahoe duo will peak for the Leinster final, if Laois can brush off the challenge of the Model County.

The inclusion of Brennan was interesting but so is the news that Donie Brennan came on for the O�Moore County and looked sharp and lively. The Arles Killeen attacker was also introduced in another recent game against Kerry. With the Croke Park pitch so wide, it could be an interesting thought for Kearns to have in his mind as Brennan has the skill and speed to take on most defenders.

Michael Tierney was again at his best and he played in his usual corner forward berth, his place is well cemented for the remainder of the championship. Ross Munnelly was again placed at half forward and was reported to have been quiet.

Everyone knows what Munnelly can do and many will be hoping he returns to his best for the remainder of the championship. An awful lot is put on his shoulders and maybe it is now time to pass the can on to someone else and let Munnelly do his job quietly and effectively. Colm Parkinson (played as a roving forward) is another player who played well against Mayo but he looks to be consigned to the bench for the semi final. To have a player of his calibre on the bench will be delightful for the fans.

Chris Conway and Joe Higgins started as substitutes but it is reported that the two stars are nursing minor knocks while Darren Rooney also played against Mayo.

It might have been only a challenge game but nobody wants to lose any game at this stage in the year.

Who will play full forward? Will we have anyone good enough to hold off Mattie Forde? Is Barry Brennan the solution to kick us to glory? Will Donie be the powerforce?

All these questions will soon be answered and no doubt Liam Kearns, Se·n Dempsey and Tommy Conroy are the men who are well capable of answering them.


The Stats

Who is the man for full forward?
THE question is soon to be answered but it looks like the recovery of Barry Brennan could be the solution to the problem. Brendan Quigley will move back to the mid-field sector with Padraig Clancy as Noel Garvan has picked up an injury. This will trigger Kearns into a selection dilemma with Brennan, Brian Mc Donald or even Paul Lawlor picking up the number 14 jersey.

Donie Brennan. The man for the big space?
THE Arles Killeen attacker has played on the thoughts of Liam Kearns after he was introduced against Kerry and Mayo recently. His speed, skill and trickery could be something that Laois need in Croke Park against Wexford. He could be a long shot for a starting place but don�t bet against the former Knockbeg College sensation coming off the bench early in the game.

Worries in defence
IT is worrying to read that Conor Mortimer scored 2-6 against Laois in the recent Mayo game. Granted the O�Moore County were without Joe Higgins. But it still doesn�t bode too well for the defenders. Higgins will more than likely pick up Forde and will need to stick tightly to the Wexford forward.

Liam Kearns watch.
THE former Limerick boss is facing a testing time with the Laois team. He has the backing of the fans and play-ers as he gets the team in the correct frame of mind for Wexford.
He won't be too familiar with the Croke Park pitch but Sean Dempsey knows all about the GAA Headquarters so Laois are covered at all costs.

[Billys Boots]

Tom Kelly back (with Rooney back to fullback I presume) should make enough of a difference for Laois to progress, though I haven't seen enough of Wexford recently to make much comment on them.  I think Laois will have too much in the middle third for Wexford, though they only really got on top of Longford here in the last ten minutes. 

[The Real Laoislad]

Tom Kelly back (with Rooney back to fullback I presume) should make enough of a difference for Laois to progress, though I haven't seen enough of Wexford recently to make much comment on them.  I think Laois will have too much in the middle third for Wexford, though they only really got on top of Longford here in the last ten minutes. 

Last ten minutes? Your being bit generous too Longford,Laois outscored Longford 9pts to 1 over the last 25mins of the game

[Model Hammer]

OK TRL, this long layoff has clearly left you itchin for football, so I'll engage. I wasn't planning on considering Laois for another few days yet, but rather wallow in the glory of our great victory over the Wee men for another while  ....

Well it's our 4th semi-final on the trot, and looking back over the 4 years, I still reckon last year was probably our best chance to progress. The fact that we didn't do it then doesn't fill me with optimism that we can do it this year.

We won't be afraid of Laois. We'll give them respect they deserve. We'll have to pull out all the stops to beat them I'd say. A lot will depend on our injury situation. We were struggling for numbers before the Louth game, and now there's a few more on the treatment table.

We finished the Louth game very nervously, so I hope we've got that out of the system. If we find ourselves ahead of Laois going into the 4th quarter and then start to fall asleep like that we'll be eaten alive.

It's interesting to see that nobody in Laois seems to be able to agree on a starting 15. I know that's more to do with the depth of talent available, but you've got to think it would be better to have a settled
team. It's all very well having 5 subs, but if like us last Sunday you start to lose 2 or 3 to injury during a tough championsip match, then you're options for switches quickly dry up.

Rory Stafford should perform the next day. He couldn't be as bad again, and I expect him to rise to the challenge. I feel we should be able to match Laois in most areas, though we'll need to raise a green flag or two, which we haven't looked like diong much lately.

