Laois Senior Footballers 2025

County Man · May 22, 2025, 12:52:16 AM

Wicklow fully deserved their win last Saturday. We badly missed Mark Barry and Simon Fingleton in defence. Pa Kirwan only came on in the 2nd half.

We return to Newbridge on May 31 for tbe derby with Offaly. The team has a chance to obtain a much better performance and see where it takes us.

Hopefully we can resemble the performance that occured against Louth and that can set us up for the knockout stages of the Tailteann.

Karate kid · May 29, 2025, 02:51:54 PM

Any news on the likes of Mark Barry and Padraig Kirwans injuries or if they'll be in from the start against the BIFOS.

If Barry is unavailable would be good to get a look at Cian Ryle as I saw him on the bench the other day. Might be worth a few minutes.

If there is truth in young Hosey from Emo being in there training he would be worth a run from the bench also. A fine player with his club when fully fit.

Riseagain · May 29, 2025, 05:54:18 PM

Quote from: Karate kid on May 29, 2025, 02:51:54 PMAny news on the likes of Mark Barry and Padraig Kirwans injuries or if they'll be in from the start against the BIFOS.

If Barry is unavailable would be good to get a look at Cian Ryle as I saw him on the bench the other day. Might be worth a few minutes.

If there is truth in young Hosey from Emo being in there training he would be worth a run from the bench also. A fine player with his club when fully fit.

Cian ryle seems like a good up and coming player from Kilcavan who while were on the subject might cause an upset in the intermediate championship. Cian Ryle is well able to score and might be worth giving him a chance.
Didn't hear anything about hosey myself so unsure.
Does the match have to be in a neutral venue i presume when it's in Kildare

Joeythelips · May 31, 2025, 11:13:14 AM

Ryle not in the 26 this week, he is a fine footballer on a steep learning curve but the step up from intermediate to senior inter county is significant in fairness and will take him time to develop. Defintely one for the future. Also its good to see management looking at the younger players around the county and not just focused on senior level though.

Huge game against our noisy neighbours today and they will need to be at their very best to beat the Biffos. I expect a reaction after the Wicklow game so fingers crossed the lads can get the job done.

The Boy Wonder · May 31, 2025, 11:42:41 PM

Well done to Justin and his squad this evening - never easy to get a win over The Faithful County.

As a Laois supporter unable to make the trip and following on LaoisToday it was a great tonic.

We may have only finished 3rd on score difference but the result was a huge boost.

Joeythelips · June 01, 2025, 09:34:34 AM

Fantastic win that will be a great boost to the team, a game like that is worth more than any amount of training sessions. It sounded great on radio, but not to worry as RTE gave it their full attention with just over a minute of coverage on their highlights show. One thing it did show was the fantastic 2nd goal by Larkin and a super penalty at the death from Barry into the top corner.

Laois finish 3rd in the group with 4 points so are through to preliminary quarter finals (draw is on today at 6:15). The 3 best 3rd place teams and New York will be drawn to play one of the 2nd place teams at their home venues next week. Does anyone know if you cannot be drawn against someone in your own group i.e Offaly?

Teams that could finish in 2nd place are: Kildare/Sligo, Offaly, Westmeath, Wexford/Carlow/Fermanagh.

Joeythelips · June 01, 2025, 06:54:09 PM

Preliminary Quarter-Finals

Offaly v New York

Sligo v Carlow

Wexford v Antrim

Westmeath v Laois

The winners will face one of Kildare, Wicklow, Fermanagh or Limerick in quarter finals proper.

les Antiques · June 02, 2025, 06:44:48 PM

5pm Saturday in Mullingar. Hope we bring a decent following. The lads deserve it . There's a nice squad of players coming together.

redsetanta · June 03, 2025, 11:01:09 AM

Tough draw particularly away from home. Westmeath would be up with the favourites for it. It will take a serious performance to get past them.

Sideline12 · June 03, 2025, 02:22:30 PM

After their disappointing performance against Wicklow, it was great to get a win in Newbridge against Offaly in a very enjoyable game, so it's on to Cusack Park this sat evening against a strong Westmeath side who have been very unlucky in all their games in league div.2 losing only by a point or two against strong teams, I would be worried about our midfield and our backs Wicklow and Offaly broke our lines to easy at times and picked off some easy scores who will man mark Luke Loughlin who is putting up great scores this year,this game will tell us a lot about our players a win would be a great result

County Man · June 04, 2025, 02:13:00 AM

Fantastic to get the win v Offaly and finish the group on a high. A first competitive win since 2019 against them.

Damon Larkin, Paddy O'Sullivan and Brian Byrne were outstanding performers with Michael Doran doing very well when he came on for the second half.

The team showed a never say die attitude with some exellent scores and fine defending at times.

Westmeath will be a tough nut on Saturday away. They were competitive throughout division 2 and ran Kildare very close in Leinster.

Ray Connellan and of course Luke Loughlin are key players for them. Luke Loughlin has been on fire for them all season and will take some stopping.

With knock out ball on Saturday, hopefully we can bring a decent following to this crunch tie in Mullingar.

Joeythelips · June 04, 2025, 11:43:56 AM

A huge game indeed, Westmeath are clear favourites understandably given the level they have been playing at this season. They are not unbeatable obviously, despite good performances in Div 2 and against Kildare in Leinster at the end of the day (barring the Tailteann Cup games) they have played 8 games, drew one and lost the other 7.

It will be a proper championship game, Laois will have learned an awful lot about themselves against Offaly so will be full of confidence but they will have to be at their very best this weekend.

Hopefully the lads can get the job done.

Joeythelips · June 06, 2025, 07:11:56 PM

Team named, best of luck to all involved, hopefully we can upset the odds.

Joeythelips · June 07, 2025, 05:43:32 PM

Listening on Midlands 103 and it sounds a bit like men v boys in the first half. 2-12 v 0-7, Sam McCartan is doing a lot of damage. The goal right after the hooter was blown a real body blow. Westmeath did have the wind so maybe if Laois can push up and get a few early 2 pointers they could get back into it.

Update: Scrap that, they are being obliterated, sad to see it. A horrible way for the footballers to end the season.

Karate kid · June 07, 2025, 11:09:48 PM

All eyes on the hurling this weekend so this will go under the radar but a bitterly disappointing end to the year. Hard to believe it was the same 15 lads out there as last weekend.

Overall in a year with a lot missing probably a pat season for us. Hopefully McNulty will stick around and has a fuller panel to choose from and push for a promotion and at least another Tailteann final.

There is definitely a gap to be closed on the Westmeaths of this world but with some of the lads from last year back, a couple new young lads and a return of everyone from this years panel I don't think that can't be achieved in the next 12 months.