Laois Senior Hurling Championship

[ottoman]

Good minor teams necessarily do not translate to senior. The Harps are doing great work. What The Harps are doing well is getting everyone involved at a young age, maintaining the interested in hurling as they move up the ranks and as a result have a decent size pool of players to pick from who are very well coached. Therefore, The Harps are fielding teams with 15 good to very good players without any passengers onboard. A number of other hurling clubs are fielding minor teams without the same strength and depth at their disposal. What is making the real difference for The Harps are their players ranked 7-15 in ability. While this is great at minor and u20 level, the reality is that these players will not step up to improve the senior teams- the Harps should have some very good second and third teams in the future though. Ultimately, what you want are a couple of star players coming through because these are the players who will step up to senior and make the difference. If you look back on the last couple of Laois minor teams were the players from the Harps the standout players or not? Possibly, one or two but nothing to suggest that it is inevitable that the Harps are going to win a Laois championship in the next few years.   

That's the nuts of it really. You need those stand out underage players to help you cut it at the top table at senior level. If you look at Rathdowney and Clough Ballacolla for example for this years final. I don't think any of Picky, Ross King, Paddy Purcill, Lee Cleere, Willy Dunphy etc have any minors medals between them. But they were all stand out top underage players and you knew they would greatly improve their senior teams when they got there.

[TheGiantSquid]

Hard to look beyond a CB win this weekend? Their backs on paper should have a big handle on the RE front 6.

[The boardman]

Hard to look beyond a CB win this weekend? Their backs on paper should have a big handle on the RE front 6.

Would have to agree, hopefully will be a cracker of a game to watch think tg4 supposed to be showing it on tv aswell

[Ballygowen]

Should be a cracker on Sunday. CB are probably slight favorites, but I have a feeling RE will win by 2-4 points. like CB they have some great individual players but I feel its a last hurrah for some of the RE lads and a fairy tale win for them.

BK for the Premier intermediate by 8 + points

Mountmellick for the Intermediate by 4 + points. they lost the final two years ago, fell a bit flat last year but I think they will win it at the weekend.

still a great achievement for Abbeyliex to have their second team Premier Intermediate next year. their second team was junior A 3 years ago.

[georgedoylesrightleg]

ballacolla
borris
abbeyleix
harps

[Laois man]

Minor could be closer than people think. Mmellick to win the intermediate. Borris/kcotton to win after a tough battle. Rdowney to win by 1.

[Verbal]

Mountmellick will rue not finishing off the job last night.
They were in a great position playing with a strong wing.
Abbeyleix experience came to the fore in winding the clock down.

Ballinakill put up a good fight. Intelligent and skillful hurlers. They are better than I thought previously I would have to say.
If they could add Cha and Downey.

If Rathdowney Errill could be a bit more clinical with the ball they deliver to their forward line today I think they can take the senior.
They have defenders to match the various ways in which Ballacolla are a threat.
They have legs, experience, hurlers and a right tough streak.
Eric Killeen could be a massive player today.
Roddy & Picky, Corby & Purcell, Joe Fitz & Darren Maher, Stephen Bergin & Paddy McCanr, Jordan Walshe & Fonsie.... They will all do what they do. 3 or 4 of the above on each side will shine.

But I think Killeen could be a man that Ballacolla don't have an equivalent of the far end.
Rathdowney by 3.

I can't see Castletown living with The Harps in the minor right to the end.
They should pull away to win by 7 or 8.

[Laoisred]

RE great in first half but needed to be 7/8 up at HT with that wind. CB took over in second half and RE never got into it.
Very poor reffing performance, CB got every break today. Got their frees much easier...would have been tighter only for Dunne. Missed about 10 throws too for both teams. Still CB took the chances they were given...good luck to them.

[ottoman]

Decent final, Ballacolla worth winners, but Rathdowney Erill just did not show up in the 2nd half. They went out without as much as a whimper... if CB were more clinical it could have been 10 plus points in it and I don't think they could have complained.

I'm not sure what went on at half time, but I just couldn't get over how flat they were.