The problem is can we finish strong. We've come up short the last few years, and we're facing a bunch of lads with Leinster titles in all grades who know how to win matches. It's a tall order, but maybe the law of averages will kick in for us this year .....

[AZOffaly]

It's a tall order

No it's not. The Laois forwards are all like little oompah loompah;s wearing blue jerseys

[The Real Laoislad]

It's a tall order

No it's not. The Laois forwards are all like little oompah loompah;s wearing blue jerseys

Might be so but ye Biffo's still can't beat us

[AZOffaly]

We can't bring ourselves to beat ye up. It's like hitting our smaller, uglier cousin

[The Real Laoislad]

Smaller maybe but ugly never!! Brian Cowen hardly does much for the image of a Biffo!!

[The Real Laoislad]

Injuries mount up as Beano joins the casualty list


BRIAN 'Beano' McDonald is the latest Laois player to be rated doubtful for Sunday's Leinster SFC semi-final against Wexford in Croke Park.
Steven Miller reports

The Arles-Killeen attacker joins Tom Kelly on the doubtful list with midfielder Noel Garvan ruled out and Aidan Fennelly, Billy Sheehan and Barry Brennan also battling for match fitness.
Beano has been bothered by a back injury in recent weeks and hasn't trained fully with the panel since the opening round win over Longford and didn't play in the challenge match against Mayo or in the A v B games in training last week. Tom Kelly, too, hasn't trained fully with the team since injuring his groin and had only done straight-forward running by the end of the last week. Fennelly has been struggling to shake off the quad injury he picked up against Longford while Sheehan's hamstring injury and Brennan's ankle problem have greatly hindered their preparation.
With Garvan already ruled out because of ankle ligament damage Laois will have to do without their most experienced outfield player with Brendan Quigley moving to midfield from the target-man full-forward role that he filled the last day.
If Beano's injury is serious enough to rule him out it will leave Laois needing to fill two forward positions with Donie Brennan, Sheehan, Peter O'Leary and Colm Parkinson fighting it out for starting roles. While Laois would have preferred to keep Donie in reserve to use to good effect in the final quarter when the game is loosening up, the good form he has been showing in training has pushed him right up the pecking order.
At the back, if Kelly doesn't recover in time and Fennelly does Cathal Ryan will again play full-back with Fennelly and Joe Higgins either side of him. If both players are available the management will have a big decision to make while if neither player are fit to start then the likes of Rory Stapleton and Mark Timmons will come into the reckoning.
Laois were hoping to name their team last night (Tuesday) after training but could postpone that to later in the week to avoid releasing a side with a collection of AN Others listed.
Laois manager Liam Kearns has been frustrated since the start of the year with the chronic injury situation but is hopeful that his side can book a place in the Leinster final. He was impressed by Wexford in their win over Louth and reckons that, after Laois and Dublin, have been the most consistent side in Leinster football in recent years.
"This is Wexford's fourth semi-final in four years," says Kearns, "and if you keep knocking at the door you'll get it at some stage. Hopefully it won't be Sunday against us but we will have to improve from the Longford game because if we don't we'll be heading for the qualifiers and a very tough game away to Fermanagh.
"The key will be the middle third of the field and we have to improve in winning breaking ball because we got wiped out in that sector against Longford."
Wexford, meanwhile, have injury worries over full-back Philip Wallace while dual player David O'Connor is expected to commit to the hurlers for their game against Kilkenny.

Probable Laois team: Fergal Byron; Aidan Fennelly, Cathal Ryan, Joe Higgins; Padraig McMahon, Darren Rooney, Brian McCormack; Padraig Clancy, Brendan Quigley; Ross Munnelly, Chris Conway, Peter O'Leary; Michael Tierney, Paul Lawlor, Brian McDonald.

© Leinster Express
Filed under: Laois Football

[The Real Laoislad]

Kearns makes two changes to face Wexford



The Laois team to play Wexford in their Leinster semi-final has been named. Coach Liam Kearns has made a number of changes from the side that beat Longford. Padraig Clancy switches to midfield to partner Brendan Quigley in the absence of Noel Garvan, who's nursing an ankle injury. Clancy's place in the half-forward line is taken by MJ Tierney with Donie Brennan coming into the team on full-forward line. The other change sees fit-again Tom Kelly return at full-back with Aidan Fennelly out injured.

Laois team to face Wexford:

Fergal Byron
Cathal Ryan
Tom Kelly
Joe Higgins
Padraig McMahon
Darren Rooney
Brian Bruno McCormack
Padraig Clancy
Brendan Quigley
Ross Munnelly
Chris Conway
MJ Tierney
Donie Brennan
Paul Lawlor
Brian Beano McDonald

Filed under: Laois Football

[Stagmeister]

Nice to Donie Brennan in the side...I think he's a great little player
Who did he replace in the side??
To be honest I'd have him over Beano any day...think he's well over rated